Can Panarin and Trocheck Build Chemistry Fast Enough

The biggest move the Rangers made this summer was signing Vincent Trocheck to a seven-year contract. A major reason why Trocheck signed with the team was because of a promise he was given. He told the media that he would get a chance to play with Artemi Panarin.

Trocheck was signed to the team in order to replace the departing Ryan Strome, who signed a five-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks. Strome and Panarin had a great connection as they were known as “Bread & Butter”. They always knew where each other was on the ice and they had a great time playing together. The question now is, can Trocheck find that same connection?

Trocheck plays a different style of game than Strome. Trocheck is more of a gritty, in-your-face kind of player. He gets in the dirty areas and plays with more speed than Strome. Trocheck is glad to be getting an opportunity to play with Panarin because he has never played with a player like him before. Now, he needs to make the most of it.

For a majority of the preseason, Trocheck and Panarin have played together on a line with Vitali Kravtsov. While the line has looked good in practice, it did not look that way against the Bruins on October 5.

This was their first preseason game playing together against a real opponent. When the game was over, their line combined for a -7 rating. Panarin hit two posts and missed a wide-open net, but overall it was not a good game for them.

If the Rangers want to succeed this season, they are going to need Panarin and Trocheck to find the chemistry that Panarin had with Strome. If it does not work out, a struggling offense with struggle even more. The team hopes that with time, both players will find a groove and make this work.

Question for Blue Line Station readers: How well do you think Trocheck and Panarin will work together?