Vincent Trocheck made an immediate impact upon his return to the lineup on Monday night in the New York Rangers’ 6-3 win over the Nashville Predators.
Trocheck missed 14 games after suffering an upper-body injury on Oct. 9 against the Buffalo Sabres that landed him on long-term injured reserve.
Having Trocheck back helped balance the entire lineup for the Rangers. Mike Sullivan put Trocheck on a line with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafrenière, a trio that has had a ton of success in the past.
This allowed J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad to reunite on a line together alongside rookie forward Gabe Perreault.
The Rangers’ depth in their top-six forward group gave the team the flexibility to put Will Cuylle on the third line, which was critical in creating more balance.
“Any time you lose a guy to injury it just kind of screws up the whole lineup,” Trocheck said. “To be full health and have the lines that we want to have going forward, I think that goes a long way.”
He may have missed a handful of games, but it sure didn’t look that way by watching Trocheck play.
The 32-year-old forward did not miss a beat. He played the same hard-nosed brand of hockey that we’ve become accustomed to seeing from him.
On top of the two assists he recorded, Trocheck elevated Panarin and Lafrenière’s game, which helped bring new life to the Rangers’ offense.
“I think Trocheck is such a good player on both sides of the puck… I think maybe the biggest attribute that he has that probably flies under the radar is just how sound he is positioned,” Sullivan said.
“He's in the right spots all the time, and because of that, he doesn't chase the game. The game comes to him. He has a good stick. I think the guys on his flank, Bread and Laf, become the benefactors of that, because he creates a lot of counterattack opportunities in all three zones.”
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Maybe even far greater than what he provides on the ice, Trocheck is a leader for this Rangers team, and his presence goes a long way.
The leadership and energy that Trocheck provides for the Blueshirts off of the ice gave them a jolt of energy that was critical in helping them secure their first home win of the season.
“Obviously, Trocheck is such an important player for this team,” said Sullivan. “Just his presence alone, from a leadership standpoint, his demeanor, and then obviously, what he does on the ice. His presence alone, I think was a huge boost for the group, especially given the circumstances at home here.”
It’s safe to say the Rangers are happy to have Trocheck back.