ANAHEIM, Calif. — He has gone one-on-one with him earlier than in battle drills and in full-ice scrimmages over his 5 seasons within the league.
However Alexis Lafrenière has by no means earlier than come up in opposition to Jacob Trouba for actual. That may change when the Blueshirts face the Geese and their former captain right here on Friday, three-plus months following their messy and public divorce.
“I do know he’s bodily, I do know he likes to play onerous, so when you at all times should bear in mind when you’re on the market in opposition to him,” No. 13 advised The Put up following Thursday’s observe in LA forward of this matchup. “You don’t wish to put your self in a foul spot.
“I’m going to play my recreation and be prepared for him.”
Trouba, who was traded to the Geese on Dec. 6 for a fourth-rounder and defenseman Urho Vaakanainen, shared dinner with various his former teammates on Thursday, The Put up discovered. The previous captain was extraordinarily well-liked along with his teammates throughout his five-plus season tenure that commenced in 2019-20.
“He was nice for me from the second I got here onto the workforce,” mentioned Lafrenière, a 2020-21 rookie following his first-overall choice the earlier draft. “He was one of many older guys who took me below his wing a little bit bit and helped me each on and off the ice.
“He was like that for the 4 years-ish we had been collectively. He was nice to me. For certain, we miss him but it surely’s going to be good to see him and play in opposition to him.
The Rangers have misplaced 4 of their previous 5 in regulation. They’re 3-6-2 over their previous 11 contests. Anaheim is out of the playoff race, however they’re additionally solely 4 factors behind the Blueshirts with a recreation in hand within the total standings. The Geese have gone 21-20-5 with Trouba within the lineup whereas the Rangers are 21-22-5 for the reason that commerce.
The Geese hammered the Bruins 6-2 on Wednesday, have gained two of their previous three and are 3-2-1 of their previous six. If the Rangers had that latest document, they’d be a playoff workforce.
“We performed onerous the opposite evening, however I believe everybody was disenchanted we didn’t win a hockey recreation,” head coach Peter Laviolette mentioned in reference to Tuesday’s 3-1 empty-net abetted defeat to the Kings. “However we talked about this right this moment about simply needing to maintain our personal enterprise and personal stuff.
“That was an opportunity for us to maneuver [into a playoff spot] however right here we’re nonetheless on the skin. Everyone [Montreal and the Islanders] misplaced, proper? If the Flyers beat Montreal [Thursday] and we win [in Anaheim], we’re again above the road. We’re there.
“That’s the messaging. That we’ve got to assist ourselves first. You take a look at the standings and also you see it, proper, however we’ve got to assist ourselves.”
Laviolette inherited Trouba as captain a 12 months in the past. The coach by no means had a foul phrase to say in regards to the defenseman even after the connection between the captain and the group deteriorated after GM Chris Drury tried to deal him early within the offseason after Trouba’s no-move clause transferred to a restricted no-trade on July 1.
“For me it was a relationship the place I noticed he was continuously attempting to be taught each on the rink and away from the rink easy methods to be the perfect chief he may very well be for the New York Rangers,” the top coach mentioned. “Our workforce skilled lots of success final 12 months and he was a giant a part of that with what he did for us.
“It’s robust when gamers go away and go in numerous instructions however that’s the character of this enterprise generally. However my time and expertise with Jacob was profitable.”
Trouba, who wears No. 65, has lined up on the suitable with Olen Zellweger. He’ll presumably be matched in opposition to both Lafrenière, on Thursday’s observe line with J.T. Miller within the center and Will Cuylle on the suitable, or Artemi Panarin, who skated with Vincent Trocheck and Brennan Othmann.
Panarin, in fact, went in opposition to Trouba for 4 seasons earlier than becoming a member of forces on Broadway for his or her five-plus seasons.
“With guys who’re bodily like that, you have got to have the ability to see the ice,” Panarin mentioned. “Head up, you realize? In all probability 40 % of the groups have somebody who hits like that so I don’t have something particular for him.”
The follow-up query was whether or not Trouba might need one thing particular for Panarin.
“We’ll see,” mentioned No. 10. “I hope not.”
