Jacob Trouba out two-to-three weeks in Rangers injury concern

Just as they added important pieces ahead of the trade deadline, the Rangers lost an important piece.

Captain Jacob Trouba will be sidelined for 2-3 three weeks with a lower-body injury, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury announced on a conference call with reporters Friday evening.

“We’re very confident Jacob is going to be back and well rested and ready to go once his lower body is healed up,” Drury said. “We will certainly welcome him back.”

The plan is not to put Trouba on injured reserve right now, Drury said, but it’s “always an option later.”

Trouba has missed the last two practices and was initially classified as day-to-day by head coach Peter Laviolette.

It is unclear when or how Trouba got injured, but the 30-year-old defenseman will miss time for the first time this season due to injury.

The Rangers acquired a depth defenseman in Chad Ruhwedel from the Penguins in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick.

Ruhwedel is expected to compete with Zac Jones for the seventh defenseman role while Trouba is out.

“Looking at a lot of different situations, talked to 31 other GMs in the last 4-6-plus weeks leading up to [Friday], just felt Chad was a great option,” Drury said when asked why he didn’t prioritize defense more amid the Trouba news. “Not a lot of right-handed defensemen in our system. Down in Hartford, Mac Hollowell, but just felt adding Chad and his experience and leadership was a good fit for us.”

In 60 games so far this season, Trouba has scored three goals and dished 19 assists for 22 points.

He continued to be a staple in the Rangers top four alongside K’Andre Miller, and as a pairing they’ve been charged with top-line assignments throughout the 2023-24 campaign.