WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Jacob Trouba first returned to the city of Winnipeg to play the Jets, the team that drafted him and for whom he played the first six seasons of his NHL career, in February 2020 after the organization traded him to the Rangers the previous offseason. 

It may have been a somewhat nostalgic experience then, but this time around Trouba seemed entirely unfazed. 

“I think obviously the first time was a little bit more unique than the rest, but now — it’s nice to be back, fun to be back — but I guess not the same emotion as last time,” he said before the Rangers’ 4-1 win over the Jets on Sunday night. “Obviously spent a lot of time here, a lot of memories here. In that sense, I guess this is the longest time I’ve been away from Winnipeg in a long time. Fun to get back, I guess.” 

The Jets fans didn’t exactly welcome Trouba back with open arms, either. Trouba drew boos on a few occasions. 

Trouba’s rocket shot from the point was tipped in by Zibanejad at 9:32 of the third period to give the Rangers a three-goal lead. He also connected with Barclay Goodrow just over two minutes into the game to open the scoring. 

While he has remained in touch with some players, Trouba noted that the Jets have had a lot of turnover in the past three years. The Jets are different, and so is Trouba. He went from being the young guy on the Jets that sought after top-four minutes to a veteran actually playing those top-four minutes for the Rangers. 

“He’s huge,” Gallant said of Trouba. “A veteran guy that plays the game the right way every night, prepares himself. You know, team leader, just you come to expect what he’s going to do. That’s what Jacob Trouba brings to your team. He plays physical, he plays hard, kills penalties, power play. He’s just a solid, solid player who shows up and consistently does the right things every night.” 

Trouba entered Sunday as the second-highest producing defenseman on the Rangers behind only Adam Fox, the reigning Norris Trophy winner. Trouba’s 26 points are good for sixth on the team, while his 18 assists rank fifth. With two assists and 14 shots on goal in the previous five games before Sunday’s matchup with the Jets, Trouba has been at the top of his game on both sides of the puck. 

However, the 28-year-old pointed out that the Rangers don’t want to rely on goalie Igor Shesterkin as much as they have. But at the same time, Trouba said, the sudden Hart Trophy candidate is a part of the team. 

“Pretty consistent with our team game of we have stretches where we play really well and then we get away from it for stretches,” Trouba said when asked to evaluate the defense as of late. “Obviously, Igor has been great. [Braden Schneider] I think has stepped in and played really well. Good to have [Patrik Nemeth] back. I think we’re plugging along, I think we’re improving and I think we still have room to grow. And I’d say it’s just being more consistent I think overall, for the ‘D’ core and as a team game.”