By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
One area that Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney needs to upgrade this offseason is getting a right-handed defenseman behind Charlie McAvoy. While McAvoy stood out as the top right-handed defenseman on the roster, the rest of the right-handed defensemen saw struggles. Right-handed defensemen will be a target for teams this free agency, and two of the biggest ones are Anaheim Ducks defensemen Jacob Trouba and John Carlson.
Both Trouba and Carlson will no doubt draw interest from teams. Last month, the Bruins were named a landing spot for Trouba on Bleacher Report. Recently, it was announced that Carlson won’t be re-signing in Anaheim and will test free agency. If the Bruins had to decide which defenseman to sign this free agency, they should pursue Trouba over Carlson.
Carlson’s time in the National Hockey League is winding down, as he will turn 37 years old in January. If the Bruins were to sign Carlson to a potential two-year contract, it would put the team in a crucial win-now phase with a proven defenseman who has recorded 785 points in his 17-year career. However, Trouba, at 32, could give the Bruins more time to win than Carlson over the long term. Trouba could be worthy of a contract for four to six years, while there’s no guarantee Carlson could play in the long run when he’s nearing 40.
A key reason Trouba over Carlson makes sense for the Bruins is Carlson’s potentially high AAV. When Carlson confirmed he wouldn’t re-sign in Anaheim, rumors swirled that he could command as much as an AAV of $10 million for a new contract this free agency. For a defenseman his age, that number is way too high for the Bruins to sign Carlson, even if he’s better offensively than Trouba. A potential $10 million AAV for Carlson would hurt the Bruins’ cap space to sign other players in free agency. Meanwhile, Trouba could realistically seek an AAV of around $7-$8.5 million, maybe $9 million. Regardless, the Bruins may feel more comfortable paying Trouba for less money when he can be with the team longer than Carlson would.
The Bruins need better defense at the blue line, and that is where Trouba thrives over Carlson. In his 13-year NHL career, Trouba has recorded 100 blocked shots 12 times in a season, which included a career-high 208 blocked shots in the 2024-25 season. Trouba has also been more physical in his career than Carlson. Trouba has recorded 90 hits in a season 12 times, while Carlson has never recorded 90 hits in a season.
Trouba has recorded 200 hits in a season twice. Trouba led the Ducks last season with 149 blocked shots, and his 143 hits were the third-most on the roster. Trouba can play the penalty kill, clear pucks out, and take up the passing lane with his 6’3″ presence on the ice. To show the huge hit differential between the two players last season, Carlson had 26 hits to Trouba’s 143, a 117-hit differential in favor of Trouba.
While he’s only recorded one 50-point season in his career, Trouba can still produce 30 points offensively. Last season with the Ducks, Trouba recorded 35 points, his highest point total since the 2021-22 season when he was with the New York Rangers. Trouba’s ten goals, 25 assists, and 35 points were each the second-most on the Ducks among defensemen last season. Trouba can also play on the power play and stick up for teammates by dropping the gloves when his team needs him to. Trouba was also a Rangers captain, so he brings tremendous leadership to the team.
The Bruins are seeing potential right-handed defensemen targets get crossed off the list before the 2026 National Hockey League Draft arrives in seven days. Earlier today, the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Darren Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning, knocking out any hope of going to Boston. The Bruins’ options are being limited for a right-handed defenseman, so they will eventually have to act fast, and pursuing Trouba over Carlson may be the best case scenario.
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