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The New York Rangers are expected to trade Vincent Trocheck ahead of the deadline. New York has entered a retool after enduring a rough 2025-26 season. The team recently offloaded their best player, Artemi Panarin, before the Olympic break took effect. While teams cannot officially complete a deal until February 23 now, teams are surely still discussing trades.

With Panarin gone, Trocheck becomes New York’s top trade piece. Unlike the Panarin situation, the Rangers have significantly more leverage with the center. Trocheck only has a 12-team no-trade clause in his manageable $5.62 million AAV deal. He is also under contract until the summer of 2029.

Because of this, New York can be picky with incoming offers for Trocheck. And they are likely locked in negotiations with several teams. It was recently revealed that the Rangers want a first-round draft pick and prospects/young NHL players for the center. Because there are several suitors involved, New York should be able to receive the package.

The Athletic’s Vince Mercogliano has specifically picked out the Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes, and Detroit Red Wings as the main contenders for Trocheck. Although the Rangers could be able to get their asking price from either of the trio, Detroit may very well give New York the best offer.

New York Rangers Want to Maximize Their Return for Vincent Trocheck

GettyVincent Trocheck is expected to be traded in the coming days.

Minnesota is widely seen as the frontrunner in the Trocheck sweepstakes. The player even added fuel to the speculation while with Team USA at the Olympics. It was reported that Trocheck jokingly pretended to join Wild players and coaches for a team photo in Italy. The star clearly pays attention to the news.

According to ESPN, Minnesota had the 13th-best prospect pool at the start of the 2025-26 season. This was, however, before the Wild sent Zeev Buium and Liam Ohgren to the Vancouver Canucks as part of the Quinn Hughes deal. Minnesota also does not have a first-round selection in 2026 because of the trade. And their best asset, goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, is not necessarily a positional need for New York.

Carolina, on the other hand, has four first-round draft picks in the next three years. Trocheck is quite familiar with the Hurricanes as well, as he previously played two full seasons with the club before joining the Rangers. Carolina also has some interesting prospects, but they may not be exactly what New York needs.

As ProHockeyRumors.com points out, a vast majority of New York’s U-23 forward prospects are wingers. The Hurricanes’ top prospect expected to be named in trade talks is winger Bradly Nadeau. Nadeau could still be wanted by the Rangers, but they may very well want to acquire a young center. Enter the Red Wings.

Detroit has Draft Picks, Prospects to Strike Deal

Detroit has the necessary draft picks and currently the best prospect pool of the three teams. Mercogliano also believes that the Red Wings are not on Trocheck’s no-trade list. While the center is originally from Pittsburgh, he moved to Michigan to develop his game as a teen.

The Red Wings also have quality young centers to potentially appease the Rangers. Nate Danielson is perhaps the most likely prospect to be moved by Detroit. Carter Bear, Marco Kasper, and Amadeus Lombardi could be used to acquire Trocheck as well, although Bear is likely rated too highly by the Red Wings.

Ultimately, New York will accept the best offer for Trocheck in the coming days. Minnesota and Carolina could very well win the sweepstakes. Nevertheless, Detroit seemingly has the best assets to offer the Rangers.

Christopher Moore Christopher Moore has been a Heavy.com contributor since 2025. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he has published thousands of articles reporting on multiple professional sports. He was previously a sports writer for World Soccer Talk, the Yahoo! Contributor Network, and the Maryland Sports Blog. More about Christopher Moore

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