Rangers end Trouba tenure with trade to Ducks

The New York Rangers have traded defenseman Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks, the teams announced Friday, ending a tense few months of speculation about their captain’s future.

The Ducks sent defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick to the Rangers for Trouba. Sources told ESPN that Anaheim will take on all of Trouba’s contract, which carries an $8 million average annual value through the 2025-26 season.

The Rangers will receive either the Ducks’ or the Detroit Red Wings‘ fourth-round pick, whichever is lower in the draft order.

“I want to sincerely thank Jacob for his contributions to the Rangers and our community,” general manager Chris Drury said in a statement. “Jacob has been an example on and off the ice for our organization and played a major role in our success over the last several years. Since coming to New York five years ago, and serving as Captain for the last three seasons, he has demonstrated grit, toughness, and tremendous leadership and we can’t thank Jacob enough for everything he has done for the Rangers.”

Trouba had been held out of Rangers practice and Friday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins for “roster management purposes,” as the team sought to move him. The 30-year-old defenseman had a 15-team no-trade clause in his contract.

The Rangers presented him with several possible trades. The Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres had all talked to the Rangers about Trouba recently, sources told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. Forcing Trouba’s hand was the threat of being placed on waivers, taking away any control he would have over a trade as leverage to force a decision.

New York is 13-10-1 this season, fourth in the Metropolitan Division and in the last wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. But the team is spiraling, with six regulation losses in seven games.

In late November, Drury sent a memo to all 31 other teams to say the Rangers were open for business. He specifically mentioned Trouba and veteran forward Chris Kreider as trade possibilities. The Rangers tried to move Trouba over the summer, but no deal materialized.

Trouba has six assists and a minus-3 rating while averaging 20 minutes per game this season, which was his sixth with the Rangers. He took over the Rangers’ captaincy in the 2022-23 season.

He fills a few needs for Anaheim. Trouba can be a veteran mentor to a slew of young defensemen on the Ducks’ roster and in their system. He is another ferocious hitter on their blue line, along with Radko Gudas. While Trouba’s defensive game has slipped, he could help improve what has been one of the worst 5-on-5 defenses in the NHL this season. The Ducks are allowing 3.14 expected goals against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, last in the NHL and the only team over 3 expected goals against on average this season.

Trouba also rejoins former Rangers teammates Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano in Anaheim.

“Jacob is a highly respected player in this league whose character and leadership qualities on and off the ice are second to none,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement. “We believe Jacob has many more years in this league and hope he is a big part of our future success.”

For the Rangers, moving Trouba’s money off their salary cap will allow them to pursue any number of trades to help the team immediately or down the road. Potentially high among their needs: a winger for center Mika Zibanejad and linemate Kreider, both of whom have struggled this season.

Vaakanainen is in his seventh NHL season but has played only 141 games with the Boston Bruins and Ducks. He has one assist in five games this season, a combination of missing time for an upper-body injury and being a healthy scratch. The 25-year-old makes $1.1 million against the salary cap and is an unrestricted free agent after this season.