After Artemi Panarin Trade, This Rangers Star Could Be Next To Go
The Artemi Panarin trade is behind the New York Rangers, but there’s no reason for Chris Drury’s retool to stop there.
Panarin was the second Rangers player traded before the Milan-Cortina Olympic roster freeze, and his longtime linemate on Broadway, Vincent Trocheck, could be the next to go, after trades are allowed again Feb. 23.
The Rangers traded Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings last Wednesday for forward prospect Liam Greentree and two conditional draft picks, ending his seven-year run with them. He joined defenseman Carson Soucy, who was dealt to the rival Islanders a week prior, as the first two Blueshirts moved ahead of the March 6 trade deadline.
With the Rangers last in the Eastern Conference, and 30th overall in the NHL, they should be very busy in the 12 post-freeze days.
Vincent Trocheck could be next Rangers star traded
Chris Johnston of The Athletic unveiled his sixth trade board Wednesday morning before the Panarin trade, and the 34-year-old wing topped the list.
Trocheck was No. 2.
“A center who makes an impact on both sides of the puck, Trocheck’s game remains at a level that earned him a spot on Team USA for [the Milan-Cortina] Olympics,” Johnston wrote. “Known for playing with grit and determination, he’s got the tools to play in all situations and can handle heavy, difficult minutes.
“He’s viewed as a leader for the Rangers and represents a prime chip for them to play in the retool. His contract includes a 12-team no-trade list, though.”
The 32-year-old is in his 12th NHL season, and tied with J.T. Miller for third on the Rangers with 36 points. He is a 0.82 point-per-game player and has topped 20 goals in each of his first three seasons with the Rangers.
Though he could slot in as a perfect third-line center on a deep Stanley Cup contender, Trocheck’s proven he can be a top-six pivot, as well. Skating on a line with Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere, Trocheck had 77 regular-season points, and 20 more in 16 playoff games, when he helped the Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24 and get within two wins of reaching the Stanley Cup Final that spring.
How Rangers could supercharge retool by trading Vincent Trocheck
Trocheck is signed for three more years after this season at an extremely reasonable $5.625 million AAV. He is both a center and proven playoff performer, who has 17 goals and 37 points in 56 playoff games and averaged 0.91 points per game in the postseason with the Rangers. And he’s not simply a rental for one playoff run.
That means Trocheck could be the centerpiece of a larger deal to fetch valuable prospects and picks from a contender like the Tampa Bay Lightning or Carolina Hurricanes. It may make Rangers fans nauseous to think of them helping Carolina get better, but he’s already been traded there ahead of the deadline once, when the Florida Panthers shipped him to Raleigh in 2020.
Or the Rangers could shop Trocheck to an young, up-and-coming team, like the Buffalo Sabres or San Jose Sharks. Acquiring Trocheck would bulk up either team’s offense and veteran leadership ahead of an impending playoff run.
The Sabres are rumored to be stalling on a contract extension with skilled pending unrestricted free agent Alex Tuch and could use a No. 2 center. Though 29 years old, Tuch might interest the Rangers as a talented and reliable point producer for their top-six forward group, though, of course, they could simply try and sign him next summer instead. So, perhaps, any Sabres proposed deal for Trocheck, should focus on prospects and young NHL-ready talent instead.
The Sharks have reportedly been sniffing around Braden Schneider and are also rumored to be shopping pending UFA defenseman Mario Ferraro. As long as New York could lock in Ferraro to an exctension, and collect additional younger assets, trading Trocheck and Schneider together could fetch a nice haul from the ultra-young Sharks and turn the retool around quickly.
Of course, that’s if the Rangers even plan to Schneider, who, at 24, could have a place in the Rangers core moving forward.
As far as Trocheck is concerned, keep an eye on the Kings, too. They desperately need a center, especially with Anze Kopitar retiring at season’s end, and knowing the history of Trocheck and Panarin together.
But let’s face it, Trocheck has plenty of value to almost any buyer on the trade market. If Drury plays his cards right, the Rangers should be able to land a sizeable return which will help fuel their retool.
