Jacob Trouba has never been an unrestricted free agent in his NHL career. That’s probably about to change.
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported Monday that it’s “very likely” Trouba hits the open market on Wednesday when free agency opens. The 32-year-old defenseman and the Anaheim Ducks have been working on a new deal, but the two sides can’t seem to agree on term. The Ducks want shorter years. Trouba, who just finished a contract that paid him $8 million per season, is looking for something longer.
The door isn’t completely shut, according to LeBrun. But it’s close.
Trouba came to Anaheim as part of Pat Verbeek’s effort to add veteran stability to a young roster. That worked out better than most expected. The Ducks finished third in the Pacific Division and made the playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 season. Their young core — guys like Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish — started looking like actual playoff pieces. But the defense took some hits this offseason already.
Veteran exodus continues in Anaheim
Radko Gudas had his rights flipped to the Florida Panthers. John Carlson, who Verbeek acquired at the trade deadline from Washington, saw his negotiating rights dealt to the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. Olen Zellweger got shipped to Buffalo before the NHL Draft. That’s three blueliners gone before free agency even starts.
Throw in a couple of young defensemen hitting restricted free agency, and suddenly Anaheim’s blue line looks a little thin. Trouba was supposed to be the anchor through this transition. Now he might be part of the turnover instead.
With the salary cap on the rise, Verbeek could still make it work financially if he wanted. But the Ducks are clearly thinking about the future. They see a team that overachieved a little last season, and they don’t want to hand out long-term money to a player who will be 33 before the next puck drops.
Trouba could chase a Cup
Trouba knows he’s not getting any younger. He’s never won a Stanley Cup. If he hits the open market, he’ll almost certainly look for a team closer to contending than the Ducks are right now. And honestly, that’s fair. Anaheim is still building. The Western Conference is getting tougher by the year — Vegas, Edmonton, Dallas, Colorado, even the Kings are reloading. The Ducks aren’t there yet.
But they’re also not as far off as people think. If the young forwards keep growing and Verbeek can plug a couple holes on defense, Anaheim could sneak into the conversation next season. It just might not include Trouba.
That’s how it goes in the NHL. One year you’re the veteran leader holding the room together. The next year you’re looking for work somewhere else. Trouba will find it. The question is whether he gets the term he wants or ends up taking a shorter deal from a contender.
We’ll know by Wednesday.
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