The Toronto Maple Leafs could still use a top-six forward, and one analyst urges them to make a bold move and make a blockbuster trade.
Former NHLer and now analyst for LeafsNation, Jay Rosehill, believes the Maple Leafs should look to trade for Vincent Trocheck from the New York Rangers.
“Another guy is Vincent Trocheck. He’s 32 years old, so he’s got the experience. I just think that you put him in this lineup, he would fit. It’s like there’s kind of a big missing piece in this forward group, kind of in that middle-six type of deal,” Rosehill said. “And to fill it with a high-end guy like Trocheck, it would just be like, the balance would just be humming.”
Trocheck could play in the Maple Leafs’ top-six and add some secondary scoring to the lineup. He’s also known for his high-pace game as he isn’t afraid to get into the dirty areas and be a pain to play against.
Trocheck has four years left on his seven-year, $39.375 million deal with the Rangers, so it would cost Toronto quite a bit to acquire him. But, he’d give the Maple Leafs another offensive weapon, and he’s someone who plays the right way in the playoffs.
Trocheck recorded 26 goals and 33 assists for 59 points in 82 games last season with the Rangers. He’s played in 56 career playoff games, recording 17 goals and 20 assists for 37 points.
Trocheck is a Leader
Along with his ability to add some more offense to the Maple Leafs’ lineup, he would be a leader on and off the ice.
Trocheck is a leader in the Rangers’ locker room. After New York’s disappointing season, he said he wants to be the reason for the team to turn it around.
“I want to be a part of the reason that we do right the ship,” Trocheck said on April 21. “We don’t have very many opportunities to win a Stanley Cup and that’s the whole reason why everybody in this locker room plays the game. I’m looking forward to having this summer to figure things out. I have a lot of things in mind that we can work on and get better at. I do take responsibility for a lot of it…
“We saw what we were capable of last year, (2023-24)” Trocheck added. “We got a lot of time this summer to go back and look at what we can do better. I really believe in this locker room, I believe in everybody, I obviously believe in the talent we have.”
Trocheck has spent the last three years with the Rangers. He’s a two-time NHL All-Star.
Maple Leafs Could Use Another Top-Line Forward
After seeing Mitch Marner leave in free agency, the Maple Leafs have done a good job adding talent to their roster.
Toronto put an emphasis on its depth and being harder to play against. The team added the likes of Nic Roy, Mattias Maccelli, and Dakota Joshua, among others. Yet, Maple Leafs’ GM Brad Treliving said he’s looking to add a top-six forward.
“When a player of Mitch’s magnitude moves away, that’s never a fun day… In a situation where a player was walking away this morning for nothing, we were able to recoup a player that fits a need for us… Mitch was a top-six forward, and we haven’t replaced that hole,” Treliving said on July 1. “That’s really where our focus is.”
If the Maple Leafs acquire someone like Trocheck, he’d fit that role perfectly and would be part of the core for multiple years.
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