Even though he is no longer under the intense spotlight of the New York Rangers, that doesn’t mean he’s faded into the background with the Anaheim Ducks.
In fact, on Sunday, the spotlight found the hard-hitting defenseman once again—or perhaps he sought it out himself.
Regardless, the former Rangers captain came under scrutiny once more after delivering one of his trademark bone-crushing hits, this time against Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues.
Late in the first period of the Ducks’ 7-2 road loss, he lunged forward and delivered a massive check on Kyrou just after the Blues forward moved the puck in his own zone. The force of the high-impact hit sent Kyrou airborne, spinning before crashing down onto the ice.
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It was a classic Trouba move. With his team already down 2-0, he looked to spark some energy by delivering a crushing hit on an opponent. Rangers fans had seen it countless times during his six seasons in New York.
But, just like many of his big hits with the Rangers, this one sparked controversy. Trouba made contact with Kyrou’s jaw and head, but both the on-ice officials and the NHL Department of Player Safety determined that he first connected with Kyrou’s shoulder rather than directly targeting the head.
Unsurprisingly, the decision not to penalize Trouba or impose further discipline angered many in the hockey community, while others argued that the hit was clean and didn’t warrant any punishment.
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That’s the nature of Jacob Trouba—he’s a magnet for debate and strong opinions due to his aggressive, hard-hitting style, which has sometimes crossed the line and led to past suspensions. With him, controversy is never straightforward.
Blues captain Brayden Schenn, who was honored before the game for reaching 1,000 NHL appearances, wasted no time stepping in to fight Trouba after the hit. Despite losing his helmet early in the scrap, Trouba came out on top in the clash between two seasoned veterans.
As for Kyrou, he briefly left the game after the hit at 17:23 of the first period but returned for the start of the second. The 26-year-old ultimately got the last laugh, tallying three assists in the Blues’ dominant victory.
