New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba is the 2023-24 recipient of the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award for his leading role on the ice and in the community.
New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba received the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award.
The award goes to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to their team, on and off the ice, while playing a leading role in their community growing the game of hockey. While NHL team and league personnel suggest nominees, Messier selects the winner. It was first awarded in 2006-07, and Trouba is the first New York Rangers player to receive the award.
On the ice, the 30-year-old is in his fifth year with the New York Rangers, having been named captain last season. The Blueshirts set a franchise-high 55 wins and 114 points this season on their way to winning the Presidents' Trophy, and Trouba averaged 21:14 of ice time per game with 183 blocked shots and 191 hits to help them get there.
In 69 regular-season games, Trouba recorded 19 assists and 22 points. The ninth overall pick in the 2012 draft has 748 career games played between the Winnipeg Jets and Rangers, logging 73 goals, 236 assists and 309 points.
Off the ice, Trouba is involved with The Garden of Dreams Foundation, which brings "life-changing opportunities to young people facing illness, financial challenges or dealing with the death or injury of a family member in uniform," according to the NHL's press release. Trouba raises funds for the foundation by wearing full hockey gear, covering himself in paint and body-checking a giant canvas to create artwork. He's helped raise $100,000 by selling prints of his work.
He also founded the Trouba Creative Expressions Art Program with his wife, Kelly, which connects adults who have epilepsy and seizures with art therapists in a 10-week program.
As part of the NHL and NHLPA's Hockey Fights Cancer initiative, Trouba got involved in the "Get Body-Checked Against Cancer" campaign with his mother, Kristy, to encourage fans to get regular screenings.
Trouba also participates in the Rangers Youth Hockey Camp for kids aged six to 12 across the Tri-State area.
A different player has won the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award every year, with Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos being the 2022-23 recipient.
Messier, 63, is a six-time Stanley Cup champion and was captain of the Edmonton Oilers, Rangers and Vancouver Canucks. He's also the only player in NHL history to be the captain of two teams that won the Stanley Cup, doing so with the Oilers in 1990 and the Rangers in 1994.