Jacob Trouba is looking for a $7 million AAV on his next contract but, the Jets are looking for a $4 million AAV.

It was reported by Elliotte Friedman that with a $3 million difference heading into their arbitration hearing Friday, things could get ugly for either side.

Long contract negotiations are not a new thing for Trouba and the Jets. In 2016, they went through a long and drawn out battle that took them past training camp and eventually the start of the season. Finally, they reached an agreement and signed a two-year bridge deal worth $6 million in total. It was well known that Trouba wanted more money and a longer term, as well as an increased role rather than playing bottom pairing minutes like he had throughout his Entry-Level Contract.

There is an unwritten promise of a bridge deal that it will lead to a much larger contract in terms of both money and length. It seems that Trouba expecting $7 million shows that he wants to “Cash-in” on that promise. In 2016-17 after signing his two-year contract, Trouba posted a career-high in points with 33 in only 60 games, and 2017-18 in 55 games he had 24 points. These seasons are his first and third best in terms of points respectively, both coming in his e4fonr and first lowest seasons in games played respectively.

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He has consistently proven himself to be a promising young player so, it’s not insane to see why he would value himself at $7 million. This past season he averaged his lowest time on ice per game at only 21:54 and still produced one of his better seasons in terms of points per game. If he were to play a full 82 games he could even produce around 30 to 35 points each season, and if he played top pairing minutes, he could possibly put up even more. This creates an issue in negotiations as the Jets clearly value him but, at a much lower cost than he values himself.

Jacob Trouba is one of the best young defencemen who plays on the right-side and his contract demands seem to show that. He’s a young athlete who wants to get paid what the market values him at and looking at comparable contracts, it seems fair. Morgan Rielly is a left-handed defenseman who in 2016 signed a six-year $5 million contract, which is seen as a bargain. Two years later, Trouba as a right-handed defenceman, only wants $2 million more.

The cap has risen by $6.5 million since Rielly’s contract was signed and with the possibility of a Seattle expansion, it could rise even higher in the coming seasons. However, the Jets are a team that could be on the cusp of a Stanley Cup win and they need to lock up their players to low-cost deals. Especially with players like Patrik Laine needing a contract in the near future and if they don’t manage their cap well, it could come back to haunt them.

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