NY Rangers Expected To Move Key Veteran This Offseason

A key New York Rangers veteran isn't projected to be back with the team.

May 8, 2025; Tarrytown, NY, USA; New York Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury during a press conference to introduce new head coach Mike Sullivan at the MSG Training Center in Tarrytown, New York May 8, 2025. / The Journal News-Imagn Images

This offseason is going to be very important for the New York Rangers after an underwhelming 2025-26 season.

The Rangers finished last in the Eastern Conference with only 77 points. While there were some encouraging developments down the stretch, with a few young players emerging, this team needs some help.

There are a lot of items on the to-do list this offseason. They would love to get younger and restock the forward depth chart. Acquiring a player with top-six upside is near the top of their wishlist.

One way of accomplishing those goals would be to make a trade involving one of their established stars. A player who looks to be on the trade block firmly is Vincent Trocheck, whom Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic (subcription required) didn’t include in his 2026-27 lineup projections for New York.

Vincent Trocheck not part of Rangers lineup predictions

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

“We’re proceeding with the assumption that veteran center Vincent Trocheck will be aggressively shopped in the name of getting younger and restocking a depleted asset pool, which is why you won’t see him in our projected forward lines,” Mercogliano wrote.

It is no secret that the veteran center was made available ahead of the NHL trade deadline a few months ago. Rumors swirled as the Rangers had the 32-year-old on the block and were listening to offers.

A deal certainly felt like it would get done, especially after New York held Trocheck out of action for one game as a precautionary move. Alas, a trade never got done. President and general manager Chris Drury noted that he sought a package that included an NHL-ready forward who possessed top-six potential.

When such an offer never materialized, the Rangers held onto the veteran through the deadline, providing him a little bit of peace down the stretch.

“Now if something does happen this summer, at least we have time to figure some stuff out,” he said, via Peter Baugh of The Athletic (subscription required).

It will be interesting to see how things unfold once the offseason rolls around. New York has to make moves to improve the roster, and trading away Trocheck is one avenue they will have to explore, despite him being a fan favorite.

He has three years remaining on his contract, which pays about $5.63 million annually. A rising salary cap makes that number much easier for other franchises to absorb, and Trocheck still plays at a high enough level that the Rangers could get something valuable in return.

With his 12-team no-trade list dropping to 10 this offseason, there will be even more teams for Drury to work with. With a bigger market comes better offers. With the asking price expected to remain the same, the likelihood of a team meeting it increases when there is more competition.