Nine days after the Michigan hockey team’s season ended, Jacob Trouba is planning on leaving to join the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League, according to a source within the program. The Jets later announced the move on their website.

The departure of the freshman defenseman — named to the CCHA’s All-Rookie team while garnering the conference’s Best Offensive Defenseman Award — deals a huge blow to a defensive corps that lost Jon Merrill last Wednesday to the New Jersey Devils and Lee Moffie to graduation.

“I’m proud to be signing with the @NHLJets,” Trouba tweeted to his 11,236 followers. “Looking forward to starting my career with a great organization.

“Thank you to @umichhockey, my coaches, and my teammates for a great year. It has been a blast. Forever a Wolverine.”

The Rochester, Mich. native ranked second on the team in goals scored this season with 12 — seven of which came on the power play. Trouba also added 17 assists to lead all Wolverine defensemen. The Jets selected him ninth overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Trouba was also a member of the U.S. junior national team that won gold in Ufa, Russia and was named the World Junior Tournament’s top defenseman.

Winnipeg sits seventh in the NHL’s Eastern Conference with 38 points, though it’s in first place in the Southeast Division. There are 25 days left in the NHL’s regular season before the playoffs begin.

“What I feel and what I think is best for me is what I’ll do,” Trouba said last Tuesday in the team’s end-of-season press conference. “There’s not really a wrong decision to make, but there’s definitely one that’s more beneficial.”

Michigan coach Red Berenson noted last week that it was a toss-up whether Trouba would stay for another year or leave. Berenson and Trouba both added that the desire to stay another year to work toward an education was on Trouba’s agenda.

“Being here has been probably one of the most fun years I’ve ever had playing hockey on and off the ice,” Trouba said. “This is a lot of fun, and it’s a hard place to leave. Getting my education is something I want to do, and another year towards that would be a big step.”

Trouba’s loss leaves the Wolverines with five returning defensemen: juniors Mac Bennett and Kevin Clare as well as sophomores Mike Chiasson, Mike Szuma and Brennan Serville. Michigan has three incoming freshmen on the blue line, Michael Downing, Nolan De Jong and Spencer Hyman.

Managing Editor Matt Slovin contributed reporting.