Vincent Trocheck Was Rangers’ First Round MVP – The Hockey Writers –

After setting a career-high in assists and points this season, Vincent Trocheck entered the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a point to prove. He was part of the New York Rangers‘ squad that collapsed in the 2023 Playoffs when it blew a 2-0 series lead in the first round and lost to the New Jersey Devils in Game 7. He only had one goal and one point during that series, and it was a huge disappointment to see him play so poorly after he had just signed a massive seven-year deal as a free agent in the previous offseason.

With a chip on his shoulder, he entered the 2023-24 season and played the best hockey of his career, scoring 25 goals and tallying 77 points in 82 games. When the playoffs began, his game did not slow down as he was the Rangers’ best player in their first-round series sweep of the Washington Capitals. His offensive and defensive play were at all-time highs and if he continues to play at this level and the Rangers win the Stanley Cup, he will have a great chance of winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Trochek’s Key Offensive Plays

Trocheck was second on the team in points in the first round, with three goals and six points in four games. He was only behind Mika Zibanejad, who had one goal and seven points in four games, and he made some key offensive plays. When the Capitals scored first in the first period of Game 2, he tied the game just 2:47 later. In Game 3, he scored a power-play goal in the second period to give the Rangers a 3-1 lead – that score held up, and the team went up 3-0 in the series. In Game 4, he scored another power-play goal late in the first period to give the team a 2-1 lead.

Trocheck came through with the big goals when he needed to and provided the spark the Rangers needed. He either gave them a bigger lead, tied the game, or got them back in it. As of this writing, he is tied with three players for second with two postseason power-play goals. His linemate, Artemi Panarin, is tied with three players for first in the league with two game-winning goals, and that line, with Alexis Lafreniere, was effective all series – Lafreniere had four assists and Panarin had three points, including two in the series-clinching game.

Trochek’s Strong Defensive Game

Trochek’s defensive performance in the series was even more impressive than his offensive output. He dominated the faceoff dot and won every important draw, whether it was in the…