Should the Bruins make a push for this Rangers center?
In a recent article for The Athletic, Peter Baugh and Vincent Z. Mercogliano discussed 10 potential landing spots for New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck. The Boston Bruins were among the teams that Baugh and Mercogliano named as potential trade fits for Trocheck.
"The Bruins are in a similar position to the Penguins. They’ve arrived ahead of schedule this season and find themselves in playoff position at the Olympic break. Trocheck would make their lineup more formidable for the final push after years of searching for help down the middle, but Boston would presumably be reluctant to part with the necessary picks and prospects to get it done," Baugh and Mercogliano wrote.
The idea of Trocheck joining the Bruins is a fascinating one. When looking at Boston's current roster, it is clear that Trocheck could slot nicely in their top six. That remains the case whether he played on their first line or second line. Furthermore, due to his all-around strong play, he would be an obvious choice for both their power play and penalty kill if brought in.
Trocheck's contract also adds to his appeal as a potential target. This is because he has a $5.625 million cap hit until the end of the 2028-29 season. With this, he would be much more than a rental for the Bruins if acquired, and at a very reasonable price.
However, the Bruins' biggest trade need may not be another top-six center at this point. Elias Lindholm has been enjoying a nice bounce-back, while Fraser Minten has been breaking out in a major way. Thus, it may make more sense for the Bruins' next significant trade to be for a top-four, right-shot defenseman.
Nevertheless, Trocheck would still be a nice player for the Bruins to add if they swung a reasonable deal for the 32-year-old center. In 43 games this season with the Rangers, the Pittsburgh native has recorded 12 goals, 24 assists, and 36 points.