Rangers’ Vincent Trocheck ‘thought I was dying’ from lung infection early in season

Story by

Abdullah Imran, ClutchPoints

Sat, Apr 18, 2026 ·

2 min read

Rangers’ Vincent Trocheck ‘thought I was dying’ from lung infection early in season appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

The New York Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck opened up on Friday about a severe medical scare early in the season, revealing he suffered a bacterial lung infection that required surgery and an extended hospital stay.

Trocheck said the issue was initially mistaken for back spasms, but it worsened during an Oct. 9 game against the Buffalo Sabres following a cross-check to the affected area.

“Whatever fluid was in there, it’s like bubbles, and I guess the bubble burst, and it spread, so then it just got a lot worse,” Trocheck said. “I had a lot of fluid around my lung, so I had to have surgery to get the fluid removed — chest tubes, whatever.”

The condition ultimately required surgery to remove the fluid using chest tubes, and he spent around a week hospitalized.

During his recovery, Trocheck missed about 14 games early in the season and acknowledged how serious the situation felt.

“It was very scary,” he said. “I thought I was dying.”

Trocheck returned on Nov. 10 and appeared in 65 of the final 66 games of the season, finishing with 16 goals and 37 assists for 53 points in 67 appearances, tying for second in scoring for New York alongside captain JT Miller.

The Rangers looked less cohesive during Trocheck’s absence. The team labored through the season and ultimately finished last in the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference. It was the franchise’s worst divisional finish since the 2017-18 season.

Trocheck’s season also included participation in the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, where he helped the United States win gold while playing in a penalty-killing role.

Trade speculation surrounded Trocheck ahead of the March deadline due to his status as a high-end center in a thin market, but he remained with the Rangers after the organization held firm on its return demands . Under contract for three more seasons with a $5.625 million cap hit, Trocheck enters the offseason without any expectations for what’s to come next.