Dylan Larkin Trade Request Could Help NY Rangers Maximize Vincent Trocheck

The New York Rangers could find a positive impact by Dylan Larkin requesting a trade from the Detroit Red Wings.

Apr 7, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) skates with the puck in the first period against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Little Caesars Arena. / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Coming into the offseason, the New York Rangers had one of the best trade chips that could be made available in center Vincent Trocheck.

The veteran was going to have a robust market with so many teams in the market for a middle man and not many readily available in free agency. It was the perfect opportunity for team president and general manager Chris Drury to strike.

After deciding to keep Trocheck through the trade deadline, his market looked like it would be much bigger in the summer. The Rangers would have the opportunity to bring back multiple assets to jumpstart their retooling.

However, things have gotten a little more complicated for New York. An argument could be made that Trocheck is no longer the No. 1 center available after Dylan Larkin requested a trade from the Detroit Red Wings.

Dylan Larkin trade request could help Rangers

Apr 2, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) controls the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

A bona fide first-line center, teams are going to be lining up for him in the same fashion they would have for Trocheck. His addition to the trade market is certainly going to impact negotiations for the Rangers.

While some people will argue that having such a talented player available is bad for New York, it could actually be viewed as a positive.

A deal involving Trocheck could certainly take a little longer. Teams are going to make a run at Larkin and see how those negotiations unfold before unloading assets in a deal with the Rangers for their veteran center.

There is more than one team around the NHL that is in the market for a center. New York has been connected to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Minnesota Wild and Montreal Canadiens in some capacity ahead of the trade deadline and in the offseason already.

Vincent Trocheck will have trade value even with Dylan Larkin available

Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (16) skates against the Washington Capitals during the second period at Madison Square Garden. / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Once Larkin is off the board, should the Red Wings accept his trade request and move him, the market for Trocheck could get even stronger. Teams that missed out on the Detroit center might show some desperation to get a deal done, knowing there aren’t any options better than Trocheck available.

That puts Drury and the Rangers in a position of strength. They could look to squeeze every bit of value out of Trocheck, who remains productive as a top-six forward that gets the job done on the penalty kill.

His contract is also viewed as a team-friendly one. It is only going to look better with the salary cap projected to keep rising in the coming years.

The news of Larkin requesting a trade may have stung for New York fans at first, but it could certainly end up being a positive for them if played correctly.