Jacob Trouba's Suspension Fate Confirmed by the NHL after Questionable Hit on Justin Barron
The NHL has made its decision regarding the suspension fate of Rangers captain Jacob Trouba after his questionable hit on Justin Barron of the Canadiens.
New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba has never been afraid to throw big hits, warranted or otherwise. On Tuesday evening, he did just that with a thunderous but dirty check on Montreal Canadiens defenseman Justin Barron. It was the hit of the game and, instantaneously, the source of one heck of an argument over whether it was legal and clean or late and dirty. After much debate, his suspension fate has been confirmed by the NHL:
Jacob Trouba will not be suspended nor fined for his hit on Barron.
The Rangers' visit to Montreal saw them in control right from the get-go. For any hockey fan, the event was a tantalizing one since all 32 NHL teams were on show that particular night. Making no mistakes right from the first period, the Rangers scored four goals en route to a dominating 7-2 win over the Canadiens.
But amid such a lopsided scoreline, the real drama arrived much later in the game, specifically when the collision between Trouba and Barron occurred in the third period. As we know, this isn't the first time that Jacob Trouba finds himself in some hot water over a potentially dirty hit.
As Justin Barron was carrying the puck up the left side, he seemed to sense Trouba bearing down on him. He attempted to pass the puck in a last-ditch attempt to avoid the hit, but Trouba's hit came with full force regardless. The contact was huge, and Barron was sent sprawling, immediately catching the attention of fans and players alike. Defense partner Mike Matheson stood up for Barron right away, going after Trouba for the hit.
Barron looked groggy after the hit and had no choice but to retire from the game. There was no infraction on the play, but that didn't curtail the post-game discussion. Critics and pundits had their say, with head coach Martin St. Louis of the Canadiens calling into question whether the head was the primary point of contact. St. Louis also criticized his team's first-period effort as the Canadiens came out completely flat. There has been some history between Trouba and controversial hits, but this one appeared to be more of a shoulder-to-chest hit and not a deliberate shot to the head per se.
While the legality of the hit can be argued, one cannot take away the hard lesson that Justin Barron learned. In hockey, from a young age, kids are taught never to skate with their heads down, especially when someone like Jacob Trouba is on the ice. This play saw the head of Barron down, leaving him very vulnerable, and Trouba took advantage of this, landing a hit that many see as clean within the context of the game, even if it was devastating. The league appears to also feel it was a clean hit, letting Trouba off for yet another gruesome hit.
