Jacob Trouba was the first player in five seasons to sport the beautiful "C" on the chest, he wore it with pride and he wore it well.
On August 9th, 2022 Jacob Trouba was announced as the 28th captain in New York Rangers history.
Wearing the "C" for an original six franchise isn't something that Trouba took lightly, he understood the amount of responsibility that came with it.
To me, this video says everything you need to know about the Rangers captain and the kind of person he is.
Trouba is such an outstanding human being and he seems to truly understand how to get through to people. Having the skill to bring out the best in other people is one of the key requirements of what it takes to be a leader. Not only, was he a leader in the room and on the ice, but also in the community.
In his first season as the captain, I think it's very fair to say that he did not disappoint. When times were tough and the team was struggling, it was Trouba that stepped up in the time of need.
The moment that stands out most from this season, which really turned everything around was when he laid a massive, open-ice hit on Chicago Blackhawks forward, Andreas Athanasiou, which led to him fighting their captain, Jonathan Toews.
The Rangers did not show up to play that night, and he needed to send a message to the entire team that this effort wasn't good enough. He did just that as he tossed his helmet before heading to the locker room. This was "the helmet toss heard around the world".
Trouba might not be the point producer that he once was, but the 29-year-old has become quite the leader. Not only does he represent his teammates and the organization well, but he represents the entire city of New York with his work ethic and overall toughness.
Sure, there are moments when he may make a mistake or two on the ice, but Trouba has been the first person to hold himself and his teammates accountable in every single postgame press conference this season.
On the day that he was announced captain, Chris Drury said the following about Trouba "Anyone that has been around our team for the last few seasons certainly understands the impact Jacob has had on our group, day-to-day, day in and day out, on ice, off the ice, game days or practice days. He is a terrific leader and we think he will be a great Ranger captain for years to come."
This season, he has tallied eight goals with 22 assists, making this his fourth-highest-scoring season in the ten that has played in the NHL. It's not like his offensive production is non-existent, but if you ask me, he has repped the "C" well in his first full season dawning it.
Trouba is a fearless competitor that never backs down from a fight, even when he probably should, but he is the perfect representation of everything that the fine people of New York pride themselves on. He has done a fine job in his first season as captain, but it will only get more and more challenging as we head into the postseason.
Were there some struggles early on? Yes, of course, this makes it a little more difficult to grade, but if you ask me, I'm giving Trouba a B+. This season could have easily gone downhill back in November, but it was he who was the main catalyst in turning it all around.
We all know that he is going to be the player that sets the tone in this first-round series against the Devils. The team might look for players like Mika Zibanejad, Adam Fox, and Artemi Panarin to produce, but when adversity strikes, it is Trouba they can lean on.
Let's see what the captain is truly made of.