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New York Rangers: Rating the Vincent Trocheck signing

By Steve Paulus

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 06: Vincent Trocheck #16 of the Carolina Hurricanes disputes a call during the third period of Game Three of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on May 06, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 06: Vincent Trocheck #16 of the Carolina Hurricanes disputes a call during the third period of Game Three of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on May 06, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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Newest New York Rangers acquisition, Vincent Trocheck (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Newest New York Rangers acquisition, Vincent Trocheck (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

Nazem Kadri just signed a seven-year, $49 million contract with the Calgary Flames and that means that one of the most coveted free agent centers is off the table.  Of course, the New York Rangers made their mark in the free agent marketplace when they signed Vincent Trocheck to a seven-year, $39 million contract five weeks ago.  How does the Rangers’ big move compare to the other free agent signings this year?

Here’s a list of the top unrestricted free agent centers and what they signed for.

  1. Nazem Kadri, 31, Calgary Flames: 7 years, $49 million ($7mm cap hit)
  2. Vincent Trocheck, 29,  New York Rangers: 7 years, $39.375 million ($5.625mm cap hit)
  3. Andrew Copp, 28, Detroit Red Wings: 5 years, $28.12 million  ($5.625mm cap hit)
  4. Ryan Strome, 29, Anaheim Ducks: 5 years, $25 million  ($5mm cap hit)
  5. Claude Giroux, 34,  Ottawa Senators: 3 years, $19.5 million  ($6.5mm cap hit)
  6. Evgeni Malkin, 36, Pittsburgh Penguins: 4 years, $24.4 million  ($6.1mm cap hit)
  7. Tomas Hertl, 28, San Jose Sharks: 8 years, $65.1 million  ($8.14mm cap hit)
  8. Nicholas Paul, 27, Tampa Bay Lightning: 7 years, $22.05 million ($3.15mm cap hit)
  9. Calle Jarnkrok, 30, Toronto Maple Leafs: 4 years, $8.4 million  ($2.1mm cap hit)
  10. Jeff Carter, 37, Pittsburgh Penguins: 2 years, $6.25 million ($3.125mm cap hit)
  11. Dylan Strome, 25, Washington Capitals: 1-year, $3.5 million ($3.5mm cap hit)
  12. Patrice Bergeron,37,  Boston Bruins: 1-year, $2.5 million  ($2.5mm cap hit)

For comparison, there were several RFA centers who signed extensions with their current teams:

  1. Josh Norris, 23, Ottawa Senators: 8 years, $63.6 million ($7.95mm cap hit)
  2. Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Carolina Hurricanes: 8 years, $38.56 million ($4.82mm cap hit)
  3. Jared McCann, 26, Seattle Kraken: 5 years, $25 million ($5mm cap hit)
  4. Nicholas Roy, 25, Vegas Golden Knights: 5 years, $15 million ($3mm cap hit)
  5. Jack Roslovic, 25, Columbus Blue Jackets: 2 years, $8 million ($4mm cap hit)
  6. Pierre Luc-Dubois, 24, Winnipeg Jets: 1-year, $6 million ($6mm cap hit)

Let’s get some things out of the way. In the market for a second-line center, there were eight of the 12 that the Rangers had no shot at or desire to sign, including Giroux, Malkin, Hertl, Carter, Jarnkrok, Paul,  Dylan Strome, or Bergeron.

That means the only contenders were Kadri, Trocheck, Copp, and Ryan Strome. That’s a pretty limited selection and it’s one reason why Drury moved so quickly, inking Trocheck on day one of Free Agent Frenzy.

Here are some of the reasons he was the best choice.

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