Trocheck Confirms Teams That Are Off-Limits in New Interview
Vincent Trocheck is at the center of the storm around the New York Rangers, as they get set for a big fire sale this week. The two-way pivot with the reasonable contract is seen as the most likely to be dealt. And he knows it.
In a new interview with Vince Mercogliano of The Athletic, Trocheck says he has already started to prepare his young kids for the fact that they will be moving.
My son was like, ‘Well, I’ll stay because I have a hockey team here. I didn’t get traded.’ And I’m like, ‘It’s a good point.’ They went through the roller coaster of emotions with being 7 years old and having friends here.
But Trocheck confirmed that there are two stipulations he would like to see met in any trade: It must be to a Stanley Cup contender, and it MUST, as we've already heard reported, be in the East:
Family’s important to me, and my family’s on the East Coast... It’s not a secret: (Western teams) are on my no-trade clause.
Specifically, Trocheck has a 12-team no-trade list. So, the three California teams? Forget it. Seattle? No, thanks. The Western Canada teams? Nope. But just how far west the 32-year-old has drawn his line is unknown.
Western teams are off-limits for Trocheck, but how about Minnesota?
Two Western teams were already turned away, but the Minnesota Wild, considered the front-runners, are not on Trocheck’s no-trade list, per The Athletic.
In fact, they apparently have a standing offer with the Rangers, and it's up to GM Chris Drury to decide if he wants to take it, or if he can find a better offer elsewhere.
Mercogliano lists several more teams that are interested, including the eastern-based Carolina Hurricanes and Detroit Red Wings (he calls them "logical landing spots"), while the Colorado Avalanche and Utah Mammoth are lurking as well. But whether those teams are too far west for Trocheck remains to be seen.
The 13-year veteran has three years to run after this season on his deal at a $5.625M AAV.
Photo: © Danny Wild-Imagn Images
