The New York Rangers played their cards right and are now in prime position to come away with a haul for Vincent Trocheck. With several teams showing interest in the veteran centerman, the Toronto Maple Leafs have emerged as one of the most serious bidders. To make the prospect even more appealing, a report suggests the Buds are also interested in former Blueshirt head coach Peter Laviolette ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season.
“Toronto has reached out about Trocheck in the wake of Max Domi’s back surgery complications,” the New York Post reported. “Domi is out indefinitely, which puts the Maple Leafs in the market for a second-line center.”
Additionally, according to Darren Dreger of TSN, the Buds will interview Laviolette this week as part of their head coaching search. Toronto may be the new New York after all, and there’s a scenario in which Trocheck is back under Laviolette’s orders, only this time on the opposite side of the St. Lawrence River.
Trocheck’s trade clause
As much pull as the Maple Leafs may have in convincing the Rangers, it could all come down to Trocheck’s preference. If the Maple Leafs are on his 10-team no-trade list, then there is nothing that may change his mind, and a trade to Toronto would remain forever an utopia.
Peter Laviolette could return to the NHL.
Based on reports from around the trade deadline, most teams on Trocheck’s no-go list were located in the Western Conference, as the veteran wanted to remain on the East Coast—where his family is. However, whether he’s willing to move to Canada is a reasonable question to ask. Another logical question is whether Toronto has the assets to trade for Trocheck.
NY Rangers’ reported price for Trocheck
According to most sources at the trade deadline, and as repeated by the New York Post, the Blueshirts are asking for a first-round pick, a current NHL player, and a high-end prospect in return for Trocheck.
However, just like the Rangers could profit from Jonathan Toews’ reported retirement and a thin free-agent class, their asking price may have gone up since March 6.
Trocheck’s contract at roughly $5.6 million per year, signed for the next three NHL seasons, looks like an offer too good to pass up for any team. But just like the Maple Leafs, there will be countless suitors knocking on the Rangers’ door. New York understands that to perfection and thus will be asking for an arm and a leg from each and every one of them.
Toronto may not have right offer for New York
Even if the price remains unchanged, the Maple Leafs may not have as strong an offer as other bidders. Toronto has a first-round pick in 2026 that New York would kill for, but the Buds will never part ways with. That leaves room for their first-round pick in 2027, which originally belonged to Colorado.
There’s a very small chance the Avalanche end up with a lottery pick next season, meaning it’s of little use to the Blueshirts. Toronto has no first-round pick of its own in 2027 or 2028. Waiting for the 2029 first-rounder may not be worth it for the Rangers. After all, they are based in New York, and the City That Never Sleeps isn’t known for its saint-like patience, nor are the fans in town.
Vincent Trocheck during the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off.
As for a roster player and prospects, the Rangers have plenty of options to choose from on the Maple Leafs. Whether the Buds will accept, that’s another question. But if the two sides can’t reach an agreement on the draft pick involved, then they could be in a cul-de-sac right from the get-go.
Toronto could be a contender again
Indeed, Toronto missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs by a mile in 2026. However, it came away with the No. 1 selection in the upcoming Draft, and that could land the Maple Leafs the ultimate rebound.
With Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, and others in town, adding Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg—and perhaps Vincent Trocheck—the sky could truly be the limit for them, provided the Leafs address their blue line.
All they could be missing is a mastermind behind the bench, and perhaps that key piece is Peter Laviolette. Still, this perfect scenario for Toronto hinges on two big “ifs,” and that’s whether the Buds can make an appealing offer to the Rangers and whether Trocheck looks forward to—or at the very least can’t veto—a move to The Six.
