Three Thoughts after Jacob Trouba’s first game as captain of the Rangers

The New York Rangers won their first game of the 2022-23 NHL season beating the Tampa Bay Lightning at home 3-1. This was the perfect way to start the season on the right note, and Rangers captain Jacob Trouba shined in his first game as the captain.

The Rangers took hold of this game and never gave it back. While the game was scoreless after the first and tied 1-1 after the second, the Rangers were the better team, and it showed with how Trouba played in this one.

Three Thoughts after Jacob Trouba’s first game as captain of the Rangers

With a few days to really reflect on this game, I have come up with a few thoughts on the Rangers’ performance under new captain Jacob Trouba. It starts with how good the team looked.

1. The Rangers looked ready to go

The Rangers played physical, dishing out 24 hits. They also won the majority of the face-offs, winning 63.8 percent of the draws in their first game. Most importantly, they had 19 takeaways that helped change the game’s dynamic.

2. Trouba was all over the ice in this one

Captain Trouba dished out three of the 24 hits and had two takeaways on the night. He played the most amount of minutes, playing in 25:49 for the team, including 54 seconds on the power play. He registered an assist and six shots in his first game as captain.

Trouba was all over the ice in this one. He led the entire team in shots and was obviously ready to go for the game. If he is setting the tone all season, the Rangers have nothing to worry about.

3. The support from the assistant captains matters

The New York Rangers named their four alternate captains a week before the start of the season. Panarin, Zibanejad, Kreider and Goodrow all played a big role in this game. The group of assistant captains combined for five points including all three goals on the night. While Trouba is the face of the team, these guys help form the team’s voice.

The Rangers have a great group of leaders and they really shined in the first game.

With a matchup on Thursday in Minnesota, it will be interesting to see if the team can remain undefeated this season. If the leadership in New York has anything to say about it, they very well could start the year 2-0-0.