Vincent Trocheck, Rangers Reportedly Agree to 7-Year Contract with $5.6M AAV

The New York Rangers have reportedly signed former Carolina Hurricanes center Vincent Trocheck to a seven-year deal with an average annual value of $5.6 million, according to multiple reports.

Trocheck, 29, became one of the top options at center in free agency this summer after scoring six goals and adding four assists in 14 postseason games for the Canes this past season.

The veteran center has never replicated his excellent 2017-18 season with the Florida Panthers that saw him easily hit career highs in goals (31) and assists (44) while appearing in all 82 regular-season contests.

But he had his best season since that benchmark this past year for the Canes, posting 21 goals and 30 assists in 81 games, before following it up with a fantastic postseason. The Rangers got a first-hand view of Trocheck's play, defeating the Hurricanes in seven games during the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Whether signing him to that many years was smart business, especially with some other needs on the roster, is another question.

But the Rangers needed to upgrade up the middle, and Trocheck had his best years with the Florida Panthers under head coach Gerard Gallant, who is now calling shots for New York.

Trocheck will win faceoffs at a solid clip (51.2 percent for his career), add some grit in the middle and has the potential to be a solid point producer. The Rangers made a major splash to land him, but they also addressed a huge need in the process.