Rangers' Trocheck Reveals Lung Infection Sidelined Him for Month

New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck disclosed on Friday that a bacterial lung infection, rather than the upper-body injury initially reported, sidelined him for a month early in the 2025-26 NHL season. The 32-year-old player was hospitalized for about a week in October, undergoing surgery to drain fluid from around his lung using chest tubes.

Trocheck described the ordeal as beginning with symptoms he mistook for back spasms. The condition worsened after he took a cross-check to the affected area during a game against the Buffalo Sabres on October 9. "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. He added that the experience was deeply frightening: "It was very scary. I thought I was dying."

The infection forced Trocheck to miss 15 games before he returned on November 10 against the Nashville Predators, where he recorded two assists in his comeback. From there, he appeared in 65 of the Rangers' remaining 66 games, posting 16 goals and 37 assists. His resilience extended to international play, as he contributed to the United States' gold medal win at the Olympics earlier this year...