"Clown as a player clown as analyst": NHL fans criticize Kevin Bieksa's take on Jacob Trouba's high elbow hit on Evan Rodrigues

NHL fans online were not pleased with Sportsnet analyst Kevin Bieksa's opinion on Jacob Trouba's high elbow hit on Evan Rodrigues during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final series between the New York Rangers and the Florida Panthers on Sunday.

The incident unfolded during the closing minutes of the second period when Rangers captain Jacob Trouba delivered a high elbow hit to the head region of the Panthers' Evan Rodrigues. Initially, Trouba was hit with a major penalty; it was later reduced to a two-minute minor.

Here's a video of the play:

Rodrigues remained on the ice for several minutes after the hit before eventually heading to the locker room. He then returned to the ice for the third period.

Kevin Bieksa discussed Trouba's hit and the penalty call during the second intermission on Sportsnet. He explained that the intention was to use the forearm as a strong body part to make a hit, not to elbow the opponent.

Bieksa also noted that the way the play unfolded made it seem like Trouba caught Rodrigues on the head.

NHL fans appeared to be displeased with Bieska's take.

"Who’s that Bieska? Clown as a player clown as analyst," one fan wrote on X.

Another fan chimed in and disagreed with Kevin Bieksa's take on the play:

"Damn Bieksa, usually I like you on the panel but this was a horrid take. Seems like he’s trying to stand up for Trouba a little too much. Dirty play with an intent to stick out the elbow, let’s call it what it is"

"Bieksa is an awful take. It's an elbow, should be 5 and a game. A play you don't want to see," another opined.

A large number of fans on the platform held the opinion that Kevin Bieksa was off the mark in his analysis of the play. Another fan noted:

"As amusing as Mr Bieksa is on this panel, this is just a really bad and concerning take."

"Bieska is making too many allowances for Trouba!! Should have been a major and a suspension !" one X user said.

"That is clear elbow Mr. Bieksa... Trouba is just a dirty player PERIOD... but somehow he just keeps getting away from these dirty plays...," one commented.

Meanwhile, the New York Rangers took a 2-1 lead after beating the Florida Panthers 5-4 (OT) in Game 3.

Kevin Bieksa's take on Jacob Trobua's controversial hit on Evan Rodrigues

Kevin Bieksa, in his assessment of the play, said that he doesn't believe it was an elbow in Trouba's hit. Bieksa reckoned players often use their forearms to hit opponents, and if the contact is to the head, it's considered forearming.

He also noted that hitting like this is a way to utilize a strong part of the body and clarified that the intent was not to elbow the player but to make contact with the body using the forearm:

"First of all, I don’t think it’s an elbow. I think guys hit like this with their forearms. If you get the guy in the head, you’re forearming. Yeah, but hit like this. That’s just a way of using a strong part of your body, so he’s not trying to elbow him; he’s trying to hit his body with the forearm," Kevin Bieksa said.

It remains to be seen whether the NHL Department of Player Safety will take any action against Jacob Trouba.