Jacob Trouba nails opponent with questionable hit once again, but this time it's likely to result in a suspension

New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba is certainly known for his physical play and penchant for delivering massive open ice hits. While many of his hits have been clean, there are some hits from his recent past that were, to put it mildly, borderline dirty. However, his latest hit on New Jersey's Tomas Nosek almost certainly crossed the line.

During the first period of Saturday's Rangers/Devils game, Trouba caught Nosek with his head down, attempting to kick the puck back up to his stick, plowing through him with a full head of steam. Unfortunately, since Nosek was hunched over a bit, Nosek's head became the principle point of contact.


Nosek was in some distress following the hit and appeared to be favouring his neck. Thankfully, he was able to make it to the Devils' bench under his own power and went straight down the tunnel with a trainer. He played just 2:55 of ice time before his night was declared over.


Don't be surprised if, on Sunday, you hear that Trouba has a hearing with the Department of Player Safety scheduled. This may not have been a clear intent to injure, but he certainly knew that his opponent was vulnerable before running through him and finishing his check anyway. Yes, Nosek needs to keep his head up, but Trouba can still play the body without targeting the head here.