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NHL Network Top-20 centers - which Rangers pivot made the list? |
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The NHL Network, as they do every year, is presenting their top-20 at each position. Yesterday were the top-20 centers. New York had two possible candidates for that list - one made it, one didn’t a the question is was the right one selected?
Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck both could make cases for their placement on the list. Zib has been somewhat of a fixture in that group the last several seasons while Trocheck more than made his case last year. His performance built on what we saw in 2022-23, taken to a higher level.
As seen by the list, Zib made it again at 19 while Trocheck was excluded. Mika certainly did not have his best season last year. I have extolled his values in the past, especially as a 200-foot player. But with a substantive portion of his production coming on the man-advantage - 31 of his 72 points - coupled with uneven performance at even-strength, especially in the playoffs, hard to make a compelling case that he deserves that placement. We can certainly can argue chapter and verse in others making the top-20 and their location within the group, but if one Rangers’ center was going to get the nod, most would saying Trocheck was the more deserving of the two.
Trocheck set a new career-high with 77 points. Of the 77, only 24 came on the man-advantage. He most certainly plays a grittier game, evidenced by his 177 hits and willingness to always be in the middle of it on the ice. In the post-season, Trocheck raised his game slightly, potting eight goals and 12 assists in 16 contests. Much has been made as to which is the true #1 line in New York, the Panarin unit or the Kreider unit. In my view, it’s basically 1A and 1B, you pick. But last year, the trio centered by Trocheck was by far the more dangerous one on the team.
He certainly deserved a spot in the top-20 and likely should be listed over Mika. The inclusion of one over the other, especially the player somewhat vilified by the fanbase, won’t help the argument that the team lacks a true top pivot man. But for those of us who watched last year, both on the regular season and playoffs, hard to say Trocheck doesn’t check enough boxes to be given that moniker.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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