As has been rumored for weeks, the Rangers finally sprang into action, completing a trade with the Winnipeg Jets to acquire star right-handed defenseman Jacob Trouba. And all it took was Winnipeg’s own first rounder from the Kevin Hayes trade and Neal Pionk.
This trade is much more than it seems from the outside. Often lost in the shuffle and obscured by all the rumor buzz, there are many factors that played into the move occurring. For the Rangers, they haven’t had a true number one defenseman since the rebuild began. But now, a 25 year old power-play QB who had more assists than anyone not named Erik Karlsson or Victor Hedman last season pencils in finely for the Blueshirts.