The Winnipeg Jets traded defenseman Jacob Trouba to the New York Rangers for blue-liner Neal Pionk and the 20th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, the team announced Monday.
Trouba is a restricted free agent. The trade doesn't include any conditional picks if he re-signs with New York, and the Rangers weren't allowed to speak to him prior to the deal about an extension, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
The first-round pick in this deal was initially owned by the Jets but was sent to the Rangers prior to the trade deadline to acquire Kevin Hayes, who is a pending unrestricted free agent. The Jets flipped Hayes' rights to the Philadelphia Flyers on June 3 for a 2019 fifth-round pick.
Here's what each team ends up with as a result of the two trades:
| Rangers receive | Jets receive |
|---|---|
| D Jacob Trouba | D Neal Pionk |
| F Brendan Lemieux | 2019 5th-rounder (from Flyers) |
This trade marks the end of a two-year saga during which the Jets and Trouba's camp butted heads on more than one occasion in contract negotiations.
After Trouba's entry-level contract expired before the 2016-17 campaign, he didn't sign his next pact until over a month into the season, agreeing to a two-year bridge deal. When that expired, he and the Jets needed arbitration to settle on a one-year, $5.5-million contract last summer. The two sides were reportedly $3 million apart before the hearing.
Trouba, 25, enjoyed a career year in 2018-19. The 6-foot-3, 202-pound right-handed defenseman registered 50 points in 82 games while averaging nearly 23 minutes per night.
Pionk, a 6-foot, 186-pound right-handed blue-liner, is coming off his first full NHL season. The 23-year-old recorded six goals and 26 points in 73 games while averaging just over 21 minutes per night.
