Vincent Trocheck Has Helped Propel Carolina To A New Level
I’ll be the first to admit, I’m a full blown Caniac. I’m not sure there is a team that is more fun to watch than the Carolina Hurricanes. That entire team is just filled with young and hungry dogs that just buzz around the ice. On a team this good, somebody is bound to become overlooked. Vincent Trocheck has become the unsung hero on the Hurricanes and has helped propel Carolina to a new level.
In order to build a Stanley Cup champion, more often than not you have to take advantage of a foolish team or two along the way. Robbed isn’t the correct term here. Use whatever synonym you want. The Hurricanes finessed the hell out of the Panthers when they stole Vincent Trocheck. Florida sent Trocheck to Carolina in exchange for Erik Haula and Lucas Wallmark, plus prospects Chase Priskie and Eetu Luostarinen.
Trocheck is a full blown stud. Florida settles for two bums and two failed prospects that never did anything at the NHL level. Haula is no longer on the roster (who stinks anyway) and Wallmark is in his second stint with the team. Mostly a nobody in the grand scheme of things.
Sure, the Hurricanes have some salary cap issues to worry about in the not too distant future. However, there’s no denying the impact Trocheck has had. Especially when you consider the totality of the trade that brought him to town.
The Pittsburgh native is so important to this Carolina team. The Pittsburgh native had 43 points in 47 games this year. He’s just become such a smart and savvy player. His penalty minutes are way down. He’s a shot blocking phen. The Canes second line center is just that type of guy you don’t want to play against. He’s a pest on both ends of the ice.
Trocheck, 27, ranks 6th all-time in Panthers short handed goals tied with Aleksander Barkov. He’s so good at forcing turnovers, skating that puppy up the ice, and turning it into offense on the other end. It’s the type of depth scoring Florida needs right now as they try to contend again. The physicality of Tro is felt on both ends.
The Hurricanes have the number one power play unit in the league. Trocheck is a big reason why. He’s great at standing in front of the net to key in those deflections. He does the dirty work to keep pucks in the offensive zone. When Carolina stacks that line with Trocheck and Jordan Staal, good things happen. A ridiculous pass often finds fishy and AHO (insert hockey guy Trey scream here) does the rest.
There’s really and underrated shot making ability here too. It’s one thing to put pucks on net. It’s another to put pucks in key holes. Against Nashville in the first round of the playoffs, you have to find a way to beat Juuse Saros. He’s a one man team. Nashville hangs him out to dry a bunch but on even man rushes, you have to be perfect to find the back of the net. Trocheck is just damn good.
Let’s also not forget, it looks like Jordan Staal has found the fountain of youth. Staal is also skating on the third line against other third liners. Does he have this kind of production elsewhere? It feels eerily similar to that effect that Jeff Carter has had on Pittsburgh. He rocks opposing third liners.
Vincent Trocheck will go for his second championship this season. The first, of course, being part of my fantasy championship team. He’s the perfect second line center Carolina needs helping take this young Canes team to real championship contention.
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