The Montreal Canadiens don't have a lot of roster needs but the needs they do have are glaring. One of those is another top-line center to play in their Top 6 and run their second line.
The challenge for the Canadiens, and most of the league, is that top-line centers are tough to find and even tougher to trade for. However, it seems Montreal is going to be picky in terms of who they pursue, and that doesn't appear to be the New York Rangers' center Vincent Trocheck.
According to Vincent Mercogliano of The Athletic, several teams that inquired about Trocheck at the trade deadline are picking up the phone once again. However, that doesn't include the Montreal Canadiens:
"Many of the teams believed to have interest are the same as The Athletic reported in March, but others have emerged as potential suitors in recent weeks. The Montreal Canadiens are not one of them, according to a league source, who noted there has been no contact between the two clubs about Trocheck."
Vincent Trocheck could be a fit for the Montreal Canadiens but not the best fit
There is no question that the Canadiens could talk themselves into Trocheck being their answer with 50 or more points in the past five seasons. He is also strong in the faceoff circle with a career win percentage of 54.3% and can help on the penalty kill.
However, the Canadiens don't want a short-term fix this offseason and would rather have players like Noah Dobson, who they traded for last summer. They are players who are still early in their careers and develop with Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky.
Unfortunately, that is not Trocheck as he is going to be 33 years old this upcoming season and still has two more years left on his contract after this upcoming season.
At the NHL Trade Deadline, it makes sense for the Montreal Canadiens to make the call to see what it might take to get a deal done. If Hughes was convinced that this was their best chance and they wanted to win now, then a deal for Trocheck makes perfect sense.
However, during the summer, teams can be a little more patient, and every team is willing to talk, instead of during the season when teams are factoring in whether or not they are competing for a playoff spot.
The Canadiens are probably going to add a center before they return for training camp for the new season. It is smart on their part that Trocheck isn't the one they are pursuing to address the roster need.
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