Media Bytes: All Eyes on Vinny, Fox Faltering

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Tro Must Go: All Eyes on Vinny

1. During Monday's episode of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman reiterated what we've all come to understand about the center market heading into Friday's March 6 trade deadline — there basically isn't one. Vincent Trocheck remains the only high-profile center who seems legitimately likely to move.

Friedman ran through four names—Robert Thomas, Ryan O'Reilly, Nazem Kadri, and Trocheck—and told co-host Kyle Bukauskas that, of the group, Trocheck is the one he sees as most likely to go.

Friedman also provided an earlier update during a Sunday hit with TNT, telling the panel that "most people believe that Minnesota has a standing offer for [Trocheck,] and we'll just see what the Rangers decide to do." Friedman went on to note that given this standing offer, the Rangers effectively already know how far the Wild are willing to go to secure Trocheck's services, and need to either accept that deal or see if they can't find an offer from another club that beats it.

2. Trocheck himself also offered a notable update Monday morning, confirming to Mollie Walker of the New York Post that he prefers to stay "on the east coast."

"I'm sure you've seen the 'I don't want to be out west' talk on Instagram or Twitter or whatever. And yeah, it's not a secret," Trocheck said. "They're on my no-trade list. Family is important to me, and my family is on the east coast."

That level of candor is rare from a player on such a sensitive topic, but it raises an important question: could Trocheck's comments unintentionally hurt the Rangers' ability to build a strong pool of suitors—and maximize their return—by discouraging too many teams too early? Only time will tell.

3. In a column updated late Monday afternoon, Joe Smith and Michael Russo of The Athletic reinforced that reporting, writing at length about Trocheck and his links to the Wild.

"There is no doubt that the Wild have made their one and final offer. Guerin has a history of going straight to his final offer — not messing around," the article notes. "So if Trocheck’s traded to the Wild by Friday’s 2 p.m. ET deadline (noon PT, where the Wild will be Friday), there’s no doubt Drury knows by now exactly what he’d receive from Minnesota and could even be shopping around to see if he can get a better package."

The co-written column also highlights the fact that the Wild have traded most of their blue-chip prospects and draft picks away via the acquisitions of David Jiricek and Quinn Hughes. Because of this, the consensus return centered around Charlie Stramel, an additional prospect, and a 2027 first-round pick "isn't enough" to get the Rangers to agree to the deal.