Ben Shelley: Revisiting the Vincent Trocheck trade

Would love to have Vinny in Detroit! He has been a Red Wing killer for a few years now!

I really don’t follow the Canes closely enough to be sure. I know that Raleigh is a place that some players love, and others love to escape.
I voted “long term” because my hunch is he likes the livability of Central NC, and that the Canes are smart enough to know he’s a keeper.

I have not heard of any player hating NC. Some don't like system or coach but I haven't heard much of location being an issue. There is not as much opportunity for advertising deals or other outside revenue streams as larger metro areas.

Vincent Trocheck was a very popular Panther; a real heart-and-soul-guy for the team and he is missed in South Florida.

However, at the time of the trade, Vincent was still recovering from a pretty serious ankle injury and his production was down with prospects for returning to his old form questionable. Carolina took a bit of a leap of faith and it payed off for them.

Also, there were rumors that he wasn't meshing well with Coach Q and his system as the Panthers were trying to change the culture. No one ever questioned Trocheck's desire or will to win, but he too often tried to take on the opposition single-handedly and carry the team on his back with the result of skating into traffic and committing turnovers. He simply wasn't able to make the moves or show the speed he had pre-injury and he didn't adapt well.

Trocheck was a long-standing member of the Panther's core group and trading him was a real shock to the system. I don't think anyone thought Trocheck was a problem, but his trade sent a strong message to the team that no one was safe anymore. Carolina benefited and I'm glad Trocheck is successful there.