Trouba hears jeers, polite cheers

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This article was published 11/02/2020 (2035 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On Tuesday, Jacob Trouba made his long-anticipated return to Bell MTS Place, a place he called his hockey home for six seasons.

He was unsure what the reception would be like from local fans when he hit the ice for the first time with his new team, the New York Rangers.

“Honestly, I dunno,” said a chuckling Trouba before the game. “Obviously, I get a couple of pokes from former teammates on what’s going to happen but I’m not making any assumptions.”

He got his answer quickly in the first period, greeted by a chorus of boos the first few times he touched the puck. But those jeers turned to polite cheers when the Jets honoured Trouba with a brief video tribute with 6:04 remaining in the frame.

The detractors were back at it moments later with a chant of “Pionk’s better.” By the third period, the boos were barely a whisper.

The 25-year-old blue-liner from Rochester, Mich., was dealt last June by the Jets to the Rangers after it became clear he would not sign a long-term extension to remain in Winnipeg.

In return, the Jets received defenceman Neal Pionk and a first-round draft pick they used to select Finnish blue-liner Ville Heinola.

Trouba went out for dinner with a few ex-teammates Monday night but expected Tuesday’s game experience to be more intense than the regular-season opener for both clubs on Oct. 3 when the Rangers beat the visiting Jets 6-4. Trouba supplied a goal and two assists in his debut.

“It’ll be a little bit different,” said Trouba. “That first game was a little bit more my first game as a Ranger. It just happened to be against the Jets. This one I’m a little bit more comfortable being in New York and kinda settled in a little bit more… It’s fun being back in this building. A lot of good memories here and I’m going to enjoy it.”

The Rangers, who entered Tuesday’s action 11 points out of an Eastern Conference wild-card spot, are hustling to stay relevant in the post-season hunt with 28 games remaining.

Entering Tuesday’s play, Trouba was New York’s third-highest scoring defenceman with seven goals and 23 points in 54 games.

“There have been some adjustments for sure,” said Trouba, who is joined by Brady Skjei on the club’s top defence pairing. “I think as a team we’ve had some good games, we’ve had some games I don’t like. Finding our consistency and what makes us good is something, I mean, every team strives for. I think we’re getting a better idea of how to do that night in, night out.”

Trouba said his time in Winnipeg was crucial to his development.

“I feel like I grew up as a person a lot here,” he said. “Those were six valuable years of your life — from 19 to 25 — just thinking of myself when I got here at 19 to now being gone and how much I’ve changed and grown as a person and a hockey player… It’s a big part of your life and definitely memories you’ll always have.”

Working and living in Manhattan has been a major change from the Manitoba capital.

“It’s different, not just from Winnipeg,” said Trouba. “… I mean, having no cars is different. Just little stuff you never think of. Walking home with groceries and not putting them in the back of your car… It’s been a fun transition.”

A month after he was acquired, Trouba inked a seven-year, US$56-million deal with the Blueshirts.

“That’s something every player wants,” said Trouba. “I’m happy with the situation I’m in now and hopefully I can be a Ranger for a long time.”

Oakbank’s Brett Howden, a second-year Rangers forward, said Trouba has been a valuable addition. 

“He adds a lot of leadership for sure,” said Howden, who was preparing to play in his hometown rink for the first time. “He’s someone who’s good in the locker room and he’s obviously been through a lot in his career already and he’s still pretty young. He’s been through a bit and he can share that experience with the younger guys.

“And his play on the ice speaks for itself. He’s been one of our best players this season.”

 

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14