Jacob Trouba is expected to make his debut for the Anaheim Ducks when they face the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night to start a four-game road trip.
The 30-year-old defenseman and captain of the New York Rangers was traded to the Ducks on Friday after the Rangers told him they would either trade him or put him on waivers because of his poor performance this season and the team’s difficulties.
Trouba is familiar with the Ducks, having played for three seasons alongside Ryan Strome in New York, and he’s been friends with Frank Vatrano since high school, even rooming together for part of a season in New York.
“I know from talking to him, we are going to have a really highly motivated individual with a little bit of a weight off his shoulders that is excited to play and wanted to play in Anaheim,” Strome said. “So, I think those are all positives and things that can jumpstart our group going forward, and I think we are all excited to have him.”
Strome said Trouba will bring a lot to Anaheim, a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2018 and is currently last in the Pacific Division. Before joining the Rangers, Trouba played six seasons with the Winnipeg Jets.
“I think anytime you bring a guy in that’s played in the Canadian market, an Original Six market and a captain (who’s) been in a lot of playoff series and really good teams, I think it helps,” Strome said. “Not only that too, I think a big body, just to lean on some guys and be hard to play against.”
Trouba also shoots right-handed, which is something the Ducks have been lacking on defense.
Anaheim had a strong 10-game stretch recently, going 6-3-1, and Ducks coach Greg Cronin said the difference in those games was the team skated harder and played more physically. He believes Trouba will add to that physicality.
“Jacob Trouba represents that, the physicality, the identity that you have to play with,” Cronin said. “He’s a guy that can step up on the forecheck and stop plays and kill plays in the defensive zone. He’s got a heck of a shot and having another right shot back there will help us keep pucks alive in the cycle.”
The Canadiens were hoping to win three in a row for the first time this season but lost 4-2 to the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Montreal took a 2-1 lead into the third period but allowed three straight goals in the final frame.
Making the loss even worse, the Canadiens had four breakaways in the third while the game was still tied but couldn’t score on any of them.
“It’s a tough one to swallow right now,” Montreal captain Nick Suzuki said.
Lane Hutson had an assist against the Capitals, becoming just the second rookie defenseman in Canadiens history to record a point in six straight games.
“I guess it’s pretty cool, but it’s more about wins and losses,” Hutson said. “We’ve struggled with that, and we want to find some consistency and win some hockey games.”
