'Tabarnak', 'Unreal': Ex-NHLers Paul Bissonnette, Ryan Whitney react to Jacob Trouba's hit on Justin Barron

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Oct 23, 2024 04:35 GMT

New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba is at the center of controversy once again after a hit that left Montreal Canadiens defenseman Justin Barron injured during Tuesday's "NHL Frozen Frenzy" matchup.

Trouba delivered a massive shoulder hit during the third period that knocked Barron to the ice, causing him to hit his head on the ice. Worryingly, Barron's helmet bounced off the ice after the impact, highlighting the severity of the situation.

The Habs defenseman required assistance to leave the ice, likely dealing with a headache from the impact.

The hit drew a wide range of reactions from former NHL players. Paul Bissonnette reacted to Jacob Trouba's hit:

"OH MY GOD CALL THE POLICE ... TABARNAK," (as translated from French)

Ryan Whitney also weighed in, calling the hit "unreal" and pointing out that Barron should have been aware of Trouba's reputation:

"This is an unreal hit. Shoulder directly to the chest. Barron has to know it's Trouba Train in front of him."

Former Boston Bruins defenseman echoed Whitney's statement, emphasizing the nature of the hit:

"Could'nt have been anymore of a perfect hit by Trouba. CLEAN!"

Interestingly, Trouba didn't receive a penalty for the hit but was given a five-minute fighting major when Habs defenseman Mike Matheson defended his teammate by dropping the gloves against the Blueshirts captain.

The incident continues to spark debate about Jacob Trouba's aggressive style of play. It will be interesting to see if the NHL steps in to reevaluate the situation.

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Nick Suzuki disputes clean hit call on Jacob Trouba's hit

In a postgame interview, Nick Suzuki expressed concerns about Trouba's hit on Justin Barron.

He pointed out that after reviewing the replay, it appeared that the Rangers captain made contact with the Habs defenseman's head, leading to Barron going down and not looking well.

Despite all four referees on the ice calling the hit clean, Suzuki made it clear that the players didn't agree with the assessment.

"I saw a replay, looks like he gets him in the head. Obviously JB goes down, and he's not looking too good. I guess the refs saw - all 4 of them said it was a clean hit, but obviously we're not agreeing with that," said Suzuki via Priyanta Emrith on X.

Meanwhile, the matchup between the two teams ended with the New York Rangers securing a dominant 7-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell.