On Thursday, the New York Rangers will officially return to action where they host the rival Philadelphia Flyers. After that, the Rangers will have less than 10 days to continue their retool and trade some players for, hopefully, premium returns. They already dealt Artemi Panarin and Carson Soucy, and it appears Vincent Trocheck will be next up.
Trocheck already had high stock before the Olympics, due in part to him being a second line center that can win face-offs. But Trocheck raised his stock, as his penalty killing played a role in Team USA winning their first gold medal since 1980. So, Trocheck's trade value should be higher than it was originally. But what could the Rangers get in return for him?
The Athletic's Max Bultman and Harman Dayal recently wrote an article coming up with perfect matches between players on the trade block and teams. For Trocheck, Bultman and Dayal had him getting trade to the Minnesota Wild. As for what the Rangers get in return, Bultman and Dayal have them receiving a 2027 first-round pick, center prospect Charlie Stramel and left-handed defenseman prospect Carson Lambos.
The Athletic projects what Rangers could get from Wild in Vincent Trocheck trade
"Stramel, the No. 21 pick in 2023, may be the most valuable piece of the package coming New York’s way. The big 6-foot-3 right-shot center is having an excellent season for Michigan State (19 goals and 40 points in 30 games), and at 21, he’s already close to being NHL-ready," writes Bultman and Dayal. "He doesn’t have the upside to become a top-line center, but big-bodied centers with skill are premium assets in today’s NHL. New York needs more first-round picks to bolster its thin prospect pipeline, so Minnesota’s 2027 first is a necessary inclusion. We’ve also added Carson Lambos as a tertiary piece, but you could swap him out for another secondary prospect/young player."
The Wild being the proposed perfect match in a trade for Trocheck isn't a shock, as they have been linked to him ever since the Rangers' season spiraled out of control.
Bultman and Dayal mention that this is similar to what the New York Islanders received from the Colorado Avalanche in return for Brock Nelson. As for why the Rangers are receiving a 2027 first-round pick in this hypothetical trade, it's because the Wild traded their 2026 first-rounder to the Vancouver Canucks for Quinn Hughes.
Getting a center in return for Trocheck is ideal, considering it's going to be difficult to replace him down the line. The free agency class this summer isn't that promising, so the Rangers will need to hit on these trades in their retool. Hence getting Stramel.
Stramel has played the last two seasons at Michigan State. In the 2024-25 season, Stramel recorded nine goals, 18 assists and a +13 plus/minus rating in 37 games. Through 30 games this season, recorded 19 goals, 21 assists, and a +30 plus/minus rating.
Corey Pronman of The Athletic details what Stramel brings as a prospect in his top players 23-and-under rankings article. When reading it, you can tell he would slot in as a good fit for the Rangers.
"Stramel's pure offense may never wow you, but he's a big, fast and highly physical center who showed a reliable two-way game against bigger players. Stramel also displayed flashes of potential secondary offense versus men. He has good hands and can make enough plays to chip in. He projects as a hard-to-play-against third-line center whose compete, size and edge will make him a favorite for his coach," writes Pronman.
As for Lambos, he is viewed as a player that can be swapped in or out of the trade. Lambos is a 2021 first-round pick by the Wild, but only has one pro game to his credit. This season with the Iowa Wild, Lambos has six goals, nine assists, and a -5 plus/minus rating to his credit.
If the Rangers can get a top center prospect with upside and a first-round pick in a Trocheck trade, it can be considered a win. It will be interesting to see if the price can be driven up, especially with playoff contenders likely looking for a second line center who can win face-offs and kill penalties.