Jacob Trouba was on the NHL Network on Wednesday and said:
- What changed for you this past season, “I think there were a mix of a lot of things. Comfort level is something that I’ve talked about before, it takes me a little bit to get comfortable and my first few years were a little overwhelming for me, coming to New York, different city, learning how to live a different lifestyle, pretty much. Slowly it’s progressed, getting more comfortable around teammates, staff, everybody and kind of found my stride and got back to who I was as a hockey player and what makes me good.”
- Where does the toughness in your game come from, “It’s kind of always been a part of my game, even going back to when I was 10-12 years old, hitting was always something that I was not good at, but something I always did and over time and the more you do it it just kind of comes and comes and if you can make a play like that and affect a game, nobody likes to be hit and those are plays that can change games and affect the outcome.”
- Does anything change for you as Captain, “No, going about how I always do it. In the past, my second year in the league I thought I was going to be some different player and in reality I realized that I was four months older and that was a tough year for me and coming to New York, same thing, signed a contract and get here and think you are going to be someone else and take that next step and in reality you are the same player you were and you just have to play your game and be comfortable with who you are and I think being appointed Captain, it’s something that you don’t have to act, it’s something to you earn and that you’ve done and the reason that happened is from what I did in the past and just keep doing what I’m doing.”
- What is the sentiment around the team coming into this season, “That is something we’re going to discuss, for sure, before the season. It’s expectations and what we expect out of ourselves. We had a great run last year, fell a little bit short, but I think winning the two Game Sevens is a great experience for our team and something you experience that you can’t really get without going through it. Even in my time in Winnipeg, we won a Game 7 and it kind of changes the feeling going into the next year, having a little bit of playoff success. We feel like we are a good team, brought back a lot of the same pieces, added Trocheck who is a really good player and some other pieces and we feel like we are ready, but we’ll take it one game at a time. We’re not focusing on the playoffs right now or anything further than that, we’re day by day, game by game and trying to build through the season.”
- What was Gerard Gallant’s style that helped the team be so successful, “I think one of the things that every player loved about him is he lets the players play and lets you kind of make your own decisions and figure things out. He’s not overbearing or over-controlling, he lets you go out and play your game and I haven’t heard of a player, even before he was here, or talk to a player who didn’t love playing for him. He’s one of those guys, his attitude and energy is infectious, but when he says something to you and isn’t happy you know it and you listen and I think is his biggest thing, his honesty toward players and you always know where you stand with him.”
- What is it going to be like when they announce you as Captain at MSG, “I’m not entirely sure. There will be some chills and I was glad this happened early enough to where it kind of settles in and when hockey season comes we can worry about playing and that kind of stuff. It’s a huge honor and going to be special moment for me, but at the same time there is going to be a game pretty shortly after that. Probably something I’ll look back on more after it happens and will think about it and reflect, but in the moment I’m going to try and think about the game that is going to be played.”
- What is going to be like as the spokesman of the team, “It’s not really something…I think you are honest and truthful with what you say, especially with media and fans and I guess I don’t really look for the time when it’s time to be vocal with the team or whatever it may be, it kind of just happens and you recognize it and do what you have to do and do the right thing. I think that is it at the end of the day. You aren’t really going out there looking to yell and scream. Go out and do your job and when there is a time when something needs to be said, you say it.”