On Jacob Trouba and the Winnipeg Jets …
Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun: Trouba nor his agent spoke to the media after signing the two-year bridge deal, so it’s not known if anything has changed with regards to the trade request.
The Jets have always wanted to keep Trouba long-term, and nothing has changed with that according to GM Kevin Cheveldayoff.
“From my standpoint, nothing has changed,” Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said during a conference call. “We’ve been interested in signing Jacob all summer. (He’s) a big part of our future. Hockey players, they want to play hockey. There is the opportunity here. This isn’t the first time something like this has happened in the game, obviously there have been other situations in the NHL this year. It’s not a unique situation.”
Chris Johnston: Jets GM Cheveldayoff when asked if he may now trade Trouba after getting him signed: “Jacob Trouba is a Winnipeg Jet”
Bob McKenzie: “I must be a dummy because I don’t see how Trouba signing two-year bridge deal with $3M AAV makes him more likely to be traded now. IMO, clear reason he wasn’t traded by WPG was because he fills such a specific need on their team that couldn’t be filled by any trade. I don’t see how that changes now that he signed. For any team acquiring Trouba, I never expected signing him was a big impediment to trade. Any team that would’ve traded for him could’ve leveraged same bridge deal he did with WPG. If anything, Trouba may cost more down road now. That said, having JT singed allows WPG to possibly trade on its timetable. If WPG was really intent on moving him, woulda been done already. Naturally, any time player doesn’t want to play for team, not an optimal situation. Eventually requires attention but it’s on WPG timetable.”
Craig Custance: “If you’re Jacob Trouba & you want out of Winnipeg, signing a reasonable bridge deal is a way to help expedite it. More valuable today. I wouldn’t necessarily read into the Trouba bridge deal as a sign anything has changed on the trade request front.”
Kristen Shilton: “Hard to generate trade interest if no one is watching you play. Trouba only helping himself by going back to Jets.”
Chris Nichols of Today’s Slapshot: Elliotte Friedman on Sportsnet 590 yesterday talking about Jacob Trouba’s two-year, $6 million deal with the Winnipeg Jets, and if he still could get traded.
“I don’t think he’s getting traded right away,” speculated Friedman during an appearance on Toronto’s Sportsnet 590. “I think they’re bringing him in to play him. I don’t think suddenly just because he’s signed to a contract the Winnipeg Jets say, ‘We’re going to lower our demands,’ which were very high. They are going to keep him, I think. They’re going to see how it goes. I mean, they’ve had some good games. They’ve had some trouble on the blueline. I think they’re still not 100 percent sure on their goaltending. They’re simple a better team with him there.
“Now, I think the contract does make it easier for a trade to get made somewhere down the road. But I don’t suddenly see this working out as, ‘Oh, he’s signed. All of the sudden we’re ready to trade him for less than we were asking before.”
