Mika Zibanejad steps off the practice ice and straight into the media scrum, fresh from carrying Sweden deep into the Milano Olympics with a key third-period goal against Team USA. Rangers fans know the bounce-back season he's pieced together amid the Olympic chaos, and now he opens up on the highs of international play while J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck still chase gold in Italy.

With the Olympic roster freeze lifted, the NHL's trade market is about to explode with activity. Rasmus Ristolainen's strong showing in Beijing has caught the attention of at least two teams, while Sergei Bobrovsky keeps surfacing in speculation about potential moves ahead of the March 6 deadline. Vincent Trocheck's name is everywhere right now, with both the Rangers and interested suitors apparently open to exploring options, setting the stage for a flurry of deals in the coming days.

The Wild position themselves as frontrunners to snag Vincent Trocheck before the March 6 buzzer, sources confirm after the Olympic thaw. Minnesota's front office quietly ramps up calls on the versatile center, who fits their middle-six grind like a glove worn in from years of playoff wars. With cap space and draft ammo burning a hole in Bill Guerin's pocket, this deal hints at bold intentions in a Western Conference scrum where every point counts toward home ice.

Vincent Trocheck basks in Olympic gold from Milan, but Rangers GM Chris Drury eyes a hefty return as trade whispers swirl louder than ever. The Minnesota Wild lead the pack thanks to GM Bill Guerin's Team USA ties, with the Bruins and Red Wings lurking in the mix despite Trocheck's East Coast preference. His $5.625 million cap hit and three years left make him the crown jewel in New York's retool, and sources say a deal drops if he waives that 12-team no-trade list before March 6.

The Rangers emerge from the Olympic freeze with Chris Drury wielding $5.9 million in cap space and room to absorb nearly $7.5 million more in salary, turning the March 6 deadline into a fire sale. After shipping out Panarin, Drury eyes high-value chips like Trocheck and Gavrikov, with retention spots still open to sweeten deals. Lafrenière's name even whispers in the wind as this retool accelerates, forcing contenders to pony up picks and prospects before New York's cupboard empties.

Vincent Trocheck sits at the center of Rangers retool talks, with GMs whispering about package deals that could send him to Winnipeg alongside Shane Wright or even Alexis Lafreniere moving the other way. Justin Faulk draws eyes from Montreal and Philly, where Blues brass eyes cap dumps and young talent to reshape St. Louis before March 6. Front offices know these vets bring playoff grit that bubble teams crave, and the clock ticks fast with Olympic freeze dust barely settled.