Vincent Trocheck hired Pat Brisson this week as NHL trades talk tightened around him, and the move gives the New York Rangers center veteran help while his situation stays unsettled. Trocheck would welcome a move from the New York Rangers, so the change comes as the market shifts toward the draft and free agency.
Pat Brisson and Trocheck
Trocheck, 32, has 16 goals and 53 points in 67 games this season and is under contract at a $5.625 million AAV through 2029. He also has a 12-team no-trade list that becomes 10 teams in 2026-27, which leaves room for movement if the Rangers and another club line up a deal.
That framework matters because the rest of the market is moving at the same time. Trade talk is picking up around the league with the Stanley Cup Final in the rear-view mirror and the draft and free agency immediately ahead, which puts pressure on players and teams to settle direction quickly.
East or West
Trocheck has largely been focused on landing in the East, but Teams in the West could be in play because they are not included in his 10-team no-trade list. The Rangers scratched him for roster management purposes prior to the trade deadline in March and held on to him with the idea that stronger offers could come in the summer.
His contract runs through 2029, yet he would welcome a move from the New York Rangers. That is the hard edge of the story: a player on a long deal, a team that did not move him in March, and a summer window that may finally bring a deal if the market meets the price.
Dylan Larkin and Darren Nurse
Trocheck is not the only name in the churn. Dylan Larkin recently requested a trade from the Detroit Red Wings, and the word around that situation is that it is going to be a process to find him a new home.
After spending the past 12 years in Edmonton, Darren Nurse requested a trade too. He played 82 games last season, scored 7 goals and finished with 24 points, and he has a no-movement clause on a contract that carries a $9.25 million AAV through 2030.
For now, Trocheck’s move to Pat Brisson is the clearest signal of where this market is headed. The names are set, the window is open, and the next step is finding the right fit for players who are already on the board.
