NY Rangers Name Jacob Trouba Their Next Captain
Ever since the Rangers shipped out Ryan McDonagh at the 2018 deadline, they've been in no rush to sew that "C" on a new sweater. Even last season, in a sea of alternates, the organization waited to see who'd rise from the crop. Today they have their man and it's defenseman Jacob Trouba.
Trouba has been a hot button topic among the Blueshirts faithful & general hockey fans alike. His $8M/per price tag is under constant scrutiny. The Trouba Train has been dubbed "dirty" or a "head hunter" for several devastating hits despite zero punishment handed down from the league, let alone referees. He's not the perfect defenseman and can be prone to highly-visible mistakes, whether it be an ill-timed turnover or a defensive miscue. But if you think for a second the 28 year-old blueliner isn't captain material then you've got blinders on.
Obviously it's hard for those of us outside the locker room to gauge just how important Trouba is in terms of vocal off-ice leadership, but it's safe to say he brings plenty - especially as the veteran of an otherwise youthful back end that's got as many NHL seasons combined as Trouba's played himself. K'Andre Miller deserves the lion's share of credit for his ascension last year but skating alongside #8 certainly had a hand in helping him become comfortable and confident playing his own game. Overall, his teammates have shown nothing but praise ever since he signed with New York.
On the ice though, whether you wanna admit it or not, Jacob Trouba was an absolute stud last season and proved why the Blueshirts didn't hesitate to back up the Brinks truck in 2019. He does anything & everything his team needs and there's no better type of player to have leading a young core by example. Among all NHL defenseman Trouba finished:
- 10th in even strength goals & 21st in ES points (for reference, Fox had just as many goals & only 6 more assists)
- 20th in plus/minus (Zibanejad was the only better Rangers player)
- 10th in shots, 9th in hits, 2nd in blocks
With Fox rightfully eating the majority of quality PP minutes, you can't ask for anything more out of a leader who skates almost 23 all-situations minutes nightly against the best opponents have to offer. While there's certainly an argument to be made that Chris Kreider, part of the Rangers organization since he was drafted 13 years ago, should have been tabbed the captain instead it doesn't mean Trouba is any less deserving of the honor.
No team has hoisted the greatest trophy in sports without a captain in over 30 years. After an unbelievable season that ended just 2 wins short of a Cup Final, anointing their 28th "C" is just a minor detail that inches them closer to fitting the mold of a true championship squad. Can't fucking wait for October.
VIVA LA BLUESHIRTS!!!!!