Why the Jacob Trouba trade is a blueprint for the Chicago Blackhawks to eventually trade Seth Jones

Jacob Trouba and the Chicago Blackhawks’ Seth Jones share several similarities.

They both are big, mobile right-shot defensemen. They are both 30 years old and add value to their respective teams--Trouba through his (borderline dirty) physicality and Jones through his puck-moving ability.

Perhaps more importantly, both are universally believed to be overpaid.

Ever since he signed his eight-year, $76 million contract extension with the Hawks in July 2021, Jones has been maligned for his play and inability to keep the puck out of Chicago’s net.

Though the Hawks’ defensive woes cannot all be attributed to their No. 1 defenseman, that hasn’t stopped fans and pundits alike from hypothesizing trade scenarios that would see Jones on another team.

Even if GM Kyle Davidson wanted to, Jones’ massive salary and a league-wide scarcity of cap room has limited Davidson’s ability to move the former fourth-overall pick.

Yet, when New York Rangers GM Chris Drury unloaded Jacob Trouba’s $8 million cap hit on the Anaheim Ducks, he provided a blueprint for a potential Jones trade.

In exchange for Trouba (without any salary retained), the Rangers acquired defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 fourth-round pick.

Vaakanainen, a former Bruins first-rounder, is 25 and has tallied 25 points in 141 NHL games. The Rangers may see untapped potential in the Finn, but in all likelihood, Vaakanainen is at best a depth defender on a contending team.

The draft pick probably won’t amount to much either as only 21.8% of fourth-rounders end up playing over 100 NHL games.

Overall, the trade should be pretty underwhelming for Rangers fans.

Drury gave up his captain for a bottom-pairing defenseman and a mid-round draft pick. But that wasn’t the point of the trade. The Rangers desperately needed cap flexibility now (to upgrade their roster this season) and in the future (they needed the money to re-sign star goaltender Igor Shesterkin).

It should be noted that Trouba only has one year on his contract left after this season as opposed to Jones who has five. But, if the Hawks want to move Jones sometime in the near future, this, or a slightly worse return, is what they can expect. They will also have to find a team flush with cap space like the Ducks to make a deal work. 

So, what does this all mean?

Hawks fans shouldn’t get their hopes up about a big return for Jones if they do eventually trade him without salary retention. And, even if Davidson does eat some salary, the team won’t be receiving a package commensurate with the one they gave up to Columbus to get him.