The availability of Winnipeg Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba is a rare and tremendous opportunity for an NHL team to significantly upgrade its blue line long term, and for the Jets to cash in on the currently high going rate for solid young defensemen. What's the best possible outcome for this situation?
On Sept. 23, Trouba's agent Kurt Overhardt released a statement to announce that there has been no negotiation with the restricted free agent for several months, and that Trouba wished to be traded to a team with a greater need for a right-handed shot defenseman.
Based on his underlying numbers, there are only a few teams that don't have a great need for a young defenseman with such tremendous potential. In his three-season NHL career, Trouba is known for his strong defensive game, ranking 13th among defensemen with 2:58 minutes of average shorthanded ice time per game, and 23rd with 429 blocked shots. He's also a skilled and physical defenseman who ranks 57th in that span, with 336 hits. His offensive game may not be elite, but he does rank 39th with 387 shots, and 33rd with 23 goals in that same span.
Even for a defenseman in his prime, acquiring a player with numbers like that could carry a steep asking price, but Trouba is only 22 years old. When comparing his statistics to how all active defensemen performed through their age-21 seasons, he's essentially in the top 10.