Jacob Trouba traded to Anaheim Ducks
(Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The New York Rangers traded Jacob Trouba to Anaheim on Tuesday
  • Trouba joins Radko Gudas in SoCal, forming an intimidating defense duo
  • Read below for details and analysis of the Jacob Trouba trade to Anaheim

The New York Rangers shook up their blue line on Friday, shipping captain Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 4th-round pick.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Rangers didn’t retain a penny of Trouba’s $8 million cap hit in the deal.

Trouba, 30, had spent the past four seasons with the Rangers after being acquired from Winnipeg in 2019. He was named captain before this season but has had a rough go of it, managing just six assists in 24 games while watching his ice time take a hit.

Jacob Trouba warming up(Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette dropped a hint that changes were brewing when he made Trouba a healthy scratch on Friday against Pittsburgh.

“I think our team needs a direction,” Laviolette said. “We’re not playing well right now. When you’re not having success, there has to be a direction that moves differently. This was the decision.”

The move is a head-scratcher for the rebuilding Ducks. Not only did they fail to gain any draft capital for taking on Trouba’s hefty contract, but they actually gave up assets in Vaakanainen and the pick. It’s a low-risk gamble for a team with cap space to burn, but Trouba will need to find his game to justify the acquisition cost.

Trouba’s physical, hard-nosed style has made him a lightning rod for controversy throughout his career. He has delivered several questionable hits, including a viral attempt to injure Martin Necas during last year’s playoffs.

Now he joins forces with noted agitator Radko Gudas, forming a duo some Ducks fans are already calling “The Bash Brothers.” Pacific Division forwards, beware.

For the Rangers, moving Trouba was as much about off-ice stuff as on-ice struggles. His wife is finishing medical residency in New York until June, so a cross-country move isn’t exactly ideal timing.

Still, getting out from under all $8 million of his cap hit, which runs through 2025-26, is a huge win for GM Chris Drury. The flexibility should allow New York to make some noise at the trade deadline or in free agency this summer as they try to right the ship.

Trouba opened up about his time in New York following the trade:

“I mean, I loved it,” Trouba said. “This is fresh, but taking some time to reflect, obviously the captaincy is extremely special. The day I was named captain is something I’ll always remember. Two conference finals, Presidents’ Trophy and even more. I felt like I had no clue what New York City was when I got here, and I’ve learned and grown so much as a person.”

Around the hockey world, reaction to the trade was mixed. Some praised Drury for moving Trouba’s contract without taking any money back. Others felt Anaheim gave up too much for a player in decline. The biggest questions surround Trouba’s future role and how he’ll mesh with the rugged Gudas.

One thing’s for sure: March 28th can’t come soon enough. That’s when Trouba plays his former team, the Blueshirts, for the first time, at Honda Center. Get your popcorn ready – this one should be fun to watch.