Why Rangers must explore Vincent Trocheck trade before deadline
The New York Rangers aren’t interested in undertaking a full-scale rebuild, but they’ll still be facing some tough personnel decisions if they decide to retool their roster before the March 6 trade deadline.
Though the idea of dealing star left wing Artemi Panarin dominates the thinking around such an approach, the Rangers should also be all-in on trading Vincent Trocheck, whose value around the League has likely never been higher.
There’s no doubt that Trocheck’s contributions to the Blueshirts are significant. The impact of his grit, fire and leadership on this team, beyond his outstanding two-way play, is huge. The Rangers simply aren’t the same without him.
Rangers don’t look anything like sustainable contender
However, the Rangers roster is aging, thin and flawed — a collection of players who lack a clear on-ice identity. Star goaltender Igor Shesterkin and top defenseman Adam Fox – perhaps their two most important players – are out with lower-body injuries and on injured reserve and long-term injured reserve, respectively. There’s little question that the Rangers (20-19-6), who need to leapfrog six teams to get into a playoff position in the Eastern Conference, aren’t a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
Barring a hard-to-envision extended hot streak between now and the March 6, there is every reason to churn the roster if possible, with getting younger and faster being the priority.
Putting Panarin, a 34-year-old who can become an unrestricted free agent this summer, on the market (if he’s willing to waive his full no-move clause) might fetch a significant return. But Trocheck represents one of the Rangers’ few highly-desirable non-rental veteran assets — and might bring back a young player who could help quickly.
Trocheck has three years remaining on his contract beyond this one, but that actually makes him an attractive trade piece. With a salary-cap hit of $5.625 million, Trocheck should be a relatively easy fit into many teams’ financial pictures, with the cap set to rise substantially over the next few seasons.
The 32-year-old, in fact, looks like a bargain right now. Though he’s missed some time due to injury this season, Trocheck has 10 goals and 25 points in 30 games, and remains a force in the face-off circle with a 54.8 win percentage. His intangibles are in as high demand as ever, since the 13-year veteran has secured his second straight berth on Team USA, this time for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics after he was named to the squad for last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off.
Trocheck has 226 points (84 goals, 142 assists) in 277 games with the Rangers.
Being a center, which further enhances his value because he plays a premium position, makes him more tradeable for the Rangers. Though their roster is badly lacking in depth, the Blueshirts actually have an abundance of centers. With Mika Zibanejad enjoying a resurgent season playing in the middle, his natural position, the Rangers have him and J.T. Miller to lock into the top two center spots. Each is signed through 2030; they carry a combined cap hit of $16.5 million per season.
Promising rookie Noah Laba, who looks the part of long-term 3C, and veteran Sam Carrick round out the bottom two lines in the middle. Miller returned from a seven-game injury absence Thursday, a 5-2 home loss to the Buffalo Sabres. Laba is expected back soon from an upper-body injury — perhaps as soon as Saturday against the Bruins in Boston.
Vincent Trocheck’s best value to Rangers is as trade piece
Though he’s anything but expendable to the Rangers, Trocheck’s departure wouldn’t leave a hole in the lineup. Trading him might bring back scoring help on the wing or depth on the blue line, two areas that have bedeviled the Rangers for years.
Moving on from general manager Chris Drury’s best free-agent signing would hurt. Trocheck, who has a no-movement clause this season that turns into a 12-team no-trade clause for 2026-27, has grown into one of the team’s leaders. He’s been a tone-setter in his three-plus seasons since arriving ahead of the 2022-23 season. In fact, he’s the kind of player that’s hard to replace.
Even with Trocheck, however, these Rangers don’t look like they’re going anywhere — probably not even to the playoffs. Drury knows it, and knows he has to remake his team with more youth and quickness. He also knows Trocheck’s game has more value to a championship contender than to his middling group at this point.
Trocheck can probably best help the Rangers now as an attractive trade chip who can play a big role in a transition toward a more competitive near future. If the Blueshirts continue to head toward a second straight non-playoff season — the loss Thursday was their fifth in six games — it would be derelict for Drury not to explore moving on from one of his best moments as Rangers GM.
