Best Jacob Trouba destinations if he leaves Ducks in 2026 NHL Free Agency

The Anaheim Ducks traded for Jacob Trouba during the 2024-25 NHL season. It was a move that a lot of fans hated at the time, for various reasons. However, it certainly worked out, as the Ducks returned to the postseason in 2026. Trouba played a sizeable role in this young, upstart team making it to the tournament, as well.

At the time, a lot of people did not like that Anaheim gave up assets for the veteran defenseman. It made some sense, at least in the moment. Trouba was an offensive black hole, and his general defensive play wasn’t that great. He was big, physical, and blocked shots. That was about all he brought.

The thing is, those qualities are valuable in the NHL. General managers across the league covet those sort of players, so Anaheim giving something up for Trouba wasn’t entirely surprising. And again, the move worked out.

It wasn’t the Ducks carrying Trouba into the playoffs. He contributed through eating big minutes and carrying a 90% on-ice save percentage, according to HockeyStats.com. He played a meaningful role, and he established himself as a quality leader in the locker room, to boot.

Trouba is going to get a multi-year contract this summer. It’s a matter of which team will give it to him. The Ducks would certainly want him back. At the same time, he could chase money elsewhere, or a better opportunity to win the Stanley Cup.

In the event he leaves the Ducks, here are two teams that make a ton of sense for veteran defenseman Jacob Trouba in 2026 NHL Free Agency.

Jacob Trouba is fantastic fit for Bruins

The Boston Bruins returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026, and now have a bit of a foundation to build upon. The Bruins are certainly far from complete in their retooling process. But they have a team that can compete for the playoffs. Adding Trouba to the mix would be a huge get for general manager Don Sweeney.

Trouba’s ability to play physically is a perfect fit with Boston’s historical identity. Though they seem to be willing to embrace a more skilled approach to the game, the Bruins will always want their bang-and-crash players. This time, though, they may value Trouba’s shot-blocking more than anything else.

The Bruins could not block shots to save their lives in 2025-26. Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman faced the fifth-highest amount of shots against in the NHL, per ESPN. Of the four goaltenders ahead of him, only Utah’s Karel Vejmelka made the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Additionally, only one goalie of those four — Washington’s Logan Thompson — allowed fewer goals throughout the season.

Getting a player who can cut down the chances offenses have against Swayman is vital. Trouba can block shots, take the body, and provide additional leadership for a team trying to figure out how to win again. The fit is quite clear, all that’s left is working out a contract with the current Ducks defender.

Sharks only have four defensemen under contract

The San Jose Sharks had an impressive season in 2025-26 thanks in large part to franchise cornerstone Macklin Celebrini. The Sharks nearly made the playoffs, in fact. And it took a record-breaking performance from Celebrini to get them close. This offseason, the goal is to give Celebrini the supporting cast needed to take them properly into the postseason.

San Jose doesn’t necessarily need Trouba for his ability, though that does help. What’s necessary for the Sharks is getting NHL-caliber defensemen through the door in the first place. They have just one established NHL defenseman under contract for the upcoming season. The other three defenders under contract are 22 years old and younger, and one of them hasn’t made his NHL debut yet.

This is a young team, so Trouba’s leadership and experience will be huge for the Sharks. San Jose has the cap space to be aggressive and add players this summer. Don’t be surprised if they find a way to keep Trouba in California this summer, even if he leaves the Ducks.

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