New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba has been suspended two games by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for elbowing Pavel Dorofyev of the Vegas Golden Knights.
The hit came off a faceoff in the Vegas end. Trouba lined up along the boards, opposite Dorofyev. As center Mika Zibanejad wins the draw, both players move towards the dot, with Trouba catching Dorofyev with an elbow up high.
The Vegas winger left the game and did not return. No penalty was called on the play.
From Player Safety’s ruling:
Trouba snaps his elbow forward into the head of Dorofyev with force, knocking him to the ice and causing an injury. This is elbowing.
It is important to note that we acknowledge that players often accidentally bring their elbows up as part of a natural motion when skating, stopping, or playing the puck. This is not such a play.
Trouba is not attempting to make a play on the puck, nor is this incidental contact that occurs as part of a natural motion while making a hockey play. Trouba needlessly snaps his elbow directly into the head of Dorofyev with sufficient force to cause an injury.
Trouba has been suspended once. Then with the Winnipeg Jets, he sat for two games for an illegal check to the head of then-Senator Mark Stone, now the captain of the Vegas Golden Knights.
He’s also been fined previously, picking up a $5000 fine earlier this season for high sticking Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic.
Trouba forfeits $83,333.34 in salary as a result of the suspension. He is eligible to return to the Rangers’ lineup when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on February 7.
