Peter Laviolette’s structure, positivity a ‘perfect match’ for Rangers
NY Post
The enthusiasm in Jacob Trouba’s voice was palpable when the captain began talking about Braden Schneider and Zac Jones, two of the Rangers’ young defensemen who have prospered with additional time and responsibility when a spate of injuries struck on the back end.
Schneider was a revelation in moving up to the top-four alongside K’Andre Miller when Trouba was sidelined for 11 games with a lower-body injury before returning on Saturday in Arizona. Jones has been very impressive in shedding his seventh defenseman designation while playing a career high 13 straight games filling in for myriad injured teammates.
“I couldn’t be more excited for Schneids the way he stepped in and played and Jonesy scoring goals and playing well,” Trouba told The Post before Monday’s 5-2 defeat to the Penguins at the Garden in which his team’s gas tank seemed close to empty. “These are guys who have worked hard the last couple of years and I’ve gotten to know deeper than just hockey.
“You like seeing those guys get rewarded for their work, their time and their efforts and how good of teammates they are. Jonesy not playing much the last couple of years and now coming in and playing well, everyone in here is excited for him, I’m excited for him.
“In years past, when guys would score and it was like, ‘Yah, we scored.’ Now, we’re all excited for each other,” No. 8 said. “If Laff [Alexis Lafreniere] scores a goal, guys are fired up for that. That’s a special thing this late in the year. It doesn’t really matter who’s scoring or who’s making the play, guys are excited for everyone.”
And that, according to Trouba, is largely due to the dynamic that has been instilled by head coach Peter Laviolette from Day 1. The Rangers are charging to the finish line of one of the best seasons in franchise history 11 months after their sweet dreams and flying machines were left in pieces on the ground in Newark last spring.
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