Rangers signing Vincent Trocheck in NHL free agency for more than $39 million
Beefing up the middle was a priority for the Rangers, and that’s exactly where president and general manager Chris Drury started.
Free agent center Vincent Trocheck is signing with the Rangers on a seven-year, $39.375 million contract with a $5.625 million average annual value, The Post has learned. Trocheck, who turned 29 earlier this week, would presumably replace Ryan Strome in the second-line center spot next to Artemi Panarin.
Coming off three seasons with the Hurricanes, Trocheck is a consistent point producer who has some snarl to his game, which the Rangers saw first-hand during their second-round series against Carolina in last season’s playoffs. He pieced together his most productive season in five years in 2021-22, scoring 21 goals and dishing 30 assists in 81 regular-season games before racking up 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 14 playoff games.
Additionally, and notably, Trocheck is a career 52.1 percent faceoff winner. The Rangers, who finished 24th in faceoff win percentage (48.1) last season, have been in need of some help in that category.
Trocheck will be reunited with Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant, whom he blossomed under during their three seasons together with the Panthers from 2014-17. The 5-foot-10, 183-pounder played parts of the first seven seasons of his NHL career in Florida, where he scored 111 goals and dished 171 assists in 420 games. His best campaign was when he posted 31 goals and 44 assists for 75 points in 2017-18.