Vincent Trocheck was a home-run signing by Chris Drury, one of the few moves the embattled General Manager of the New York Rangers has made that actually worked out. Trocheck has been an excellent point scorer, a terrific defensive forward, and a great faceoff taker. Additionally, Trocheck has been a valuable part of the locker room, earning an “A”, and really solidifying himself as a piece of the team’s core. However with the Rangers falling apart, they now have a Trocheck dilemma they need to manage.
Trocheck’s game has not deteriorated, though he did have somewhat of a down season following the 2024 postseason run. Trocheck’s locker room presence also did not prove to help, as the team struggled to get on the same page, and Trocheck’s nightly “we’re doing all the right things” quotes enraged fans rather than comforting them. With a slightly improved team this season, Drury may want to hold onto his prized center.
Still, the Rangers may be best off considering moving the Pittsburgh native. This is the root of the Trocheck dilemma: He might actually be their best trade chip for a quicker retool to get younger and faster.
Trocheck is on a great contract that expires after the 2028-2029 season and carries a $5.625 million cap hit. Honestly, given Trocheck’s two-way play and production, his deal is an absolute steal and could be considered one of the best contracts in the NHL. That makes him invaluable for any team. You may be thinking why would the Rangers want to move such a great contract?
Well, the Rangers have few to no prospects and few valuable draft picks coming up the pipeline. Trading Trocheck would fetch at the minimum a first round pick and a high-end prospect, probably more. This type of move is often better reserved for the offseason, but if a team sees Trocheck as both their missing piece for this season and a future part of their championship core, the Rangers would be foolish not to listen. So do the Rangers fuel the Trocheck dilemma by dangling him?
And if a team wants to offer a massive haul for the center, are the Rangers in a position to say no? This is what makes the Trocheck dilemma difficult to navigate. The Rangers should not expect to be contending any time soon, as outside of Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox, the team lacks true championship core members. Unless they manage a wild retool on the fly, the best option is to get top assets and hope those assets develop quickly, while both Fox and Shesterkin are still putting up elite production.
This trade deadline for example could be the perfect opportunity to do just that. It’s not just the Trocheck dilemma either, as pairing that with an Artemi Panarin trade could bring back multiple top prospects and multiple first round picks. Even if they don’t want to rebuild, the Rangers could flip those assets for players younger and better than the pair. The Trocheck dilemma is a complicated one because there are many different options if/when he is traded.
Personally, I think Trocheck is on an excellent contract and is a highly valuable member of the team, but the most valuable thing he can do at this point in his Rangers tenure is bring back a boat load of assets. The Rangers need to get younger, Trocheck is getting older. It’s an unfortunate truth.
Recent Comments