Jacob Trouba

Trouba is among the best at producing in the non-scoring categories, and 2022-23 was a career year for him in that regard. His 218 hits and 196 blocked shots were both personal bests, and he added 30 points, 199 shots on goal and 63 PIM over 82 contests. Trouba walks a thin line between being an intimidating physical presence and a borderline dirty player, but he's only been suspended once in his career despite doling out plenty of massive hits. As long as he stays on the right side of that line and can chip in steady offense in 2023-24, he'll be a strong defenseman in fantasy leagues that count more categories.

Trouba's performance a season ago wasn't talked about much, but he had a massive all-around campaign. The Michigan native played 81 of New York's 82 regular-season games, posting 11 goals, 39 points, 204 shots on goal, 207 hits, 177 blocks and a plus-25 rating. The Rangers' brass was so impressed with Trouba's game that they named him the team's new captain in August, the first they have had since Ryan McDonagh was dealt to the Lightning several years ago. Trouba doesn't see much power-play time anymore given that Adam Fox is around and that limits his scoring numbers, but he's a real asset in fantasy leagues which value hits and blocks.

Trouba played much better in his second season in New York in 2020-21 than his first and was far more effective than his mediocre numbers (two goals, 12 points in 38 games) indicated. He spent nearly the entire campaign paired with rookie K'Andre Miller, and the pair was effective despite Trouba missing 18 games due to a broken thumb and an upper-body injury. Trouba's time with the man advantage dropped from 1:47 per game in 2019-20 to 1:34 last season, and that number may further decline if new head coach Gerard Gallant wants to keep Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox out there more frequently. On the flip side, Trouba always adds a boatload of hits and blocks, so there's clear late-round value here in almost all formats.

Trouba was decent in his first season with the Rangers in 2019-20, finishing the campaign with seven goals, 20 assists, eight power-play points and 168 shots in 70 contests, but that may have been a major disappointment for virtual managers who were banking on a repeat of his 2018-19 eight-goal, 50-point performance with the Jets. Savvy fantasy players likely labeled that performance as an outlier heading into drafts, as Trouba's career high in points in a single season was 33 prior to that 50-point outburst. Going forward, he should continue to produce at an eight-goal, 30-plus point pace while contributing modest power-play production and healthy totals in shots, hits and blocks. That sort of production won't make Trouba an exciting fantasy asset, but it will make him a solid third or fourth option for virtual managers looking to round out their depth at defense in the mid-to-late rounds of drafts.

After bringing Trouba in from the Jets in exchange for Neal Pionk and the 20th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, the organization locked the defenseman up long term with a seven-year, $56 million contract. Considering what they gave up to get him, and the amount of money they just tossed his way, the Rangers are clearly expecting big things out of the 25-year-old. In six NHL seasons, the blueliner has never failed to reach the 20-point mark and went off for a career-high 50 points in 2018-19. Trouba will no doubt anchor New York's top pairing, as well as the No. 1 power-play unit and figures to continue being a top-end fantasy producer this year.

Given Trouba's lack of durability, his contract holdout from two years ago and filing for arbitration before reaching terms with the Jets ahead of the 2018-19 campaign, there are legitimate concerns regarding the defenseman — certainly from a fantasy angle and perhaps even from the vantage point of the Jets brass. Still, there's no denying that the Michigan native is a skilled performer. Trouba sees time on both the power play and penalty kill. He fits the two-way profile having amassed 129 points (34 goals, 95 assists) to go along with 527 hits and 647 blocked shots over 326 career games. From a fantasy angle, it should be “Trouba Time” a couple of rounds after the blueliners are drafted.

Patient fantasy owners who stuck it out through Trouba’s holdout last year were rewarded handsomely, as the physical blueliner ended up with a career-high 33 points in 60 outings for Winnipeg. While his eight goals and 25 helpers didn't quite send him to teammate Dustin Byfuglien’s tier, Trouba offers mid-range fantasy value with upside that owners can likely pick up mid-draft. While there are still questions about the 23-year-old’s long-term future with the Jets, he remains under contract for the 2017-18 season. Expect the Jets’ ninth overall pick from the 2012 draft to average approximately 25 minutes per contest while suiting up on both the power play and penalty kill. It’s conceivable (if not expected) that he'll use his 0.55 points per game from the 2016-17 campaign as a stepping stone to another banner season.

Trouba has found a sweet spot in three straight seasons, hitting 20-plus points in each campaign, although he’s decreased each year since his rookie total of 29. He registered six goals, 15 assists, 62 PIM and a plus-10 rating in 2015-16, which went along well with his down and dirty stats – 144 hits and 177 blocks. Secured on the second pair with Tyler Myers (hip/knee) hobbling, the 22-year-old complements the Winnipeg defense well and will continue to see consistent ice time, having averaged more than 22 minutes per game in each of his NHL seasons.

Trouba generated a lot of excitement with his 29-point rookie season, but he again missed a chunk of time to injury last year, playing in 65 games for the second straight season, and saw a seven-point drop in productivity. His durability is cause for concern already, but at 21 years old, the former first-round pick has plenty of time to continue developing his game. He likely won’t be a top-tier fantasy defender in 2015-16, but should produce at a level that will make him a strong addition to fantasy rosters. While role is a bit uncertain heading into the upcoming season, Trouba has the talent to solidify himself as a top-four defenseman for the Jets. He had surgery to repair a broken bone in his hand in April, but is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.

In his first season as a pro, Trouba was able to crack the Jets’ Opening Night roster and never looked back. He quickly worked his way into a top four role on defense, and at just 20, he should be a staple of the Winnipeg blue line for years to come. He wasn’t a top-tier fantasy defenseman last season, collecting 10 goals and 19 assists in 65 appearances, but he was certainly serviceable and should be even better heading into his sophomore campaign. What does give us some pause are his recent issues with his neck. He missed more than a month of last season with a neck sprain and pulled out of the IIHF World Championships this offseason with more neck issues. The team has stated that his exit from the tournament was just precautionary and that he should be fully healthy heading into the season, but Trouba’s health is definitely something worth monitoring.

Trouba's solid future as a stay-at-home defenseman was never in doubt. It's been his offense that has been overshadowed. If Hainsey walks (he is an UFA), Trouba could have a major impact in Winnipeg this season. It is important to note that both Trouba and fellow Jet prospect Mark Scheifele attended Gary Roberts' High Performance Centre this past summer and, physically at least, both will be in great shape for training camp and ready for expanded roles. If someone in your league views Trouba as merely a high-end shut-down defender, get him now before it's too late.

Trouba will play for the University of Michigan in 2012-2013, leaving him with no fantasy potential for the coming season. Remember his name when he signs his first professional contract.