‘I thought I was dying’: Rangers’ Trocheck reveals he had surgery on bacterial lung infection
A concerning situation occurred involving one of the NHL’s top veterans.
When speaking to the media during the New York Rangers‘ locker cleanout day on Friday, forward Vincent Trocheck revealed that he had a bacterial infection in his lungs that kept him out for a considerable amount of time.
Trocheck admitted that the situation left him very concerned for his health, not just for his hockey career, but also for his life.
Trocheck revealed that he had a bacteria infection in his lungs that required surgery and that’s why he missed that month early in the season. “It was very scary. I thought I was dying.” #NYR
“It was very scary,” Trocheck said. “I thought I was dying.”
The infection required surgery, causing him to miss most of October and the first several days of November.
Trocheck was still one of the more productive Rangers this season in what was a very tough campaign for the Original Six franchise. In 67 appearances, the 32-year-old potted 16 goals and 37 assists for 53 points, tied for second on the team in scoring with captain J.T. Miller. Trocheck’s name even circulated in trade rumors leading up to the deadline last month.
The team struggled across all assets, especially with multiple injuries beyond Trocheck’s condition. The Rangers hung around the bottom of the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference standings for most of the year. They finished last in the Metro for the first time since 2017-18, as well as last in the Eastern standings. The team’s lackluster performance puts them in a great spot to earn a high pick in this year’s NHL Draft, as the Blueshirts have the third-best odds (11.5%) to win the 2026 draft lottery.
Trocheck has spent the last four seasons with the Rangers, scoring 89 goals and 253 points in the regular season, with 21 points in 23 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In 868 career regular-season contests in the NHL, he has potted 239 goals and 392 assists for 631 points, with another 37 points in 56 postseason affairs.