While making an appearance on NBCSN last night, TSN’s Bob McKenzie provided an update on the Jacob Trouba situation. At this time, the Jets appear to be no closer to trading the restricted free agent as GM Kevin Cheveldayoff continues to ask for a young, left shot blueliner with plenty of upside. In other words, they’re looking for a left handed version of Trouba. While many teams have interest in the 22 year old, very few of them have that type of player that they’re willing to part with.
McKenzie also believes that the Jets would still be willing to keep Trouba with the team despite the trade request, similar to Tampa Bay’s Jonathan Drouin, who left the team midseason to await a trade, only to return closer to the start of the playoffs. Whether Trouba is willing to have a change of heart remains to be seen but it appears this particular situation will drag on for a while yet without a resolution in sight.
Elsewhere from the Central Division:
- The Blackhawks are likely to make free agent acquisition Brian Campbell a healthy scratch on Friday night, notes Brian Hedger of the Chicago Sun-Times. Head coach Joel Quenneville stated that he doesn’t want the same defensemen sitting each night, suggesting the scratching isn’t necessarily performance-related. Campbell is off to a quiet start with Chicago, picking up an assist in four games while averaging 17:03 per night, down more than five minutes a game from last season in Florida.
- Also from Hedger, Chicago right winger Marian Hossa is questionable for the next couple of games after getting injured from blocking a shot from Philadelphia’s Shayne Gostisbehere on Tuesday night. Hossa has four points in four games so far this season.
- Louis right winger Nail Yakupov makes his return to Edmonton tonight as he faces off against his former team for the first time. Despite frequent struggles with the team, he told Robert Tychkowski of the Edmonton Sun that he doesn’t have any ill will towards the Oilers for trading him. Yakupov is off to a decent start in a limited role with St. Louis this season, picking up a goal and an assist in four games. Head coach Ken Hitchock noted that they expect that it will take a lot of the season for the team to figure out what they have in Yakupov and whether or not he’s a top line option or more of a middle six forward.