Vincent Trocheck wants to stay in the East: Another reason that could help Kent Hughes

Marc-Olivier Cook
Vincent Trocheck wants to stay in the East: Another reason that could help Kent Hughes
Credit: Screenshot / YouTube

This morning, my colleague Charles-Alexis Brisebois published an article stating that Vincent Trocheck has been linked to the Canadiens.

But let's be clear: there are questions to be asked about all this.

Should the Habs pay a lot for another “small” player? Would Trocheck really be a good fit for the current Habs roster? Would he be open to playing in Montreal, considering that he can say no to 12 teams this season via his partial no-trade clause?

What we do know—and what's particularly interesting—is that Trocheck wants to stay in the East.

At least, that's what Elliotte Friedman (32 Thoughts podcast) said. He explains that we can pretty much forget about him joining any of the Western clubs that would like to get him out of New York. 

This doesn't necessarily mean that Vincent Trocheck will continue his career with the Canadiens.

But it does mean, indirectly, that the habs are more likely to go after him—if that's what Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton want.

On paper, the idea makes sense.

Trocheck is one of the best two-way centers in the National Hockey League, and it's no coincidence that he's a member of Team USA at the Olympics. He has three seasons with over 60 points in the NHL (77, 75, and 64) and is capable of producing offensively when needed on the ice.

But what bothers me is when you look at his size (5'11” and 187 pounds). The Habs need to bulk up for the playoffs because they can't be intimidated like they were in 2025 against the Washington Capitals in the first round.

And Trocheck, unfortunately, can't help on that level…


Overtime

– 60 shots!

– I'm having a hard time understanding that.

– He's good. So good!

– Hehe.

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