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Making the Case for a Kreider-Trocheck-Wheeler Line for the Rangers

By Matthew Mugno

Apr 24, 2023; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (16) celebrates his goal against the New Jersey Devils with left wing Chris Kreider (20) in front of Devils center Michael McLeod (20) and left wing Tomas Tatar (90) during the third period in game four of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 24, 2023; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (16) celebrates his goal against the New Jersey Devils with left wing Chris Kreider (20) in front of Devils center Michael McLeod (20) and left wing Tomas Tatar (90) during the third period in game four of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Speed. Grit. Goals. The essence of hockey. The new guy Blake Wheeler should play alongside the “Italian Stallion” Vincent Trocheck and the heart of the city Chris Kreider.

Add the 6’5 behemoth into the fray of this lineup to tag team with the meanest foreword in the lineup and the center the Rangers signed over Andrew Copp because of his sharp edge and play in the muddy areas of the ice.

Kreider and Trocheck skated in 23 games this season with Kaapo Kakko on the wing, 14 with Patrick Kane, and 17 with Jimmy Vesey producing 14 goals for the team. Trocheck finished fourth on the team in points with 64 and Kreider finished fifth with 54. The individuals combined for 58 goals and 310 hits in yesteryear’s campaign.

They gain the blue line. No nonsense with their foot on the gas. Each uses their legs in transition or dumps the puck relying on their physical prowess to begin an offensive.  With the sour end to the season, the combination of the two skaters former head coach Gerard Gallant deployed seemed to be lost in the trauma

The goal is to win the Stanley Cup, and the Ranger’s chances of ending their twenty-nine-year drought could hinge on how well their forward group is managed following an almost unfathomable loss to New Jersey in May.

Think of the Mark Stone, Chandler Stephenson, and Brett Howden trio that captured the Golden Knights’ first championship. These hypothetical Rangers line players are of a similar mold and mentality. Players that are not lauded for their finesse or flash but get the job done.

Laviolette stated that the new bench boss is looking to implement a system that has the tea prepared for the playoffs from training camp.

Kreider is a certified sixteen-game player since he debuted for the Rangers in the 2012 post-season. Splitting the heart of the team from Mika Zibanejad may not be a pretty sight but it has the potential to create a deeper lineup.

Vincent Trochek was acquired to be an anchor at the second center position as he had for a high-octane Carolina system. Trochek did not mesh with Panarin, and the second line seemed to stick out as mostly ineffective for the majority of the 2022-2023 season. The center needs to be surrounded by players that allow his abilities to level up. The two names on the roster that can support Trocheck’s game most effectively are Kreider and Wheeler.

Blake Wheeler observed his role in New York at his first press conference, “There was a need on the right side…And [I’m looking] to come in and feel a need for the team. I’m not looking for promises or guarantees.”  The 36-year-old skater is aware of the supporting duty at the world’s most famous arena.

It goes without saying that the New York Rangers need to flex their muscle while simultaneously putting their opponents on their heels and filling the back of the net.

The organization deployed a collection of stars rather than a team. Taking the proper steps to shake up and get the most out of the Big Apples’ current roster starts with making decisions that may seem difficult because of the previous institution’s lineup status quo.

The Rangers should consider a sturdy, responsible, and scoring forward trinity in Kreider, Trocheck, and Wheeler.

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