The San Jose Sharks signed defenseman Jacob Trouba on Wednesday to a four-year, $33 million contract.
The Sharks also signed goaltender Eric Comrie to a two-year, $2.3 million deal.
Trouba, 32, collected 35 points (10 goals, 25 assists) and 31 penalty minutes in 81 regular-season games with Anaheim last season. He led the Ducks with 149 blocked shots and was third with 143 hits. He also scored one goal in 12 postseason games.
The Sharks’ “talent and skill” were reasons for choosing to sign with San Jose, Trouba said.
“(Macklin) Celebrini as a player, and how he plays the game, and it’s not just the high-level skill and talent,” Trouba said of the Sharks’ star center and leading scorer. “He works hard, he’s on pucks, he’s kind of a dog out there. That’s the kind of guy you want dragging everybody into the fight on your team.”
Another incentive was the length of the contract.
“It’s not just me anymore, it’s a wife and kids, and that’s a decision for the family more than it is just for hockey,” Trouba said. “I think hockey-wise, this will end up perfectly for me. (It’s) also a great place for my family. But term-wise, you don’t want to be moving around a whole bunch, as much as you can try to control it or protect it. Term and security means a lot to me and my family, and I’m grateful San Jose is where we ended up.”
The Winnipeg Jets selected Trouba in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft. He has 358 points (84 goals, 274 assists), 701 penalty minutes, 1,943 blocks and 1,846 hits in 906 regular-season games with the Jets (2013-19), New York Rangers (2019-24) and Ducks (2024-26).
Trouba was voted the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award winner in 2024 as “the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey.”
Comrie, 30, was 12-11-1 with a 3.13 goals-against average and .890 save percentage in 25 games (24 starts) with the Jets last season.
Winnipeg selected Comrie in the second round of the 2013 draft.
In 102 NHL games (97 starts) with the Jets (2016-19, 2021-22, 2024-26), Detroit Red Wings (2019-20), New Jersey Devils (2020-21) and Buffalo Sabres (2022-24), Comrie is 45-47-4 with a 3.11 GAA, .896 save percentage and four shutouts.
