The Pittsburgh Penguins have certainly impressed so far this season. At the time of this writing, they have a 29-15-12 record and are second in the Metropolitan Division standings with 70 points.
Now, with the Penguins being in a good spot in the standings, they are now being viewed as a potential fit for one of the NHL’s top trade candidates.
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In a recent article for The Athleti, Peter Baugh and Vincent Z. Mercogliano listed the Penguins as a potential landing spot for New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck.
“Trocheck is from Pittsburgh, which would make this a great story. It’s not totally out of the question, either, with the Penguins surprisingly in the playoff mix this year,” Baugh and Mercogliano wrote.
If the Penguins landed Trocheck, he would give them another star center to work with. Trocheck could slot nicely as their 2C if Evgeni Malkin played as his right wing, which would certainly give Pittsburgh’s top six a nice boost. In addition, Trocheck would give the Penguins another skilled weapon to work with on their power play if acquired.
However, Baugh and Mercogliano also noted that Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas may not be eager to part ways with assets that could help Pittsburgh’s future to land a veteran center like Trocheck. That would be understandable, as the Penguins are in the middle of a retool.
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While this is the case, Trocheck would still have the potential to be a nice addition to the Penguins’ roster if acquired. He is a proven top-six center who plays a strong two-way game and isn’t afraid to throw the body.
In 43 games so far this season with the Rangers, Trocheck has posted 12 goals, 24 assists, 36 points, and 130 hits.