Thoughts on Jacob Trouba’s Trade Demand

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba has demanded a trade.

Jacob Trouba has requested a trade from the Winnipeg Jets https://t.co/p8uEYGCCkW pic.twitter.com/ito7K6v1Gk

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 24, 2016

Given that the Red Wings have been looking to upgrade their defense and that Trouba is from Rochester, it seems like this would make a lot of sense for Detroit, but a lot of teams are going to be interested in him and the Wings might not be able to offer enough.

This one’s hard for me to hear.  For years Wings fans have been told that there was nothing Ken Holland can do, the player they were targeting just didn’t want to come to Detroit.  Zach Parise and Ryan Suter wanted to go home.  Steven Stamkos wanted to stay in Tampa.

Now there’s a player who they could use, who wants to go somewhere that he’ll be used, who hails from the area and played college hockey at Michigan.  From what we’ve been told, this is exactly the kind of player the Red Wings should have no problem bringing in.

But this isn’t an unrestricted free agent.  It’s not a matter of finding a contract that works for both sides, it’s a matter of doing that and finding something of value to send back to the Jets, too.

As Holland has told us, trades are hard.

I don’t think Trouba is coming to Detroit.  I think the Wings have too many defensemen, too little cap space, and not enough to offer the Jets in return.

But there is this:

#NHLJets RFA D Jacob Trouba told me tonight he plans to train and skate in Detroit until the matter is resolved

— Ken Wiebe (@WiebeSunSports) September 25, 2016