There was Vincent Trocheck Saturday afternoon at TD Backyard, placing up two of one of the best scoring possibilities for the Rangers of their 4-1 loss to the Bruins three days earlier than the official begin of the 2025-26 season.
There he was Thursday evening at Madison Sq. Backyard, getting below the pores and skin of the rival Devils in a meaningless exhibition recreation.
He threw a shoulder into the 6-foot-2, 218-pound Jonas Siegenthaler, who grabbed at Trocheck's jersey earlier than punching the again of his head.
The 6-foot-6 Dougie Hamilton then skated over to cross-check Trocheck as Siegenthaler grabbed and shoved his full-face-shielded head.
Trocheck simply smiled and laughed.
That's the Trocheck the Rangers focused after enjoying in opposition to him within the second spherical of the 2022 playoffs when he was with the Hurricanes.
That's the Trocheck who dominated within the 2024 playoffs, during which he tormented his former crew from the opposite aspect of the ice in additional methods than one.
That's the Trocheck the 2025-26 New York Rangers want in an effort to return to playoff rivalry.
“I believe it's an enormous a part of his recreation,” Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan mentioned of Trocheck that evening after the Devils recreation. “He's at his finest when he's in the course of it. I believe that's the kind of participant he's. He's a fierce competitor. He wears his feelings proper on his sleeve. He performs a recreation with lots of braveness. And to a sure extent, that kind of emotion is a giant a part of the management that he brings. I believe he's at his finest when he's enjoying that kind of a recreation.”
We didn't see that aggravating aspect of Trocheck a lot final season. Maybe it was tough to channel that when the crew as an entire had fallen right into a sample of torpid performances.
It was removed from the most important downside within the Rangers' recreation final season, however there was hardly any snarl within the lineup.
Alongside along with his longtime pal and new Rangers captain J.T. Miller, Trocheck must deliver that sandpaper play to the highest six. That in-your-face, get-out-of-my-way type of presence who could make an opponent's blood boil with each a chirp and a aim.
The Trocheck who waves at opponents as they skate over to sit down within the penalty field.
After signing a seven-year, $39.375 million take care of the Rangers as a free agent from Carolina in July 2022, Trocheck was precisely as marketed via his first two seasons in New York.
The Hurricanes didn't need to decide to the 5-foot-11 heart long run, however the Blueshirts noticed a trait they had been desperately lacking of their lineup.
He went from 64 factors (22 objectives, 42 assists) in 82 video games in Yr 1 to 77 factors (25 objectives, 52 assists) in 82 video games in Yr 2, averaging over two extra minutes of ice time within the latter.
Regardless of scoring probably the most objectives he ever has in a Rangers jersey final season with 26, Trocheck dropped off to 59 factors in 82 contests.
However the 32-year-old has posted a 58.1 faceoff win share over his three seasons in New York. He completed 58 p.c from the dot Saturday, too.
So long as Artemi Panarin is wholesome to begin the season, it's attainable that Trocheck will likely be again centering the star Russian wing and Alexis Lafrenière. The trio led your entire NHL in five-on-five objectives throughout the 2023-24 season, however they had been merely one of the vital dynamic strains on a game-to-game foundation.
Whereas they couldn't fairly seize the identical magic after they skated collectively final yr, there's no cause to not attempt once more.
