Vincent Trocheck gets his flowers from Rangers coach after excellent playoff start

Vincent Trocheck has been an absolute rock for the New York Rangers all season long — and nothing has changed in Round 1 of the team’s Eastern Conference first-round series against the Washington Capitals.

Trocheck was instrumental to success once again on Tuesday night, scoring the team’s opening goal and adding an assist as the Blueshirts opened up a 2-0 series lead after a 4-3 victory at Madison Square Garden.

And the head coach can’t say enough about one of his most important players.

“You’re talking about a player who touches every part of our game if you think about it,” Peter Laviolette said after a huge Game 2 win, according to NHL.com’s Dan Rosen.

“Face-offs, offense, defense, power play, penalty kill, 6-on-5, 5-on-6, he is one of the first players out the door. He plays high minutes, he has been reliable. He is part of one of the top lines in the League with regards to producing offense. He is someone that we count on, that I count on and rely on.”

Trocheck has helped build one of the NHL’s best second lines in 2023-24, along with superstar Artemi Panarin and former No. 1 overall pick Alexis Lafreniere.

The trio are all fresh off the best regular-seasons of their respective careers. Trocheck was second in team scoring — behind the Breadman’s insane 120 points in 82 games — with a very impressive 25 goals and 77 points of his own. That’s his most, the next highest coming when he was a member of the Florida Panthers in 2017-18 (75 points in 82 games).

“Inside a season there’s always some ups and downs, but his downs are not as deep and they don’t last quite as long,” Laviolette continued. “He seems to come in everyday with a really good mindset about the game of hockey and practicing and playing and knowledge. He’s got a great work ethic, one of the leaders on our team who sets the right tone every day and he’s been pretty consistent with it.”

And the 30-year-old has already amassed a goal and two assists in the series, and the way he’s playing, he could have more.

Vincent Trocheck, Rangers take care of business at Madison Square Garden