Jacob Trouba Reflects on Rangers Split Ahead of New York Return

Jacob Trouba’s New York Rangers career came to an ugly ending just over a year ago today. After five seasons with the Blueshirts – two of which as captain – the veteran defenseman was involved in a plethora of trade rumors throughout the 2024 offseason, though he was unwilling to waive his no-trade clause to help facilitate a deal.

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He then entered the 2024-25 campaign with that chatter swirling all around him, and it didn’t take long for general manager Chris Drury to put Trouba’s name back into the rumor mill and eventually force him out of town.

That trade sending Trouba to Anaheim feels like forever ago, but since the Ducks and Rangers squared off in New York in October last season, Trouba has still yet to make his return to the Big Apple. 

He won’t have to wait much longer for it with the next game on the schedule coming at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, and, of course, in advance of that return, he was asked about how it all ended in New York. 

Trouba said:

“And last year was obviously tough for me. I think you go into a season and I’m kind of all in on that team and what we’ve built there, and obviously being the captain of the team. When that changes, I mean, you’re kind of heartbroken. It’s very tough to just flip the switch and come into a new environment. There’s a lot of years and energy and time spent trying to build what you wanted to accomplish there and didn’t get it done. Ended up coming here, obviously a tough time probably for me to just get through. But I think coming out on the other side, taking the summer to reflect on everything and I guess process everything. It all happened so fast,”

Trouba has seemed to find a home in Anaheim, off to a great start to the 2025-26 season, with 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 32 games played, while posting a +14 rating in the process.

The 31-year-old is a pending UFA in the seventh and final season of the seven-year, $56 million contract he signed with the Rangers upon being acquired in a trade from the Winnipeg Jets back in 2019.

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