New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury took a huge gamble at the trade deadline back in March. Instead of trading center Vincent Trocheck no matter what, Drury decided to hold onto him for the rest of the season, with the belief they could get more by holding onto him. That may very well be the case, especially with there being multiple teams looking for a center and the free agent market being so thin with talent.
One team that has been linked to a Trocheck trade for the past few months were the Minnesota Wild. General manager Bill Guerin has a working relationship with Drury as part of Team USA, where they won a gold medal in this year's Winter Olympics. Despite this, the Wild didn't make an offer Drury would accept, to which Guerin publicly said he was hoping he would get a discount given their partnership. Reports indicated that the Rangers wanted a young, pro-ready player as a centerpiece in a Trocheck trade.
One player that the Rangers reportedly wanted from the Wild was Danila Yurov, but it was basically a non-starter for Guerin. But the Wild may have no choice but to give up Yurov, especially if there is a bidding war for Trocheck.
Chris Drury may win negotiations with Wild if Vincent Trocheck bidding war takes place
Here is what The Athletic Rangers beat writers Vince Mercogliano and Peter Baugh had to say about Yurov in their latest article looking at potential buy-low trade targets for New York this offseason.
"The Wild held firm on the 2022 first-rounder at the deadline, but could their second-round playoff exit and the lack of available high-level talent convince them to reconsider offering him for Rangers center Vincent Trocheck? The odds remain somewhat long, but it’s worth circling back on if you’re Drury."
While yes, the chances Yurov gets dealt are "long," there is always the chance Guerin will be forced to move Yurov if he wants to bring in Trocheck, especially as he looks to strengthen his roster to ensure they make it to the Stanley Cup Final next season. As of now, one team has already checked in on Trocheck.
Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports that the Toronto Maple Leafs have reached out to the Rangers about Trocheck. This comes as the Maple Leafs try to find a second-line center with Max Domi out indefinitely due to complications from back surgery. In that same report, Walker mentions that the Wild nor the Detroit Red Wings, another team heavily linked to Trocheck, have not yet contacted the Rangers this offseason.
Yurov would fit the bill for what the Rangers are looking for, and that's a young NHL player with upside. Currently, Yurov is on the third-line, as their top six is crowded with the likes of Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Ryan Hartman, and Marcus Johansson. While it's great for the Wild to have the depth to keep Yurov on the bottom six, Guerin has shown he is willing to trade assets to build a contender, much like he did this season by acquiring Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks.
This season was Yurov's first with the Wild. In 73 regular season games, Yurov recorded 12 goals and 15 assists. In the playoffs, Yurov recorded one goal and two assists in nine games.
The Rangers need to prioritize improving their forward group as they retool the roster. The group showed promise once they utilized young players like Gabe Perreault, Adam Sykora, Tye Kartye, and Jaroslav Chmelar. Adding Yurov would be a plus for the Rangers, especially if they are giving up Trocheck. Guerin may not want to move Yurov, but he may have no choice if he wants Trocheck.
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