The Rangers deployed their deepest lineup since the second game of the season Monday night against the Predators.
Vincent Trocheck was activated off long-term injured reserve and made his return to the Madison Square Garden ice, after an upper-body injury sidelined the 32-year-old center the previous 14 games.
Head coach Mike Sullivan also slotted rookie Gabe Perreault, who was recalled from AHL Hartford on Sunday, right onto the left wing of the top line next to Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller.
Suddenly, on paper, the Blueshirts have arguably their most capable lineup since the 2025-26 campaign began — and that was evident in a 6-3 win over Nashville.
“They’ve been playing well,” Trocheck said of the Rangers in his first media scrum Monday morning since the injury. “Really, they’ve been playing great. The identity of our team has changed a lot, and it really shows from game to game. It’s just a lot tougher to play against, and we’re playing the right way every night. It feels like, aside from one or two games, I feel like every night, we’re bringing the right energy and the right style of play. So me coming in tonight, I’ve just got to make sure that I continue that.”
Trocheck spent his recovery process bag skating and working out at the gym to try to get back into shape.
Without offering specifics about his injury, Trocheck said the Nashville game was the date he had circled on the calendar for his return.
“Glad that I was able to get back in time,” said Trocheck, who chipped in two assists and six hits in the win.
Returning to his usual position and where he began the season, Trocheck skated on the second line between Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafrenière.
It was presumably an easy decision to put the veteran forward in a spot he’s extremely familiar with after a monthlong break from game action.
In 17:22 of five-on-five ice time through the first two games of the season, the trio was on for one Rangers goal and one against, per Natural Stat Trick.
On Monday, they were on for three Rangers goals and one against while holding a 6-2 edge in scoring chances.
Instead of returning to the top power-play unit, however, Trocheck skated with the second group alongside Perreault, Lafrenière, Taylor Raddysh and Braden Schneider.
Trocheck and Perreault then both assisted on Lafrenière’s power-play goal in the second period.
“I think obviously Troch is such an important player for this team,” Sullivan said. “Just his presence alone, from a leadership standpoint, his demeanor. And then, obviously, his talent, what he does on the ice, you guys see that. But his presence alone was a huge boost for the group, especially given the circumstances at home here.”
