The Discussion That Needs to Be Had: the Captain Needs to Sit

[RichieNextel305]

At what point is enough enough? At what point do you finally fight back?

 

This off-season, the entire hockey world knew Chris Drury was trying to trade Jacob Trouba. And with that, a deal would not happen. Trouba enacted his NTC and made it known he had no interest in leaving due to family related reasons. And if he did, the receiving team would be acquiring a very unhappy, overpaid defenseman.

 

We all debated it. Some agreed. Some didn’t. That’s fine. Opinions on that varied and that’s fine.

 

What can’t be debated is this: Jacob Trouba is a liability that this franchise no longer can afford to continue trotting out there each and every single night. I’m sorry. They simply cannot continue to allow this to occur.

 

Every night, we are forced to see blown assignments, zero foot speed, a guy who looks like he is stickhandling a basketball and someone who finds himself out of position literally more often than he’s actually in position.

 

When we play teams that play quick, it is so painfully obvious of the anger that awaits us in the spring: Jacob Trouba costing us in the playoffs. You know it’s coming. I know it’s coming. His teammates and the staff have to know it’s coming. He simply cannot play at this speed and too often takes chances that backfire and often end up in the back of the net. It’s madness.

 

This is an all-in year. This is as all-in as you can be. You are on a potential Last Ride with this core. There’s uncertainty with Igors future. This core has had their kicks at the can. And big change definitely awaits if the job doesn’t get finished this year.

 

With that, you CANNOT continue trotting out, for regular shifts, this guy. It’s to the point that you need to really begin pondering how often you embarrass him a put him in street clothes. Not intentionally embarrass him. That’s not the point. The point is that this lineup is better when he isn’t in it.

 

Is it playing Ruhwedal? Is it looking outside the organization? I have no clue.

 

Trouba played his trump card and essentially ended any potential trade talk before the plane could even lift off the ground for take off.

 

This franchise means more than Jacob Trouba. We, as fans, deserve more than to see a team go for it for the last time with a solid core and be handicapped by this anchor who is killing our cap and our blue line.

 

The time has finally come. You need to figure this situation out. This defense, up and down, needs to tighten up. And the Captain needs to sit the fuck down.

Edited November 22 by RichieNextel305

[Ozzy]

I thought of late he was starting to look a little better, but it seems like he's reverting back to a mess back there.  Yeah, I think you've put it pretty well, Richie.  It's time!

[4EverRangerFrank]

Hope Drury reads this. Maybe Larry can slip him a note. 

[RichieNextel305]

I’m not even trying to sound dramatic or over the top. I just don’t know how you can be all in and then force feed this on the ice for no reason other than his cap hit and reputation. Trouba has been abysmal for a while now and it just needs to be shouted from the mountaintops at this point. You can’t expect to win with this anchor eating up crucial minutes and continuing to be a massive liability.

Edited November 22 by RichieNextel305

[Pete]

But he's not going to sit. 

[Mistercosmic]

This all-in year will end as another nothing-at-all year and Trouba is just one of many reasons why. I don't get upset with him anymore because it's pointless. He will not be benched by this head coach or any other. 

[JHS]

He’s been horrible for most of this season and was not very good last season.  He’s just a bad NHL defensemen.  How he is the captain of this team is beyond me.

[Pete]

He's not the problem, he is what he is and they knew that going in. 

 

The problem is they continue to deploy him as a top four defenseman.

 

The ice time distribution among defensemen this game, where they couldn't get out of their own zone, is mind-boggling, right @RJWantsTheCup? We talked about it. 

 

Fox 23

Miller 20

 

Lindgren 20

Trouba 20

 

Schneider 14

Jones 16

 

Edited November 22 by Pete

[Sharpshooter]

He's not going to sit. Again, more delusion on here, like Shesterkin not getting re-signed. If Lav didn't sit him in the playoffs when he was hobbled, he's not doing it now. The unfortunate reality is that we're just going to have to deal with him for this one more season and hope that maybe you catch lightning in a bottle with him one more time. The first maybe three weeks or so of the season I thought he was playing some of his best hockey as a Ranger, and even that it wasn't that great. lol

[RJWantsTheCup]

40 minutes ago, Pete said:

He's not the problem, he is what he is and they knew that going in. 

 

The problem is they continue to deploy him as a top four defenseman.

 

The ice time distribution among defensemen this game, where they couldn't get out of their own zone, is mind-boggling, right @RJWantsTheCup? We talked about it. 

 

Fox 23

Miller 20

 

Lindgren 20

Trouba 20

 

Schneider 14

Jones 16

 

They keep giving Trouba more ice time than any other D not named Fox.  It's mind boggling.

[Sharpshooter]

Speaking of ice time, and this isn't Trouba related, but Cuylle got 13 minutes of ice time, with the way he's been playing? If anyone deserves an actual increase in time, it's him.

 

With Trouba, this is a negative of having a veteran, old school, player's kind of guy in Lav. A lot of times it's loyalty over sense.

[Ozzy]

Mancini is 10x better than Trouba right now, and he's in the AHL.

 

I'm trying to just accept the fact that we're going to have to deal with him up to the trade deadline.  Hopefully we can find a trade partner that will take him off our hands for less than a huge ransom going along with him or coming back.

[RJWantsTheCup]

They aren't even willing to cut his minutes.  There's little chance they trade him at the deadline.

[Long live the King]

2 hours ago, Pete said:

He's not the problem, he is what he is and they knew that going in. 

 

The problem is they continue to deploy him as a top four defenseman.

 

The ice time distribution among defensemen this game, where they couldn't get out of their own zone, is mind-boggling, right @RJWantsTheCup? We talked about it. 

 

Fox 23

Miller 20

 

Lindgren 20

Trouba 20

 

Schneider 14

Jones 16

 

 

Doesn't help they took 5 penalties.  Trouba and Lindgren both played about 4:30 on the PK.  Bottom 4 were pretty even in 5v5 TOI.  Still can't wait to get rid of them both.

[RichieNextel305]

25 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

Mancini is 10x better than Trouba right now, and he's in the AHL.

 

I'm trying to just accept the fact that we're going to have to deal with him up to the trade deadline.  Hopefully we can find a trade partner that will take him off our hands for less than a huge ransom going along with him or coming back.

That’s the infuriating thing. There are players who deserve to play over him that just aren’t based off what exactly? Salary cap? Reputation? Captaincy?

 

I’m just sick of “doing the right thing” and intentionally icing a lesser lineup just because. It’s an insult. I don’t care if you’re the Captain or that you’re making an absurd amount of money.

 

Again, I realize this is ever going to happen. But it’s absurd. First we can’t move the guy. Now we need to keep in his current role? Based off what?

 

He stinks. He fucking stinks.

[Pete]

15 minutes ago, Long live the King said:

 

Doesn't help they took 5 penalties.  Trouba and Lindgren both played about 4:30 on the PK.  Bottom 4 were pretty even in 5v5 TOI.  Still can't wait to get rid of them both.

[RichieNextel305]

It’s one thing we can’t move him. But we really have to continue playing him 20 minutes a night and pretending he’s still a Top-4 defenseman when it’s so glaringly obvious he isn’t?

 

At what point is enough enough with this guy? Seriously.

 

This is going to continue to get more painful, as it usually does, later in the season and in the playoffs when this guys stupidity costs us crucial goals and games. I just don’t know the logic right now. I really don’t.

[Pete]

3 minutes ago, RichieNextel305 said:

It’s one thing we can’t move him. But we really have to continue playing him 20 minutes a night and pretending he’s still a Top-4 defenseman when it’s so glaringly obvious he isn’t?

 

At what point is enough enough with this guy? Seriously.

 

This is going to continue to get more painful, as it usually does, later in the season and in the playoffs when this guys stupidity costs us crucial goals and games. I just don’t know the logic right now. I really don’t.

You can fix half of what's wrong with this team (zone exits and entries) by playing Jones and Schneider more at 5v5. 

[RichieNextel305]

Just now, Pete said:

You can fix half of what's wrong with this team (zone exits and entries) by playing Jones and Schneider more at 5v5. 

I don’t disagree. It’s a start.

 

But you can’t completely hide this guy. It isn’t like what Torts used to do with Bickel way back in the day.

 

I don’t know. I’ve seen this movie one too many times. It ends with us bitching about the guy whether it’s his stupidity, his foot speed, his penalties, his inability to stop taking himself out of position for hits, etc.

 

If we know where this is going, why are we continuing down this path? Because of his cap hit? Because of his reputation? Why? Especially considering we have guys that potentially are better than he is at his very job.

 

At what point does the insanity end?

[Pete]

8 minutes ago, RichieNextel305 said:

I don’t disagree. It’s a start.

 

But you can’t completely hide this guy. It isn’t like what Torts used to do with Bickel way back in the day.

 

I don’t know. I’ve seen this movie one too many times. It ends with us bitching about the guy whether it’s his stupidity, his foot speed, his penalties, his inability to stop taking himself out of position for hits, etc.

 

If we know where this is going, why are we continuing down this path? Because of his cap hit? Because of his reputation? Why? Especially considering we have guys that potentially are better than he is at his very job.

 

At what point does the insanity end?

I don't know, but I'll buy you a beer if you can name me one NHL coach who sat a captain who is (was?) highly respected in the room and makes a ton of money.

[RichieNextel305]

Like, case in point. They didn’t want him up here sitting and not playing.

 

So, if he’s getting called up, who would it be for in the lineup? Because if it’s for anyone but Trouba, then you can’t take this team seriously at the moment.

[RichieNextel305]

2 minutes ago, Pete said:

I don't know, but I'll buy you a beer if you can name me one NHL coach who sat a captain who is (was?) highly respected in the room and makes a ton of money.

Can you buy me a beer regardless? It’s Friday.

Edited November 22 by RichieNextel305

[Pete]

4 minutes ago, RichieNextel305 said:

Can you buy me a beer regardless? It’s Friday.

I can send thoughts and prayers.

[RangersIn7]

Drury knew the issue which is why he tried to move him.

I don’t know that Drury was or is willing to take the lineup card away from Lavy. I’m sure they’ve discussed it. 
He simply can’t play more than bottom pair minutes. 

[Pete]

Trouba isn't even an effective PK anymore.

 

Just to work out one stat, Corsi, out of all the PK tandems who've played 15 mins on the PK this season, TVR and Rasmus Sandon lead with a Corsi of 32%.

 

This is the Rangers.

Fox/Miller: 30%

 

Trouba/Lindgren: 6%

Trouba/ Miller: 3%