Rangers Trade Jacob Trouba to Unexpected Western Team

Trouba's name was involved in trade rumors dating back to the summer, but speculation increased in recent weeks. With the Rangers going 1-6-0 since Nov. 21, general manager Chris Drury was open to shaking up the roster, and one of the quickest ways of doing that was trading away the team captain. 

While many NHL fans expected Trouba to be traded soon, few thought he'd end up in Anaheim. After all, the Ducks are currently at the bottom of the Pacific Division with a 10-11-3 record (23 points), a long way from being a Stanley Cup contender. 

Additionally, the Ducks weren't one of the teams reported to be in contention for Trouba's services. Just hours before the deal was announced, ESPN's Greg Wyshynski reported that the Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings were among the teams believed to be in the mix. 

Even though Anaheim hasn't had much recent success, the organization does have several promising young players — Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, etc. — who could help form a playoff contender in the near future. 

The Ducks are likely hoping that Trouba can provide a veteran presence that the younger players can learn from. Not only did he serve as the Rangers' captain since 2022, but he also has a ton of experience stemming from playing a combined 845 games between the NHL regular season and playoffs. 

As for the Rangers, they get to add Vaakanainen to their blue line. The former 2017 first-rounder has tallied one goal and 24 assists in 141 career games split between the Ducks and Boston Bruins. 

Time will tell if a change in scenery helps Trouba turn his 2024-25 campaign around. The 30-year-old defender's offensive production has taken a hit this year as he's only mustered six assists without a goal in 24 outings. Trouba hasn't scored a regular-season goal since Jan. 4, a stretch of 56 straight games.

Trouba finishes his Rangers run with 31 goals and 105 assists in 364 games. Although he never won the Stanley Cup with New York, he did help the franchise make the playoffs in four of five seasons, which included two Eastern Conference Finals appearances. 

Once the trade becomes official, Trouba could make his Anaheim debut as soon as Monday in Montreal against the Canadiens. 

The Ducks already visited the Rangers in October, meaning Trouba won't make his New York return until next year. Fortunately, he'll still get to face his former team this season when the Rangers visit Honda Center on March 28.