Jacob Trouba out two to three weeks with lower-body injury, Rangers GM Chris Drury says
Jacob Trouba of the Rangers skates during the second period against the Panthers at Madison Square Garden on Monday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Rangers captain Jacob Trouba, who missed practice the last two days, will be out for an extended period with a lower-body injury, general manager Chris Drury told reporters on a conference call late Friday afternoon.
“He’s gonna be out probably around two to three weeks,’’ Drury said. “At some point in the near future, we’ll get an update on where he’s at. But that’s the update on him.’’
Trouba, 30, apparently suffered an injury in the Rangers’ last game, a 4-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Monday. The defenseman blocked a team-high four shots in that game and did not play during the final 4 minutes, 32 seconds.
On Friday, before the NHL’s 3 p.m. trade deadline, Drury sent a fourth-round draft pick in 2027 to the Pittsburgh Penguins for veteran defenseman Chad Ruhwedel, who, like Trouba, is a righthanded shooter.
In talking about Ruhwedel after practice, coach Peter Laviolette said adding a righthanded defenseman at the deadline “is important heading down the stretch and into the playoffs.’’ But when asked if getting Ruhwedel was connected in any way to the injury to Trouba, he said no.
“No. The depth part of it, and a long run to the end of the season, and hopefully in the playoffs . . . that would be the reason for adding a guy like that,’’ Laviolette said.
Drury was asked if the injury to Trouba may have made him more inclined to look to add a defenseman before the deadline.
“I talked to 31 other GMs in the past four to six weeks-plus leading up to today,’’ Drury said. “I just felt Chad was a great option. [There are] not a lot of righthanded defensemen in our system. Down in Hartford, there’s Mac Hollowell, but just felt by adding Chad and his experience and leadership, it was a good fit for us. We’re very confident Jacob is going to be back and well rested and ready to go . . . once his lower body is healed up.’’
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
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