{"id":1704,"date":"2016-09-25T18:03:29","date_gmt":"2016-09-25T22:03:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/?p=1704"},"modified":"2016-09-25T18:03:29","modified_gmt":"2016-09-25T22:03:29","slug":"jacob-trouba-requests-trade-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2016\/09\/25\/jacob-trouba-requests-trade-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Trouble in Paradise: Jacob Trouba Requests Trade"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before it really ever got started, the Jacob Trouba<\/a><\/strong> era in Winnipeg could be coming to an end. What was once one of those “good problems”, the log jam at\u00a0the right side of the\u00a0Winnipeg Jets<\/strong><\/a>‘\u00a0<\/strong>defense corps has caught up to them. Feeling that the excess of right handed defenemen in Winnipeg is interfering with his potential, Trouba\u00a0wants out.<\/p>\n

Jacob Trouba Requests Trade<\/h3>\n

The hope was that his return from the World Cup of Hockey would mark the start of meaningful contract negotiations. Instead, a blockbuster trade looms.<\/p>\n

Trouba joins the\u00a0long list of\u00a0Kurt Overhardt<\/strong>\u00a0represented players who have requested a change of scenery.\u00a0Be it on the penalty kill, with\u00a0Mark Stuart<\/a><\/strong>, or on his offside, Trouba has spent the majority of his career under undesirable conditions. This is the result of being behind\u00a0Dustin Byfuglien<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Tyler Myers<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>on the depth chart.<\/p>\n

Though statistical evidence suggests Trouba is the better player, the Jets organization is quite fond of Myers. He carries a cap hit of $5.5\u00a0million per\u00a0year, but only earns $3.5 million in real dollars on average\u00a0thanks to a front loaded contract by the Buffalo Sabres<\/strong><\/a> under the old collective bargaining agreement. This, combined with his daunting size,\u00a0has created a seemingly\u00a0inseparable relationship.<\/p>\n

Missed Opportunities for Winnipeg<\/h2>\n

Trouba should not be vilified for\u00a0his requests. While some pundits\u00a0believe playing on his opposite side with Byfuglien is a great opportunity, he clearly doesn’t. Trouba is not at his best when played on the left. If this is where he is to play during the prime years of his career, he’s missing out. When greater opportunities are available, human instinct is to jump on them. This is the case with Jacob Trouba. His agent has made it clear that he wishes to “realize his potential as a right shot NHL defenseman.<\/a>”<\/p>\n

Perhaps most frustrating for Jets fans is the report of Trouba requesting a trade as early as May<\/a>. Trouba’s inferior\u00a0Adam Larsson<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0managed to reel in winger\u00a0Taylor Hall<\/a><\/strong> for the New Jersey Devils<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>in June. While acquiring someone like Hall wouldn’t solve the Jets’ lack of defense depth, he is a world class player. A Trouba for Hall trade would have given the Jets a proven talent\u00a0as well as making their forward prospects more expendable. From here they could easily approach a team like the Anaheim Ducks<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0who are willing unload a defender. A potential package including Kyle Connor<\/strong>\u00a0for RFA\u00a0Hampus Lindholm<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0could have been a real possibility.<\/p>\n

Potential Trades for Trouba<\/h2>\n

Failing to capitalize on a Hall deal is not a lost cause, however, as the Ducks have not yet resigned Lindholm. A trade involving Trouba for Lindholm is desirable for both teams at the moment. The Ducks have a surplus\u00a0of defenders on the left side, the Jets have\u00a0a surplus on the right. The Jets however, need to be sending something other than just Trouba over to Anaheim in this deal. Lindholm is the better player and it’s not exactly marginal.<\/p>\n

Trouba would likely prefer being involved in a trade involving Sabres RFA\u00a0Rasmus Ristolainen<\/a><\/strong>. This would reunite Trouba with ex-roommate Zach Bogosian<\/a><\/strong>, but doesn’t help the Jets’ cause as Ristolainen\u00a0is would be a downgrade\u00a0and also plays on the right side.<\/p>\n

Though a reunion here is highly unlikely, Jets fans at least have a glimpse of optimism. Trouba’s camp credited Tyler Myers as being worthy of his playing time, and didn’t publicly bash Stuart, his anchor of a defense partner. The crisis is strictly hockey related, whereas the\u00a0Evander Kane<\/a><\/strong> saga was a locker room issue. General Manager\u00a0Kevin Cheveldayoff<\/strong>‘s hand isn’t entirely forced like it was before.<\/p>\n

Cheveldayoff’s statement on the matter has also left the door open for Trouba’s return. He clams that\u00a0“Jacob Trouba has played a key role for the Winnipeg Jets and in our view still represents an important part of the long-term future of our club.”<\/a><\/p>\n

The optimism though is of course far fetched. The writing appears to be on the wall. Jacob Trouba’s trade request could mark the unfortunate end of a promising relationship.<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n