Ducks acquire defenseman Jacob Trouba from New York Rangers

The Ducks signed defenseman Jacob Trouba from the New York Rangers for defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 fourth-round pick. New York will receive the eventual selection of Anaheim’s own fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft or the conditional fourth-round selection Anaheim acquired from Detroit in the Robby Fabbri trade on July 3, 2024 (the former of Detroit’s own fourth-round pick Selection 2025). or Boston’s fourth-round pick in 2025, acquired from Detroit).

Trouba, 30 (02/26/94), has posted 73-242=315 points with a +53 rating and 626 penalty minutes (PIM) in 772 career games with the New York Rangers (2019-24) and Winnipeg Jets (2013). ). In his 12 NHL seasons, he averaged 22:20 minutes of ice time per game. Since entering the league in 2013, Trouba ranks second among all NHL skaters in blocked shots (1,654) and tenth among all defensemen in the league in hits (1,578).

“Jacob is a highly valued player in this league whose character and leadership skills on and off the ice are unmatched,” said Ducks General Manager Pat Verbeek. “We believe Jacob will play in this league for many years to come and hope he plays a big part in our future success. It’s rare that you can get a player with Jacob’s experience, stature and skill set. On the ice, he works every shift, leads by example and is a presence on the blue line every night.”

The 6-3, 212-pound blueliner served as the Rangers’ captain each of the last three seasons and collected six assists (0-6=6) and 22 PIM in 24 games for the club this season. At the time of the acquisition, Trouba led the Rangers in blocked shots (68), short-handed time on ice per game (3:03) and total short-handed time on ice (73:22).

Trouba was named the 2023-24 Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award winner. This award is presented annually to the player who demonstrates outstanding leadership to his team on and off the ice and plays a leading role in the development of the game of ice hockey in his community. Trouba and his wife, Dr. Kelly Tyson-Trouba, founded the Trouba Creative Expressions Arts Program, which provides art services to adults with epilepsy and seizures through the Epilepsy Foundation of Metropolitan New York. As part of the program, Trouba creates works of art that he auctions off by wearing his hockey gear covered in paint and hitting a canvas. He was also named the Rangers nominee for the 2023-24 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player who best demonstrates leadership skills on and off the ice and has made a notable humanitarian contribution to his community.

Originally selected by Winnipeg in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft, Trouba posted a career-high 8-42=50 points in a single season with the Jets in 2018-19 and scored a personal-best 11 goals in 2021. 22 with the Rangers. The Rochester, Michigan native helped Team USA to gold medals at the 2013 World Junior Championships and back-to-back U18 World Championships in 2011 and 2012. He also helped Team USA to a bronze medal at the 2013 World Championships.

Vaakanainen, 25 (01/01/99), has 1-24=25 points in 141 career NHL games with Anaheim (2022-24) and Boston (2018-22). He appeared in five games for the Ducks this season and had one assist (0-1=1).

The 6-2, 200-pound defenseman was acquired from Boston with John Moore, 2022 first-round, 2023 second-round and 2024 second-round picks in the NHL Draft for Hampus Lindholm and Kodie Curran on March 19, 2022.

A native of Joensuu, Finland, Vaakanainen represented Finland at three consecutive Junior World Championships, including 2017, 2018 and 2019, winning gold in 2019. He also helped Finland to medals at the 2016 U-18 World Cup (gold) and the 2017 U-18 World Cup-18 championship (silver).