According to ESPN’s report on Wednesday, New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba will not face any disciplinary action for his hit on Montreal’s Justin Barron, which went unpenalized but attracted significant backlash from Canadiens players and fans.
During the third period of Tuesday’s game, with the Rangers leading 5-2, Trouba delivered a hard check to Barron, who was 22 and handling the puck along the boards. Barron was then helped off the ice to receive medical attention.
Following the hit on Barron, Trouba received a five-minute penalty for fighting Montreal defenseman Mike Matheson, who also received an instigator penalty and a fighting penalty. However, no penalty was given for the original hit. After reviewing the incident, the league determined that Trouba’s hit was a legal full-body check, with the main point of contact being Barron’s chest rather than his head, as reported by ESPN.
Montreal players expressed their frustration after the 7-2 loss, particularly due to Trouba’s track record of controversial hits. Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher stated, “They had a clean hit on the ice; we have a hit to the head from a player that’s had multiple warnings. So, whether the league decides to do the right thing or if he gets another pass is up to them.”
Trouba, who is 30 years old, has faced scrutiny in the past, having been suspended twice and fined four times, including for an elbow to Florida Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues during the 2024 Eastern Conference finals. This season, he has recorded no goals and four assists in six games, alongside nine penalty minutes. Last season, he achieved 22 points (three goals, 19 assists) while serving 73 penalty minutes over 69 games in the regular season.
Originally drafted ninth overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2012 NHL Draft, Trouba was traded to the Rangers on June 17, 2019, in exchange for defenseman Neal Pionk and a first-round draft pick.
