I don't think they are trying to link it with SSX outside of the characters are story elements (yeah...) It's like Need For Speed Shift, or Underground, or the dozens of NFS games that all feel different. Shift tries to be tackle with Forza/GT, Underground was about the fast and furious appeal, and Hot Pursuit is driving expensive and awesome cars away from the 5-0. You aren't seeing Razor Callahan in Shift or Hot Pursuit.
Or look at the Amped series. Amped 2 was one of the top best snowboarding games ever. Amped 3 was very different from Amped 1 and 2, but it was still fun for other reasons. Whatever marketing spiel this dude is playing doesn't mean nothing if the game turns out to be a fun snowboarding game, even if it doesn't resemble the previous SSX games at all.
It could always be different and still suck like Metroid Other M, Castlevania LoS, etc. But I'm willing to wait and see if only because there haven't been that many snowboarding games lately and I used to play them a lot last gen. Maybe it can be like Bionic Commando where it is an awesome game wrapped in poop dreads and blatant hating on disabled people!
and yes, if they're looking at Trials HD for inspiration, that keeps me somewhat optimistic. Worst that happens is the game comes out, sucks, and I don't play it. No different from the SSX series just staying dead like it had been for the past few years, save for a bad Wii game. I'm also totally willing to have Shenmue 3 from Treyarch. Snow-mo bullet going into Lan Di's face.