Jacob Trouba is one of the most controversial players in the entire NHL. He’s a beloved teammate and captain of the New York Rangers and a huge fan-favorite for his work ethic and great hits.
But other teams’ fans often feel Trouba crosses the line on the ice and that he’s actually dangerous.
He’s been the talk of the NHL yet again in the last couple of days after an incident with Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic in Friday’s 7-4 victory for the Rangers against their top competitor in the Eastern Conference.
Late in the second period, Trouba and Frederic began pushing and shoving after a whistle. Standing just near the Rangers’ goal crease, Trouba seemingly lost balance and used his stick to swing in Frederic’s direction.
His stick connected with the side of Frederic’s face, and the replays of the incident looked violent.
Trouba didn’t receive a penalty on the ice for the incident, but this weekend, he was fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement.
However, many fans still thought the penalty wasn’t enough.
On social media, reactions about the fine and the fact that Trouba wasn’t served a suspension have caused outrage.
Although the fine was at a maximum number, many felt it was too weak of a penalty for him. And fans were even more angry when Mark Lazerus, senior NHL writer for The Athletic, pointed out some other details about it.
“Jacob Trouba is making $8 million this season. This is the equivalent of a $37.50 fine for someone making the national average of $60,000. This has to be addressed in the next CBA. These fines are toothless and useless,” he wrote on X.
He received a lot of attention for his post on the social media platform, with many fans responding about their frustration.
“That was a kill shot, literally…The discussion should start at 20 games for someone with a clean history,” one said.
“Now is that more or less than they’ll fine a goalie for wearing a mask honoring his wife & her native heritage?” Another asked, referring to Marc-Andre Fleury’s incident from last week.
