Defenseman Jacob Trouba criticized the New York Rangers for how they handled his eventual trade to the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, claiming months of public speculation had an impact on his ability to serve as the team’s captain.

“I wasn’t really thrilled with how it went. In my opinion, things could have been handled better,” he said. “It’s unfortunate how this all happened. But being fired from MSG is a rite of passage.”

The 30-year-old Trouba was traded to the Ducks for defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick. Anaheim will assume Trouba’s entire contract, which has an average annual value of $8 million through the 2025-26 season.

The Rangers had been trying to move Trouba since last offseason to free up salary cap space and create more opportunities for their younger defensemen. Trouba had an exclusion clause in his contract until July, which was then converted to a 15-team exclusion clause. Because of this trade protection, a deal did not materialize before this season.

“I was put in the position this summer of having to make a decision between my career and my family,” he said. “I chose my family. I would choose my family a hundred times over. I don’t feel bad about it.”

“I don’t like that everything is happening so publicly. I guess it’s part of New York.”

The Rangers have had problems on the ice lately, suffering six regulation losses in seven games. In response to this lack of success, general manager Chris Drury sent a memo to 31 NHL teams saying he was willing to do business, specifically mentioning forwards Chris Kreider and Trouba as available.

Trouba said the Rangers came to him Thursday morning and asked him to accept a trade or be cut for their game Friday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Trouba did not participate in the Rangers’ morning skate on Friday and was not scheduled to play against Pittsburgh for “roster management reasons,” but refused to waive his no-trade clause.

Trouba said his breaking point came when the Rangers told him to accept a trade or end up on waivers, which his no-trade clause wouldn’t protect him from.

“Yes, it was a threat,” he said.

Drury used this tactic last summer with striker Barclay Goodrow, who has three years left on his contract. Goodrow was placed on waivers and claimed by the San Jose Sharks in a pre-arranged move.

If Trouba were granted waivers, he would lose all control over his next NHL destination.

Trouba and his family initially discussed Anaheim as a possible next summer stop.

“There was going to be a trade at some point, and Anaheim was one of the places my wife and I were interested in,” he said.

After being threatened with waivers, Trouba agreed to a trade, ending months of speculation that the defenseman had a negative impact on him on and off the ice. Trouba has six assists and a minus-3 rating while averaging 20 minutes per night this season, his sixth with the Rangers.

“It was hard to play with that hanging over me,” he said.

Trouba also said his lame-duck status has made him an ineffective captain, a position he has held with the Rangers since the 2022-23 season.

“I was pretty open with the players on the team,” he said. “In that situation, I found it a little harder to lead knowing things were public.”

For the Rangers, trading Trouba’s full contract gave them financial clarity for this season and next. Just hours after the trade, they signed star goaltender Igor Shesterkin to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $11.5 million, starting in 2025-26. It is the highest goal by a goaltender in NHL history.

For Trouba, the trade offers a fresh start with a young team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2018 – a team he compared favorably to the retooled Rangers team he joined after New York traded him from the Winnipeg in 2018 Jets took over, he said having two former teammates on the Ducks in Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano will also make the transition easier.

Although the end of his tenure with the Rangers left him bitter, Trouba said he will have fond memories of his time there.

“I loved it,” he said. “The captaincy was something very special. Two conference finals. Additionally, I had no idea what New York City was when I arrived here and I feel like I have grown so much as a person. There will always be a piece of my heart in New York.”