Michigan's Trouba Traded to Rangers by Jets

Jacob Trouba (Michigan) is headed back east.

The Rochester, Mich. native and former Wolverines defenseman was traded on Monday from the Winnipeg Jets to the New York Rangers. Trouba, who according to eliteprospects.com earns $5.5 million annually, was acquired in exchange for defenseman Neal Pionk (Minnesota-Duluth), plus the 20th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, which begins Friday in Vancouver.

Trouba, 25, was drafted ninth overall by Winnipeg in 2012, and had spent his entire NHL career with the Jets after prepping with Compuware, the U.S. National Team Development Program, and Michigan. In his lone NCAA season, he tallied 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points in 37 outings in 2012-13, and then joined the Jets full-time the next season. In 408 NHL regular-season games to
date, the 6-foot-3, 203-pound blueliner has tallied 42-137—179 points.

Pionk played at UMD from 2015 to 2017, recording 11-40—51 points in 82 appearances while helping the Bulldogs to the 2017 NCAA Frozen Four. He spent all of last season in the NHL with New York, collecting 6-20—26 points in 73 games.

Earlier this month, the Jets traded the rights to forward Kevin Hayes (Boston College), who came to them at the trading deadline from the Rangers, to the Philadelphia Flyers. Hayes registered a career-high 55 points in 2018-19 with New York and Winnipeg.