Vincent Trocheck is the blockbuster trade piece Chris Drury must move to fix the Rangers

When President and General Manager Chris Drury put out their Letter 2.0 to Ranger fans after another disappointing start to a season, changes were to be expected. First it was trading superstar Artemi Panarin to the Kings in exchange for prospect Liam Greentree; now Vincent Trocheck may be next.

The fourth year Ranger is seen as the newest hot commodity on many insider trade boards and for good reason, Trocheck brings grit, tenacity, a winning pedigree, goals, and more things teams covet when it comes to winning in the playoffs. With the Rangers looking to get younger and re-tool their roster and second-line center being the focal point of what many teams are coveting, it only makes sense for Vincent Trocheck to be on the move.

What We Know So Far

As per both Vince Mercogliano of The Athletic and Frank Seravalli, Vincent Trocheck is now the big fish teams are trying to acquire after the Olympic roster freeze is lifted on Feburary 22nd 11:59 PM EST. With Trocheck making $5.65M for four more seasons (including this one), it feels as if the package starts with what Colorado gave up when they brought in Brock Nelson from the Islanders a year ago; a first-round pick, B-tier prospect, and a third round pick.

Vincent Trocheck also holds a 12-team No Trade List this season, so it should be easier to navigate a deal unlike Artemi Panarin who held all the cards during that process due to his Full No Movement Clause. Many teams are in need of a second-line center for this season and beyond, but who makes the most sense?

Potential Destinations

Minnesota Wild

The Wild and Trocheck have been connected the moment it was known league wide the Rangers are no longer competing and are focusing on restocking their young players/prospects.

The worst kept secret in the league is how much Bill Guerin infatuates Vincent Trocheck, and it makes sense; Minnesota has been in need for a center for the longest time, and it became more apparent after trading young-star Marco Rossi to the Canucks in the deal that sent Quinn Hughes to Minnesota. To add it'll be pretty simple for the Wild to fit Trocheck without doing any cap shenanigans since they're projected to have about $14.5M in deadline cap.

Assets that could interest the Rangers in a potential trade are prospects Charlie Stramel, Riley Heidt, David Jiricek, and Carson Lambos alongside Minnesota's 2027 first-round pick (Wild traded their 2026-first for Hughes). Danila Yurov could also be someone of note, but that seems less likely than all the other options.

Detroit Red Wings

Steve Yzerman targeted Trocheck when he hit free agency back in 2022 but was beat out by the Rangers. Four years later Detroit is still looking for a second-line center to play behind Dylan Larkin and what do you know, Vincent Trocheck is staring at them once again. Just like Minnesota, Detroit can fit Trocheck's entire cap hit with ease with $12.9M in cap space right now and a projected $59.3M come trade deadline.

What gets interesting with Detroit is not only their plethora of young prospects in their system, but they also have Marco Kasper in their current lineup. Kasper was their eighth overall pick back in 2022 and has struggled after a solid year last season. Through 57 games, Kasper only has six goals and thirteen points with the Red Wings. Would the Rangers want someone like Kasper, who is only 21 years old and had 37 points last season, or would they be more interested in prospects such as Nate Danielson, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, and Carter Bear.

Carolina Hurricanes

To put it short, Jesperi Kotkaniemi has not been what the Hurricanes hoped for when they acquired him via offer sheet back in 2021, so once again Carolina is in the market for a centerman. Trocheck spent parts of three seasons back in Carolina before signing with the Rangers, so he already has experience playing in Rod Brind'Amour's system. To add, Carolina has the cap space and assets to get a deal done.

Bradly Nadeau is the most notable prospect the Rangers would have interest in alongside a combination of picks with Carolina owning five first-round picks from 2026-29 and having all their own draft capital past 2026. Would the Rangers increase their asking price if dealing their most valuable asset to a division rival? Time will tell.