Grading the Mammoth’s Trade for Rangers’ Vincent Trocheck

It was shaping up to be a quiet free agency for Utah Mammoth general manager Bill Armstrong, with his only move of the day extending Kevin Stenlund. It was almost too quiet. Nearly four hours into free agency, Armstrong made a splash. The Mammoth traded Cole Beaudoin, Sean Durzi, and a 2027 third-round pick to the New York Rangers for Vincent Trocheck. 

The Mammoth (Finally) Get Their Top Center

For quite some time, the Mammoth have wanted a top center. Ever since Trocheck’s name began popping up in trade rumors, the team has eyed him. Finally, after what seems like months of speculation, the Mammoth have acquired him.

Trocheck is a top-line center and one who is older than most of the centers the Mammoth currently have. In 67 games last season, he produced 53 points. This was while battling a lung infection earlier in the year. Typically, he’s a certified 20-goal scorer and has reached upwards of 70 points in seasons past.

It’s not just offense that Trocheck brings. The forward has had a faceoff win percentage above 50% in his past 11 seasons, including a win percentage of 59.3% during the 2024-25 season. Last season, it was at 56.9%, which is higher than any other Mammoth center besides Liam O’Brien (who only played 38 games). 

Trocheck did have a down year defensively last season. He only had 27 takeaways, had 80 giveaways, 49 blocked shots, and was a minus-16. However, with a better core around him, no more trade rumors surrounding him and his family, and coming into the season fully healthy, those stats are expected to improve.

The forward is going into the fifth year of his seventh-year contract that has an annual average value (AAV) of $5.625 million. He has a 10-team no-trade list included in his contract.

Trocheck knows how to play in big games as well. He’s made the playoffs six times in his NHL career and won a gold medal with Clayton Keller and Team USA last season in the Olympics, putting up three points in six games.

This is a big swing for the Mammoth, one that signifies that their goal is to win now. Trocheck is 32 years old, currently the third-oldest player on the team. The Mammoth are giving up one of their top center prospects for Trocheck. This is clearly a sign that they think their window of contention is now.

Trocheck does improve the Mammoth. More than likely, they’ll have Logan Cooley and him as their top two centers with Jack McBain, Barrett Hayton, and Stenlund as their other centers. It ultimately is, as mentioned, the top center this franchise has wanted for a while.

It is a risk as well. Beaudoin might be someone the Mammoth regret giving up in the future. However, this is the move you make if you believe you can win now, and clearly, this team believes that. The Mammoth are getting a B for this trade. Trocheck could ultimately be a piece that puts them over the top, but it’s a high price to pay for an older forward.

The Rangers Get Some Good Pieces

The Rangers probably remember Durzi well. The last time he played at Madison Square Garden, he scored the overtime winner to give the Mammoth a 3-2 win.

The defenseman is now joining the Rangers’ “retool,” one that obtained some good pieces today. Durzi has spent the past three seasons with the Mammoth core group, one season in Arizona and the past two in Utah. Unfortunately, the two seasons in Utah haven’t been great ones. He suffered a major injury in 2024-25 that cut his season to 30 games.

Last season, though Durzi played 60 games, he only produced 27 points. However, the defenseman had the lowest average ice time in his career (19:16), went through injuries again, and had a big personal loss in his family.

At his best, Durzi can be a 40-point defenseman who can play upwards of 20 minutes a night and also be a force on the power play. He’s signed for two more years with an AAV of $6 million. Notably, the final two seasons of his contract have a modified no-trade clause with a 10-team no-trade list.

Beaudoin might be the most interesting piece of this trade. He was originally drafted 24th overall in 2024 after the Mammoth traded up with the Colorado Avalanche to nab him. Beaudoin has played the past four seasons with the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). In his most recent season with the Colts, the forward produced 88 points in 54 games, scoring 33 goals.

It was his playoff performance that really impressed many. Beaudoin produced 29 points in 15 games, leading the whole league in postseason production despite missing the final six games of the postseason due to injury. As a result, Beaudoin was named to the Canadian Hockey League’s (CHL) third all-star team.

Beaudoin was a lot of people’s prediction to be the next rookie to make the NHL squad out of training camp. He’s a fantastic second- or third-line center who can produce and play a nice two-way game because of his size and physicality. Beaudoin is also a natural-born leader and a player who is very mature at his age.

The Rangers also received a 2027 third-round pick in the deal. More than likely, that pick will be in the bottom 15 selections of the third round.

The three assets that the Rangers got for a player who had some control over his destination and had been rumored to be traded for a while are pretty good and intriguing. With more ice time, Durzi could get back to 40 points. Who knows how good Beaudoin will be in his first NHL season? At worst, the Rangers got a third-line center and a bottom-pairing defenseman. However, that’s the worst scenario. More than likely, Beaudoin, especially, will be a nice addition for the Rangers.

The Rangers are getting an A-minus for this trade. The Beaudoin acquisition is the biggest and most intriguing piece, but Durzi might be a really good defenseman for them. Both players bring confident personalities with a lot of leadership to the Rangers’ locker room, something that will be very important for the team heading into a retooling season with a lot of new faces.