Rangers' Juuso Parssinen enters lineup with Vincent Trocheck sidelined
New York Rangers center Juuso Parssinen skates against the New Jersey Devils during the second period of a preseason NHL hockey game at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
PITTSBURGH — The Rangers will be without Vincent Trocheck for an extended period as the team announced Saturday the top-line center will be out on a week-to-week basis with an upper-body injury.
A Pittsburgh native, Trocheck missed an opportunity to play in his hometown Saturday night. He left Thursday’s road win over Buffalo in the second period.
“It sucks,’’ Rangers captain J.T. Miller said at Saturday’s morning skate. “He’s a leader for the team, plays in all situations, but just his presence, being around, is . . . I mean, it’s only been half a day and already, it’s a crappy feeling. I know what he means to this group, and especially, not just his play, but his presence in the room.’’
Coach Mike Sullivan said of Trocheck: “He’s an extremely talented guy [who] plays in a lot of key situations for us, [is] one of our best center icemen in the faceoff circle, and obviously plays in every situation . . . and is part of our top six [forwards]. Those guys aren’t easy to replace.’’
With Trocheck out, Juuso Parssinen, who had been a healthy scratch the first two games, entered the lineup, and Sullivan moved some pieces around within the lineup. Mika Zibanejad shifted back to his natural center position and took Trocheck’s regular spot between wingers Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere.
Conor Sheary, who had been on the third line, moved into Zibanejad’s spot on Miller’s line, and Parssinen, normally a center, played in Sheary’s spot at left wing on the third line, with rookie center Noah Laba and right wing Taylor Raddysh.
Sullivan said he broke up the Miller-Zibanejad duo and moved Zibanejad to center because he believed the lineup needed “balance.’’
“I think we need to give some of our other offensive people a center iceman that can think the game at their level and give them an opportunity to set them up for success,’’ he said.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
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