Jacob Trouba is no longer the captain of the New York Rangers, as he is reportedly heading to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for depth defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a fourth-round draft pick, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.
“The official trade call with the league hasn’t happened yet, so it’s still pending approval, but it will be defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a fourth-round pick to the Rangers for Trouba. The Ducks will take on Trouba’s full contract, with no salary retained by the Rangers.”
It’s rare for teams to make significant changes this early in December, and when they do, it’s often due to serious internal issues.
In New York, the team’s struggles were highlighted by a generally poor season and six losses in their last seven games.
While there were concerns about locker room dynamics and a lack of urgency, the main issue appeared to be Trouba, who rejected a trade over the summer and seemed resigned to eventually leaving the team.
On Friday, the Rangers made the decision to part ways with Trouba. Now, let’s take a closer look at what this trade means for both New York and Anaheim and how each team fares in this transaction.
To fully assess what went wrong with Jacob Trouba in New York, a more detailed analysis is required. In short, his performance took a significant downturn, and the Rangers misused him as a shutdown defenseman.
While Trouba is capable of delivering the occasional big hit, his footwork, decision-making, and positioning weren’t up to par for someone expected to log heavy minutes.
Perhaps he can rediscover his game in Anaheim, but it was clear that this wasn’t going to happen in New York.
Off the ice, Trouba’s struggles contributed to internal frustration, and the Rangers are not just moving on from an underperforming player, but also one at the center of much organizational unrest.
The most important aspect of this trade for the Rangers is that Anaheim is absorbing Trouba’s full $8 million cap hit through 2026, without sending any contracts back to New York. Just a few months ago, this outcome would have seemed highly unlikely.
Even without considering the return, this trade is a major win for Rangers general manager Chris Drury, as it frees up valuable cap space. This move opens up possibilities to reshape the team either at the 2025 trade deadline or during the offseason.
That said, this isn’t simply a cap dump for the Rangers. Urho Vaakanainen, 25, has the potential to provide the cheap, no-frills depth the Rangers need for their third defensive pairing.
The 2017 first-round pick of the Boston Bruins has had his career disrupted by injuries, including this season, but he has played solid, steady hockey in Anaheim, even in an otherwise chaotic environment. Standing 6’2″ and skating well, Vaakanainen has proven capable of advancing the puck out of the defensive zone.
The Rangers’ defense has struggled with speed in recent years, and moving from Trouba to Vaakanainen is primarily a significant improvement in that department. The Finnish defenseman has a $1.1 million cap hit and will be a restricted free agent this summer.
If all goes well, Vaakanainen could be a cost-effective addition to the Rangers’ lineup beyond this season. Additionally, the fourth-round pick is a welcomed asset for a team that has traded away most of its middle-round draft picks in recent years.
In the end, though, this trade is less about the immediate return and more about getting rid of a toxic situation in the short-term, while setting the stage for a future overhaul of the defense.
