Trade Grades: Ducks Acquire Jacob Trouba From Rangers

Trade Grades: Ducks Acquire Jacob Trouba From Rangers

The Jacob Trouba saga in New York is finally over. The Rangers agreed to a trade with the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks will acquire Trouba in exchange for Urho Vaakanainen a 4th round pick in 2025. There’s a lot to discuss with this deal so no fancy intro. Let’s get right to the trade grades!

Ducks: Grade B

I get that taking on the contract here is an overpay but the Ducks couldn’t have more cap space. The Ducks still have over $14 million in cap space even after the Trouba deal. Plus, they’re only taking on $6.9 million because they’re dumping Vaakanainen as part of the deal. Vaakanainen was never part of the D rotation anyway so really they’re only giving up a 2025 4th round pick. The Ducks have two of those selections and are sending New York the lower of those selections.

The metrics don’t lie here. Trouba has declined and right now he’s a below-average defenseman. The best thing he brings to the table right now is physicality. The number one thing this trade provides is the fact that Radko Gudas and Trouba now play for the same team. For a team that isn’t competitive, they need veteran bodies who are willing to compete. If there is one thing Trouba is known for, it’s laying out big hits. Plus, keep in mind the Ducks are a super young team. To bring an enforcer in like that to surround players like Jackson Lacombe, Olen Zellweger, Drew Helleson, and Pavel Minyukov feels like a wise choice.

The only part that would have made this trade better would have been if they realized that the Rangers had no leverage and got an asset to take on the contract. Then this trade would have been an A. Something that probably would have been possible except for the fact that the Ducks have had problems even convincing free agents to sign there.

Rangers: Grade C+

Maybe it would be more fair to give the Rangers an incomplete grade here. Considering the Rangers essentially sent Trouba to Elba, they deserve credit for simply getting off of the contract. Now it’s a matter of what will they do with the new money?

For as flawed as Trouba is, I’m not sure you can argue the Rangers are better without him. He does bring an enforcer element to the team that they no longer have now. Also, what kind of assets are they going to give up to even acquire the new players that fit into that salary slot? All of those things remain unknowns.

The reason why the Rangers can’t really get a super high grade is for one reason. We do remember once upon a time the Rangers gave up Neal Pionk and a first round to acquire Trouba the first time around. It’s hard not to revisit that point and acknowledge that maybe the Rangers screwed up by giving up Pionk.

Chris Drury’s job is on the line. He created drama and if he can’t fix it, he will be out of a job. That much is obvious.

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