Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Free agency Day 1 - 2nd line ctr/backups goalies added w/ a d-man cap shed
July 14, 2022, 12:22 AM ET [231 Comments]
Jan Levine
New York Rangers Blogger • RSS • Archive • CONTACT
The Rangers grabbed a new second line center and back up goalie in free agency today. New York also traded a blueliner who never found his game as a Blueshirt, freeing up cap room. Several members of the 2021-22 Blueshirts found employment elsewhere, while many of us hope that one member of that class returns next year, though cap constraints make that unlikely.

Vincent Trocheck:
New York clearly targeted Trocheck to be their second line center. Trocheck provides the team a more physical option down the middle, who is solid between the dots and can kill penalties. He gives the team a different look than what Ryan Strome or Andrew Copp brought and would bring. Trocheck was very good from 2015-18 before injuries resulted in a major decline in production the following two seasons, before he rebounded in Carolina.

The AAV likely would have been in the $6 mil range, but by signing him tow seven years, GM Chris Drury was able to knock a few hundred thousand off the salary per year. Trocheck came in at the same $5.625 mil figure Copp received from Detroit and above the $5 mil aav strome received from Anaheim, each of whom signed five-year deals. Trocheck, based on his comments after signing, was who the team identified as their second line center with his signing locking Filip Chytil in as the 3C.

I personally don't love the signing, Like the player, always have. But I wanted a lesser term than seven years and a cheaper AAV of around $500K less. Every dollar is needed at this point, and a lower AAV would have freed up some space that could be used to re-sign Kaako Kappo and/or bring back Tyler Motte. My opinion is of the minority, as most feel that Trocheck should be able to play next to Artemi Panarin, though the two may have some growing pains, seeing how different Trocheck's game is from that of Strome, who had a brilliant connection with Panarin. Trocheck should be better at puck possession and on the forecheck, though he may not be as good of a passer as Strome is. If the duo fail to connect, we could see Panarin with Mika Zibanejad.

Trocheck played for coach Gerald Gallant in Florida, which was a factor in him choosing New York. That and the ability to play with Panarin. Plus the AAV and term didn't hurt. The good news is he has a NMC the first three years and a limited NTC for years 4-7 - 12 team NTC in year 4, 10 team NTC in year 5 and six team NTC in years 6 and 7 - making it easier to move him late in the contract if the need arises.  Trocheck should be good for 60 or so points, a faceoff win % above 50%, 100 hits or so and a prominent role on the PK.
















Signing grades:

The Athletic:
Vincent Trocheck signs for seven years, $5.625 million AAV with the Rangers

Trocheck cashing in a big ticket was inevitable. He’s second-best in the pool of available centers, which meant he was either going to be a) an expensive consolation prize for a team who missed out on Nazem Kadri or b) some team’s priority early in the day. Whichever category he falls in for the Rangers — they were interested in Evgeni Malkin on Tuesday, for whatever that’s worth — he gives them something they needed: An offensively-minded second-line center, especially once they decided to move on from Ryan Strome.

Trocheck had 94 points in 128 games with Carolina over the last two seasons, he flourished under Gerard Gallant with the Panthers and the Rangers were, again, in search of reliable 5-on-5 production. This is an Eastern Conference finalist on the uptick with a defined need, and they went and filled it.

The thing that gives me pause here — and a lot of other folks — isn’t the number. It’s the term. Trocheck is already 29; the last couple years could get ugly. It’s a bet, though, that Trocheck can bring more offense to the table as a second-line center than, say, Andrew Copp while the Rangers’ Cup window is open. There’s nothing wrong with that, but the price is high.

Fit grade: A
Contract grade: C+


ESPN

Terms: Seven years, $5.625 million average annual value ($39.4 million total)

Where does he fit: Right next to Artemi Panarin in the Rangers' top six. That's where Ryan Strome played during his four years with the Rangers before they let him walk to unrestricted free agency. That's where New York expected Andrew Copp could play when it acquired him at the trade deadline from the Winnipeg Jets, but Copp opted to test the open market and found a new home with the Detroit Red Wings.

That opened the door at center in New York for a free agent acquisition. The Rangers were in the mix for Colorado Avalanche star Nazem Kadri, but opted for a younger (29) and more thrifty option in Trocheck, who spent the past three seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Does it make sense? Committing seven years to a second-line center never really makes sense, but that's what the Rangers needed to do to get Trocheck in at $5.625 million, making him the fourth-highest-paid forward on the team. The Rangers now have Mika Zibanejad and Trocheck both signed through 2029. Now that's stability.

Trocheck can bring some flashy playmaking to the middle of the ice and has been a strong special teams player during his career. Strome is a better finisher than Trocheck, but Trocheck brings a bigger bag of tools to the mix.

Grade: B. The deal's term is coin of the realm in order to get a solid cap hit for one of the more coveted centers on the open market. Coach Gerard Gallant knows him well. If he can get Trocheck back to the form he showed in Florida, when he was considered one of the NHL's most underrated offensive players, this could look pretty good. Well, for at least the first few seasons. -- Wyshynski


Jaroslav Halak/Louis Domingue
The Rangers figured if you can't beat him, sign him. Halak killed the Rangers over the years, irrespective of which team he was on. He is expected to replace Alexandar Georgiev as the backup to Igor Shesterkin but could get some competition from Domingue, who also signed with New York today. Halak and Domingue will benefit from working with goaltending coach Benoit Allaire.

My hope is that the performance bonus is the $250k reported below and not the $50 reported by puck pedia. That savings could be used to help bring back Kakko or possibly towards another player. Domongue signed a one-way, two year-deal with a $775k AAV, replacing Keith Kinkaid, who landed in Boston, as the third goalie and possible Hartford starter.









Patrik Nemeth
The fourth move made of the day by the Rangers was the trade of Nemeth to the Coyotes to free $2.5 mul of cap room. Drury opted not to buy out Nemeth,finding a way to move the full cap hit over the next two years with none retained. The cost wasn't cheap, as shedding those $ cost a second round pick in 2025, which is rumored as of now not to be as strong of a strong as the next two seasons. In addition, the deal included a conditional 2026 2nd round pick as Arizona has the option to acquire Rangers’ own 2024 third round pick or its own 2026 second round pick. Part of the value of that pick might have been tied to the Coyotes including defenseman Ty Emberson in the trade. Emberson, a physical blueliner in the Ryan Lindgren mode, paired with K'Aandre MIller at times for Wisconsin as teammates for 2 years there.

Drury makes up for last year's mistake with this trade. Nemeth was acquired for reasons well known to all. He struggled in the first half, partially impacted by the difficult pregnancy his wife was enduring. Then in the second half, he contracted COVID and was a healthy scratch the last 15 games. New York has lanty of options for the sixth spot, including Libor Hajek, who was re-signed. But we expect Zc Jones, Matthew Robertson and Nils Lundkvist to compete for that spot. 



Future moves:
The Rangers don't have much cap room. New York has just enough room to re-sign Kakko, depending on if he wants a one- or two-year deal and if he is given an offer sheet. Somewhere between $1.85 and $2.2 mil is available, allowing for some cash to be used for a fourth line center to compete with Rydahl & Brodzinski for the 13F role. This is one reason why I didn't want New York to immediately give Ryan Reaves a second year deal immediately last season, especially for $1.75 mil. 

I still have hope Motte can be brought back, as he was a perfect fit on the bottom six. If not, Ryan Carpenter might be an option for that spot. Drury on whether Motte is still an option given their cap situation: "I think it would be too tight." Nothing has been ruled, but it's clearly a llongshot.



Possible lines:
Kreider, Zib, LAF
Panarin, Trocheck, Kakko/Kravtsov
Blais, Chytil, Kravtsov/Kakko
Hunt, Goodrow, Reaves/Rydahl

Othmann and Cuylle will also compete for a spot.

Lindgren/Fox
Miller/Trouba
Robertson/Schneider

Jones/Lundkvist in mix as well

2022 Rangers signing elsewhere:
Nearly all the main unrestricted free agents from the 2022 team signed in other locations today, Only Tyler Motte remains unsigned. None took major haircuts from what was expected when the season ended. 
 

Copp said on The Point that the #NYR never extended him an offer and that it “fueled his fire a bit.” A bit odd that the team didn't present any offer. But that is an indication he really wasn't viewed as an option.

Kinkaid signed a two-year deal with the Bruins, taking the emojis with him. Domingue replaces him. 

Kevin Rooney landed in Calgary, receiving the two years he wanted with a $1.3 mil AAV

Strome replaces Ryan Lindgren in the top-six, inking a 5x5 with Anaheim. Eventually Mason McTavish will slot in as the 2C, pushing Strome down. He is joined on the Ducks by Frank Vatrano, who signed a three-year deal with a $3.65 mil AAV and should line up next to Trevor Zegras. 

Justin Braun re-signed with the Flyers at $1.75M for one year, that figure split between salary and bonus.


Join the Discussion: » 231 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Jan Levine