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This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba responded to a hockey podcaster that he believed crossed the line in their analysis of his Eastern Conference Finals performance against the Florida Panthers.
And he did so by bringing up the tragic suicide of PGA Tour pro Grayson Murray last month.
Pasha Eshghi, a producer for the popular “Spittin’ Chiclets’ podcast, went viral after he went on a rant about Trouba’s play during the Rangers’ six-game loss to Florida, who now faces the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final this weekend.
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Jacob Trouba #8 of the New York Rangers has words with Martin Necas #88 of the Carolina Hurricanes during overtime in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 7, 2024 in New York City.
During his rant, Eshghi brought up the charity work Trouba and his wife, Kelly, do through his Trouba Creative Expression Arts Program.
“Trouba and his wife founded the Trouba Creative Expression Arts Program which offers art services to adults with epilepsy and seizures,” Eshghi said. “Well, you want to know the irony of that situation? Trouba’s wife is a neuroscience major. Maybe Jacob should go home and get a lesson from his wife about the dangers of concussions that can lead to epilepsy and seizures before he goes around concussing guys on a daily basis being the dirtiest player in the league.”
Eshghi started his piece by asking his co-hosts, “Is there a bigger hypocritical scumbag in the league than Jacob Trouba?” He went on to say he “sucks at hockey,” and believes Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette should “rip the C off his chest and stick it on Vinny Trocheck right now, because he is the heart and soul of that team.”
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Trouba, then, responded to the clip on X.
“Suicide rates have doubled in the past 20 years in U.S. college athletes -@usnews. 11 days ago, a @PGATOUR golfer tragically took his own life after a mental health battle and people asked how that was possible. We must do better than this,” Trouba wrote while tagging the podcast, Eshghi and co-host Ryan Whitney.
Jacob Trouba #8 of the New York Rangers hits Martin Necas #88 of the Carolina Hurricanes during overtime in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 7, 2024 in New York City. (Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
Trouba also announced that, for the next 30 days, his 24-inch print sales from his paintings that he does will be donated to Athletes for Hope, an organization that works with athletes “of all levels and backgrounds to make the world a better place through community service and advocacy.”
Eshghi also brought up how the Rangers bestowed the Mark Messir Leadership Award on Trouba for his work with the community, which includes raising over $160,000 for the Garden of Dreams and Epilepsy Foundation this year through his art sales.
“You talk about this Messier Leadership Award,” Eshghi said. “Leadership on the ice? By being a complete liability and taking penalties?”
As Eshghi mentioned, Trouba took more penalties than any player in the postseason, serving 20 penalty minutes between the Rangers’ series against the Panthers, Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes.
Jacob Trouba #8 of the New York Rangers skates during warmups prior to the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Madison Square Garden on April 13, 2023 in New York City. (Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
Through 13 games, Trouba was a minus-3 with one goal and five assists.
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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
