Vincent Trocheck
This one is going to take a lot of people by surprise I think. I’m sure some people won’t even bother reading this part, but that is exactly why I’m putting this here. If you opt to read this before screaming at me, thank you. Vincent Trocheck is a prime candidate for regression this year, and I do not like it any more than you. There are many reasons for this, so let’s start at the top and go through this slowly.
Trocheck is a notorious pest. He loves to get involved in the after-the-whistle stuff and get under the skin of his opponents. He can do that by being physical in front of the net and pushing the limits of what teams will let him get away with. That comes with a toll on the body, and as a player that has suffered with injuries his entire career, his final days in the regular season with Carolina saw him battle a lower-body injury again.
His 21 goals last year marked only the 4th time in the 29-year-olds career he would eclipse the 20-goal target. His 51 points would signal only the 4th time he hit the 50-point plateau. With that said, it was the first time he hit either as a member of the Hurricanes. You can argue it was his first full season in Raleigh, but it is still an ominous sign. Trocheck seems to be up and down, and after an up year, I don’t like what might follow.
Perhaps playing in a more offensive-friendly system in New York will aid his totals, but there’s a chance he doesn’t bolster those numbers. I hope I’m wrong as the Rangers need someone to play well on that second line and if it isn’t Trocheck, options are very limited. New York has put a lot of faith in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native and it would be such a shame to see him not be able to repay that faith with production.