Former NY Rangers Forward Not Surprised by Being Traded This Summer

A former forward for the New York Rangers was not surprised that he was traded this offseason.

Mar 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; A New York Rangers flag is seen in the crown during the first period against the Edmonton Oilers at Madison Square Garden. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It has been a very busy offseason for the New York Rangers, and while some moves they made were a bit surprising, others weren’t. 

Coming into the summer, the Rangers were a team that was focused on retooling and getting better. New York has been able to accomplish these goals with a seemingly strong offseason. 

After their last-place finish, there were many areas that the team had to address. This was a group that really struggled to score at times last year, and the addition of Pavel Dorofeyev should help with that significantly. 

Furthermore, with a need to improve the depth of their blueline, the team also added two new defensemen in Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson to likely anchor the second-pair. 

However, while the team made a bunch of new additions, they also parted ways with some players as part of the retool. One of the players that was dealt was their veteran center. 

Former Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck recently spoke with Peter Baugh of The Athletic (subscription required) and highlighted that he knew he was going to be traded. 

Trocheck Trade Came as No Surprise

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. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It certainly was one of the worst-kept secrets in the league that Trocheck was going to be dealt this offseason. At the trade deadline, he was heavily shopped, but with him having a partial no-trade clause and the Rangers not getting what they wanted, they ended up holding on to him. 

In doing so and waiting, the team was able to get an impressive package in return for the 32-year-old. Due to Trocheck’s positional value as a center in a summer that was lacking available talent in that area, and what has become a team-friendly contract, his trade value was through the roof. 

Last season, he totaled 53 points in 67 games with 16 goals and 37 assists. While he did miss some time because of a nasty infection, he was able to have a strong campaign and will help the Mammoth. 

For the Rangers, moving Trocheck, whose value went through the roof, made a lot of sense. They were able to not only bring back Durzi to help them on the blueline, but they also added prospect Cole Beaudoin, who is a former first round pick and a 2027 selection in the third round. 

Overall, while it will be tough to replace him in the lineup, the return was too good to pass up.