Chris Pronger Weighs in on Trouba's Controversial Hit, Critiques Player Awareness

Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Pronger defended Jacob Trouba following the New York Rangers captain's hit on Montreal Canadiens defenseman Justin Barron, which sparked debate earlier this week.

During Tuesday's game, referees opted not to penalize Trouba for the hit, and the NHL's Department of Player Safety deemed it clean. However, Barron left the game and is currently listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Trouba has faced scrutiny for various incidents in the past, leading to NHL disciplinary actions. Pronger, who himself was suspended eight times during his career, expressed concern over what he perceives as a lack of awareness among today's players.

"From minor hockey all the way up, that's just how they're taught to play the game," Pronger told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. "The mindset, the mentality, the lack of awareness that these kids have nowadays, is mind-boggling. They have no sense that they're going to get hit. They have no sense that, 'Oh boy, I've had my head down for a while. I should probably pick it up.'"

Pronger criticized modern players for their inability to be aware of their surroundings on the ice, stating, "They have no awareness of who's around (them). They don't even know who's on the ice. They don't know what hand players shoot. They can skate 100 miles an hour, and they can stickhandle, and they can do all this stuff ... but the hockey sense and the awareness has really gotten lost in the equation."

Additionally, Pronger addressed the necessity for Trouba to fight Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson after the hit, stating, "Now you see, any time there's a hit, and guys got to fight. It makes no sense. Is body-checking not in the rulebook?"

Pronger, who was the second overall pick in the 1993 NHL Draft and played until 2012, has a storied career that includes a Stanley Cup, a Norris Trophy, and the distinction of being the most recent defenseman to win the Hart Trophy as league MVP.