Golden Stock: Why a Rangers Center’s Value Just Skyrocketed
New York Rangers hockey returns this Thursday, and a pair of Blueshirts return as champions. Returning to the NHL as an Olympic champion is a lifelong dream for most players. The exact moment every young player hits the ice for the first time, their dream of winning the gold on the biggest stage possible begins. Despite this victory meaning so much to these players, it also carries immense weight in terms of one's status in the NHL. The kind of status this puts on a player is huge, especially a player most teams are interested in ahead of the deadline. While it's clear no Ranger has been having a career year, Vincent Trocheck may have just boosted his trade value a whole lot during his time in Milan.
While the Rangers are already expecting a big return for Vincent Trocheck, his gold medal may have just upped that price a bit. Though many did not expect much from Trocheck at the Olympics, he and the captain, J.T. Miller, played a huge role for the United States. On the United States penalty kill, Team USA went 18-for-18, not allowing a single power-play goal against its opponents. Fans would do well to remember that Canada had more than a minute of 5-on-3 time against the United States in the fight for the gold medal, and they remained perfect on the kill. Not only did the penalty kill play its part, but Trocheck was, like always, superb on faceoff wins, finishing with a percentage of 66.7, just below Dylan Larkin. Despite the doubt, Trocheck proved that when the stakes are high, he's certainly on his game and a key piece to any contending team. He's clearly proven his worth during these Olympics, so how should that affect his value?
In Milan, Trocheck's ability was exactly what Team USA needed to win gold; more teams could very well be interested in him now. Though not a superstar, he's proven to be an All-Star, and teams want players like him on their roster during playoff runs. With 56 postseason games, including 17 goals and 20 assists, under his resume, Trocheck now adds a gold medal on top of all that. In a team that wants to win it all, they want winners on that roster, and a center like Trocheck is undoubtedly big. With the asking price likely to be higher than before, it's vital for a team looking to start a retool in the right direction. Being a key piece when it comes to special teams, especially on the big stage, would mean Trocheck's value will never be as high as it is right now, so is now truly the best time for the Rangers to cash in?
