For the first time since Ryan McDonagh was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018, the New York Rangers have a captain. The team announced that defenseman Jacob Trouba will become the 28th captain in franchise history.
Trouba, 28, has been with the Rangers since they acquired him from the Winnipeg Jets and signed him to a seven-year contract in 2019. In his three seasons with New York, Trouba has become a staple on the blue line and a leader in the locker room.
General Manager Chris Drury praised Trouba when he announced the decision and talked about the example Trouba sets for the rest of the team.
“Since he joined the Rangers, Jacob has consistently displayed all of the qualities we want in a leader on and off the ice,” Drury said in a statement. “As we look to take the next step as an organization, he is a role model for all of our players to follow and the perfect choice to be our captain.”
Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant also lauded Trouba for the amount of respect he commands in the locker room.
“Right away when I got here, it was clear that Jacob had a certain presence in the locker room and among his teammates that exemplify what you need out of a captain,” Gallant said. “With where our team is at and where we want to be, he is the right person to lead us there.”
In his 189 games played with New York, Trouba has tallied 20 goals and 58 assists. Trouba has also been a key component in the Rangers’ rebuild, and he was a big reason why the team made the Eastern Conference final in 2022.
Trouba will now take on the responsibility of leading the Rangers as they try to take yet another step toward raising the fifth Stanley Cup banner in franchise history.
