Getty
The New York Rangers are set to have a very busy summer. New York was previously expected to offload multiple key players ahead of the March 6 trade deadline. Vincent Trocheck and Braden Schneider specifically headlined the list. Nevertheless, both players will remain with the club and finish out the 2025-26 season in the Big Apple.
While the duo was not dealt, that does not mean the Rangers did not receive serious offers for the players. According to The Athletic’s Vince Mercogliano, the Minnesota Wild put a “reasonable offer” on the table for Trocheck.
The reporter believes that the offer included Minnesota’s number two prospect, Charlie Stramel, a first-round draft pick, and a young defenseman. Stramel, 21, currently has 44 points in 34 college games this season with Michigan State.
Speaking on The Flying V podcast, Mercogliano also revealed that at least four other teams also asked about Trocheck. Despite the interest, Rangers GM Chris Drury played hardball and refused to budge on his asking price for the star center. This is even though the exec certainly preferred to offload the star in early March.
The move may seemingly signify that New York could hang on to Trocheck and Schneider during the retool. This, however, does not seem to be the case. Both players are still expected to be traded this summer.
New York Rangers Hope More Teams Chase Vincent Trocheck This Summer
GettyVincent Trocheck was a key part of Team USA’s triumph at the recent Olympics.
Mercogliano’s colleague, Pierre LeBrun, believes that Drury’s decision was a mistake. After all, Trocheck’s value likely is not going to get any higher than it is now. The veteran is also set to turn 33 in July and will be playing on one of the worst teams in the league for the remainder of the campaign. Nevertheless, as Mercogliano points out, there is one way for the Rangers to still get what they want for the center.
Drury is essentially banking on more teams getting involved in the Trocheck sweepstakes this summer. All of the clubs interested in the star veteran ahead of the deadline were playoff contenders. Teams outside of this season’s postseason race, however, could potentially enter the chase for Trocheck in the summer. The player’s no-trade clause transitions from 12 teams down to 10 on July 1 as well.
There is a possibility that Trocheck could also be open to joining more teams this summer to help move on from New York. The star did exactly seemed thrilled that a deal never materialized before the deadline. NHL clubs can also spend more money in the future thanks to a rising salary cap.
New York’s Decision Could Very Well Backfire
Despite the plan, it is still an extremely risky move for the Rangers. Teams recently interested in Trocheck are not expected to offer up more for the veteran months later. New York essentially valued the star veteran as a true 1C. Clubs, however, firmly believe that Trocheck is more of a 2C moving forward.
Either way, the center and Schneider are not believed to be a part of the retool. Drury is hopeful that he can offload both players for the right price this summer. The Rangers want to flip the defenseman for a young, NHL-ready forward in the near future. Mercogliano specifically points to the San Jose Sharks as potential Schneider suitors in the offseason.
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
More Heavy on NY Rangers
Loading more stories