The last thing the Los Angeles Kings need to do in the wake of Anze Kopitar's retirement is make a shortsighted move that costs them in the future. It might seem like the team needs to replace Kopitar right away, but the unfortunate truth is that they will likely never fully replicate the impact that the captain had on the organization.
The Kings are going to be in the trade market for a center this offseason, thanks to the lack of depth at the position in the free agent pool. While many expect Los Angeles to make a big splash, it'd be foolish to trade a small fortune for a player like Vincent Trocheck from the New York Rangers and expect him to get the Kings any closer to Stanley Cup contention.
This roster with Trocheck replacing Kopitar is no closer to winning a Stanley Cup than the one that was swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs. The Rangers' center is a solid two-way piece, but at this point in his career, he is nothing more than a complementary middle-six guy that can kill penalties and give average offensive contributions.
Trocheck recorded 53 points in 67 games this past season, which is a great year by his standards. However, the Rangers as a team were nowhere near playoff contention, which should tell Ken Holland all he needs to know about what a roster relying heavily on Trocheck could face. If the Kings are going to trade for a top-six center, they need to take a massive swing at a younger, higher upside piece.
If Trocheck is the best they can do, Los Angeles may want to take a step back, look at some of the high-profile centers that could become available over the next 12 months (Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews), and see what they have with Quinton Byfield in a starring role this upcoming season.
What can Vincent Trocheck give the Kings
Trocheck will take Kopitar's hard minutes in both a matchup and penalty killing role. He may not do it as well as the Kings' former captain, but he will take some of that weight off other players. The problem is that the Rangers couldn't find a team willing to meet the asking price during the trade deadline, which means that it is likely much higher than any team should be willing to spend on someone who plays that role.
Holland could look at the prospect of reuniting Trocheck and Artemi Panarin with Peter Laviolette, who played 900 minutes together at five-on-five while he was in charge of the Rangers during the 2024-25 season. The pair were on the ice for 53 goals, while they only gave up 37. Their advanced numbers were also superb, owning a 55.3% Corsi and a 50.7 xGF%.
Artemi Panarin has been sending pucks toward the #NYR side of the ice, looks like he’s been aiming for Vinny Trocheck 😂 pic.twitter.com/NzVFT88siw
— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) March 16, 2026
Despite his statistical profile, his best days were two seasons ago. Trocheck still has some tread left on his tires, but at 33, the Kings need to start thinking younger. With youthful teams like the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, and Utah Mammoth in the Western Conference, the Kings can't keep trying to move forward with a veteran-heavy lineup.
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