Trouba gets pair for his Malkin-like head hit

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This article was published 20/02/2017 (3162 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO — The NHL has suspended Winnipeg Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba for two games following an illegal check to the head of Ottawa Senators forward Mark Stone.

The incident happened in the third period of the Jets’ 3-2 win Sunday. On the play, Trouba’s shoulder made contact with Stone’s head. Stone was prone on the ice for a few minutes receiving medical attention. He’d eventually leave the game and Trouba was assessed a minor penalty.

The suspension was handed down following a hearing with Trouba and the league’s department of player safety Monday afternoon.

Upon releasing the decision, the league posted a video of the play, where they explained the reasoning behind the suspension:

“Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba delivered an illegal check to the head of Senators forward Mark Stone. As the video shows, Stone wins a battle for the puck at centre before moving into the Jets’ zone. As he hits the blue line, he is funnelled into the centre of the ice by Jets defenders. As Stone makes a pass to a teammate, Trouba steps up and delivers a high, forceful blow that makes the head the main point of contact, on a hit where such contact was avoidable. This is an illegal check to the head.

“It important to note that Stone does not materially change the position his head just prior to or simultaneous with contact in a way that contributes to the head being the main point of contact on this hit. The onus here is on Trouba, to deliver a full-body hit through his opponent’s core. Instead, Trouba takes a poor angle of approach, picking Stone’s head and making it the main point of contact on a forceful hit.”

Three factors went into why Trouba was given two games:

1) The league identified this was a clear case of an illegal check to the head;

2) Stone was reported not to suffer any injury from the play;

3) Trouba has no history of disciplinary action over his career (a span of 262 games).

Trouba will miss Tuesday’s game in Toronto against the Maple Leafs, with the second game coming after the team’s five-day break when the Jets play the Minnesota Wild at home Feb. 28.

The loss of Trouba is a major blow to the Jets, who were already thin on the blue line without regulars Tyler Myers (groin) and Toby Enstrom (foot). Expected to take Trouba’s spot is Julian Melchiori, who has been up with the Jets since his re-call from the AHL’s Manitoba Moose Feb. 14.

When the league confirmed after Sunday’s game that Trouba would be meeting with the department of player safety, it instantly sparked a debate among hockey fans as to what the severity of the punishment should be.

Jets fans were particularly upset by the news; angered that Trouba could face supplementary discipline just days after Pittsburgh forward Evgeni Malkin escaped similar treatment following a hit to the head of captain Blake Wheeler in Thursday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Penguins.

Malkin was issued a minor penalty for interference and the league declined to pursue further action. Wheeler was asked about the hit days later – he was unavailable for comment after the game – but elected not to comment.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.catwitter: @jeffkhamilton

 

 

wfpyoutube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAJZc8AMT8E:wfpyoutube