Jacob Trouba Scouting Reports
Date of birth: 2/26/1994
Height: 6′ 2″
Weight: 195
Position: D
Acquired: Drafted in the 1st round, 9th overall in 2012 by Winnipeg.
Corey Pronman Hockey Prospectus – @coreypronman
Year in Review: Trouba was a First Team All-American (NCAA West), was named the Best Defenseman at the World Juniors, played at the World Championships, and was invited to USA’s Olympic camp.
The Good: You could write just one word in this section, “everything,” and it would be pretty close to accurate. Trouba is an exceptional talent who defends very well while also providing offense. He has high-end skating ability, with great mobility, power from his legs, and speed. He also plays a very physical brand of hockey, laying out big hits and showing good competitiveness in battles. Trouba closes gaps well, makes a lot of stops, and can transition the puck out after creating a turnover. He has above-average offensive instincts as a puck mover to combine with a bomb from the point. Trouba’s offensive game is an element that really started to flourish last season.
The Bad: Trouba does not have a major weakness that can be noted. His hands are average, and he can make the odd bad decision, such as going out of position for a big hit or making a bad play with the puck.
Projection: He could be an All-Star defenseman.
Internationals Scouting Services – @ISSHockey
A sound and reliable two-way defender, Trouba anticipates the game at an elite level. He already has very good strength and is capable around his own net but excels most when teams try to move the puck to beat him. He has a great stick and intercepts a ton of pucks and has the quick thinking ability to make turnovers into new opportunities for his team.
Dobber Prospects – @dobberprospects
October 2013 – Jacob Trouba stole the show at the Jets’ season opener by capturing first star of the night versus the Oilers, with one goal (game-tying), one assist, two shots, and a plus/minus of two while logging over 25 minutes of ice time. He also logged three minutes of powerplay time. Trouba has arrived to the big show and did it in an amazing fashion. He has to be on your fantasy teams and could compete for the Calder if he continues to log the big minutes. – Kevin Won
Profile By Luke Anthony
Strengths: Trouba is an extremely well rounded defenseman with great offensive ability and can throw highlight reel body checks. Trouba has a booming shot and is reliable in almost any situation. He’s extremely difficult for opposing forwards to play against due to his physical play and great defensive ability. To top it all off, he can skate pretty well too, so he’s basically the entire package.
Weaknesses: Trouba doesn’t really have any major weaknesses, though on occasion he could take a bad penalty, stemming from the type of player he is.
General: Trouba is an elite prospect that has the ability to be a star player and top pair defenseman in the NHL.
2012-13 Season: Trouba had a fantastic 2012-13 season and took major strides in his development after being selected 9th overall the previous summer. He started the year at the University of Michigan, where he racked up an outstanding 12 goals and 29 points in 37 games as a freshman. Trouba also played internationally for the United States U-20 team and was an assistant captain. He had 4 goals and 9 points in 7 games, helping lead the United States to the gold medal. In early April, Trouba was rewarded for his stellar season. The Winnipeg Jets offered him a contract, and he opted to leave the University of Michigan to turn pro. As we’ve learned the last several seasons with many players, it’s hard to say no when a team asks you to sign.
2013-14 Season: Trouba, to no surprise, made the Winnipeg Jets out of training camp. Through his first 7 games, Trouba played more than 25 minutes in 3 contests. He also had a goal and an assist. Unfortunately, he was injured in his 8th game on October 18th and had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher.
Jacob Trouba’s first NHL goal
Trouba drafted by the Jets
