Trouba led Jets defensemen with an NHL career-high 50 points (eight goals, 42 assists), including 18 (three goals, 15 assists) on the power play, in 82 games this season. He had one assist in six Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Though not shocked at being traded, the 25-year-old said he was caught off guard by its timing.
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"Yeah, it kind of was a surprise," Trouba said on Tuesday. "I was cooking dinner and I got a phone call from [Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff]. I knew there were all the rumors and talks about it, but I didn't really expect it to happen last night."
"But, yeah, I just kind of enjoyed the night and I couldn't be happier to join the team and be a part of New York and the Rangers organization. It's a pretty special organization with the history and the city and everything that goes on there so I couldn't be more excited."
Rangers GM Jeff Gorton said of Trouba, "He's in the prime of his career. The opportunity for a player like that to become available doesn't happen all the time, and we jumped on it, had conversations that led to this and here we are."
The Jets traded Trouba after not being able to agree with him on a long-term contract. They selected him with the No. 9 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft.
"He's played hard for our organization for a period of six years and we wish him all the best," Cheveldayoff said. "He's someone we saw grow and develop, and obviously he had some personal things he wanted to see come to fruition, and obviously one year from unrestricted free agency, he had that prerogative.
"I think both sides are going to flourish from new opportunities."
Trouba averaged 22:53 of ice time per game this season, second on the Jets behind defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, with 2:04 coming on the power play and 2:28 on the penalty kill.
"He's going to come in and he's going to play big minutes," Gorton said. "He's a pretty versatile guy, so we can envision him playing in all scenarios, being a big part of it."
The No. 20 pick going to Winnipeg originally belonged to the Jets. They traded it to the Rangers with forward Brendan Lemieux and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft to acquire center Kevin Hayes on Feb. 25.
Pionk had 40 points (seven goals, 33 assists) in 101 games with the Rangers in the past two seasons after signing with them as an undrafted free agent from the University of Minnesota Duluth on May 1, 2017. The defenseman can become a restricted free agent July 1, as can Trouba.
"I'll let [Cheveldayoff] and my agent take care of that," Pionk said. "That'll all take care of itself. My main focus is to just keep getting faster and stronger and bigger in the summer.
"It's a bit of a culture shock. Never been through a trade before. You're thrown off a little bit. I would say all of last night I was a little thrown off. Now that it's settling in, I'm excited for the opportunity in Winnipeg."
Gorton said he has already been in touch with Trouba's agent, Kurt Overhardt.
