Jacob Trouba already labeled as dirty player thanks to latest dangerous hit in season opener

New York Rangers new captain Jacob Trouba dished out three hits and had two takeaways in his team’s 7-3 win over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night. On top of that, he played the most amount of minutes, playing in 25:49 for the team, posted an assist and registered shots in his first game as captain.

But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t back to his old bad antics… Trouba went viral late into the night and still trended on Friday as he was caught with a dangerous hit on another opponent on the first game of 2022-23.

In the second period, as the Wild benefited from a power-play, Trouba went straight at Joel Eriksson Ek from behind, pushing him head first into the boards. Eriksson Ek was not injured on the play, nor was Trouba penalized.

As you know, last spring, Trouba was at the center of three controversial hits during the postseason, with one of them injuring Carolina Hurricanes’ Seth Jarvis in the tight series. Jarvis’s concussion was not the first time one of Trouba’s big hits drew scrutiny during the playoffs. It started off when Trouba caught Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby with a high hit in Game 5 of the first round. Crosby would not return to that contest or for the following one.

In Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Carolina, Trouba delivered an open-ice hit on Max Domi, then dropped the gloves with Steven Lorentz right afterwards.

Trouba wasn’t penalized — or fined, or suspended — for any of the three hits.

As long as Trouba will get away with it, fans believe he will keep playing hard - on the verge of dangerous and dirty, some will add.

It did not prevent the captain from leading the Rangers in shots and being all over the ice.