NY Rangers captain Jacob Trouba is moving to Anaheim

The Rangers found a taker for Jacob Trouba.

They are shipping their captain to Anaheim, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke to lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, on condition of anonymity. In return, New York will receive depth defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and the second of Anaheim’s two 2025 fourth-round draft picks.

Most importantly, the Ducks will assume Trouba’s full $8 million salary cap hit for the remainder of this season and next. That brings the Rangers’ available cap space to over $8.5 million and puts them on track to raise over $27 million by the March 7 trade deadline, according to PuckPedia.

The deal was finalized Friday after the Blueshirts barred the 30-year-old defenseman from morning skates before their 7:30 p.m. home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“I think our team needs a different direction,” said head coach Peter Laviolette. “We’re not playing well at the moment. If you don’t have the success you want on the ice, you have to make a different decision. And that is the decision.”

Reaction:Rangers players are trying to come to terms with the captain’s impending departure

The situation had become increasingly untenable, with continued awkwardness since the Rangers attempted to trade Trouba in the summer.

He knew his days in New York were numbered and he likely wouldn’t stay for the final year of the seven-year contract he signed in 2019, as team president Chris Drury decided to rip the Band-Aid off now.

Trouba’s approval is believed to have been necessary to complete a deal with the Ducks, who may have been on his 15-team no-trade list. Had he refused to do so, the Rangers likely would have placed him on waivers, thus allowing any team to claim him.

According to a league source, Trouba’s hometown Detroit Red Wings were also involved in trade talks but did not have the wiggle room to make it work unless the Blueshirts agreed to match a portion of their now-former captain’s salary keep.

“I would like to sincerely thank Jacob for his contributions to the Rangers and our community,” Drury said in an email statement. “Jacob has been a role model for our organization on and off the ice and has played an important role in our success over the past few years.” Since arriving in New York five years ago and serving as captain for the past three seasons, he has shown courage, Demonstrated toughness and outstanding leadership skills, and we cannot thank Jacob enough for everything he has done for the Rangers.”

The 1.90 meter tall, 100 kilogram New Yorker’s fall from grace has taken place in recent seasons.

He was named the franchise’s 28th captain in August 2022, but there were repeated setbacks in the three seasons that followed. According to Natural Stat Trick, his goals-against average of 2.95 per 60 minutes ranks last among Rangers who have appeared in multiple seasons during that span. His troubling statistics stem from subpar skating and a penchant for costly turnovers.

In 24 games this season, Trouba recorded just six assists and was still looking for his first goal. His opponents are averaging 36.15 shots per 60 while he’s on the ice at 5-on-5, the worst mark of any New York defenseman, with his rotating D-partners consistently performing worse no matter who Laviolette pairs with him.

That led to him being recently demoted to the bottom pair, a role that doesn’t align with his $8 million cap hit.

By releasing that salary, Drury has opened up opportunities. This will certainly help with next season’s cap crunch, especially as the Rangers continue to negotiate difficult negotiations with goaltender Igor Shesterkin, but also allows them to aggressively pursue improvements to turn things around this season.

The Rangers have recalled 22-year-old defenseman Victor Mancini from AHL Hartford to take Trouba’s place in the lineup, but don’t be surprised if they try to sign a top-four defenseman before March 7. They also want to bulk up their forwards with a mix of speed, scoring and size that will better prepare them for the rigors of playoff hockey.

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