Trouba part of ‘destructive force’

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This article was published 25/02/2019 (2386 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Jacob Trouba has viewed life from the rear of the Winnipeg Jets power play and doesn’t envy those forced to face the unit head on.

Lately, the Winnipeg defenceman has been a right-side point man with the Jets on the man advantage, a spin-off effect from the injuries to Dustin Byfuglien. On Friday in Las Vegas, he was part of the set-up crew on each of Patrik Laine’s two power-play goals that helped propel the Jets to a 6-3 triumph over the Golden Knights.

Trouba, who celebrates his 25th birthday Tuesday, says he’s enjoying the additional time on one of the NHL’s most destructive forces.

“There’s a lot of dangerous guys. That’s a hard power play to kill,” Trouba said over the weekend. “I think of it from a penalty killer’s perspective, like ‘What is most dangerous? What do you want to give up?’ There’s not really a good option.”

Indeed, Winnipeg’s No.1 power-play crew, currently fourth in the NHL and working at a 25.3 per cent efficiency mark, has an abundance of riches. After a difficult 0-for-19 stretch earlier this month, it had cashed in on three of its last eight opportunities heading into Sunday’s battle with the Arizona Coyotes.

Jets captain Blake Wheeler is a deadly accurate passer and has 24 power-play assists, second most in the NHL behind Tampa Bay Lightning all-world forward Nikita Kucherov. Laine has 13 power-play goals, four behind league-leader Brayden Point of the Lightning, while Kyle Connor has eight and Mark Scheifele seven.

“When Wheels is coming down that wall and has that ability to make those seam passes to Scheifs and to Patty, and KC’s a threat in front of the net, it’s hard to defend,” said Trouba.

Trouba is precise with his outlet and stretch passes, established in the offensive zone he’s got a low, accurate shot — not Buff stuff but hard enough — and he reads the ice well. With three helpers in Vegas, he has a career-best 10 power-play points (2G, 8A) and overall he’s recorded 34 points (4G, 30A) on the season (prior to Sunday), also a career high for the Michigan-born blue-liner.

The other night at rambunctious T-Mobile Arena, making the simplest decisions were the right ones, he said.

“(Points) just kind of come when they come, I guess. Get the puck over to Wheels and he makes good things happen,” said Trouba.

Winnipeg’s first-round pick (ninth overall) in the 2012 draft is one-half of the team’s shut-down pairing, along with Josh Morrissey, which gets all the difficult assignments from head coach Paul Maurice. He plays with a hefty dose of grit and pushes the pace with his puck movement.

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“Jake’s an unusual defenceman, right? He’s in some ways a throwback. He can hit heavy and he can play that really strong, physical game, but there’s some hands there to make plays and to see the ice,” said Maurice. “He got a little bit more power-play time this year… he’s been given more opportunity, and that’s something he’s always wanted.”

Last summer, Trouba signed a one-year, US$5.5 million contract after an arbitrator’s ruling on the restricted free agent. The 6-3, 205-pound defenceman will need a new deal prior to July 1 — and chalking up offensive numbers will surely bolster his case for a massive raise. That ask could make retaining his services a great challenge for the Jets, who also have the contracts of restricted free agents Laine and Connor to hammer out. Defenceman Tyler Myers is also nearing the end of his contract.

Trouba downplayed the notion he’s purposely trying to be more of a regular point-producer.

“A lot of it’s opportunity. I haven’t played a whole lot of power play, and when it comes you get more points that way. Just play the game right. I don’t really try to force anything or do anything differently 5-on-5,” Trouba said. “I know what makes me a good hockey player and it’s not always getting up there and forcing offence. Just take it when it comes, and when you get that chance to play on the power play, just try to make the right plays.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @WFPJasonBell