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Legendary hockey reporter Stan Fischler writes a weekly scrapbook for NHL.com. Fischler, known as “The Hockey Maven,” shares his insight and humor with readers each Wednesday. This week is the return of the “Then and Now” feature comparing yesteryear’s stars with current aces.

In this edition, the players featured are Buddy O’Connor from the late 1940s New York Rangers and current Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck.

The New York Rangers made a trade on Aug. 19, 1947, acquiring a player who had been cast aside by the Montreal Canadiens due to his perceived declining career, a sentiment shared by both the Habs and numerous critics.

His name is Buddy O'Connor, a smallish center (5-foot-8, 142 pounds) who scored only 10 goals over 46 games during the 1946-47 season.

After almost 75 years, the Rangers made a deal with a skilled player who had spent nine seasons on the ice for both the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes.

Vincent Trocheck, a center who experienced a decline in his NHL career, transitioned from scoring 75 points for the Panthers in 2017-18 to 51 with the Hurricanes. However, on July 13, 2022, the Rangers secured his services by signing him to a seven-year contract as a free agent.

Similar to O’Connor, Trocheck (5-11, 187) is also considered one of the smaller NHL forwards. However, his time with the Rangers has demonstrated that he still possesses a significant amount of skill and ability in hockey.

The O’Connor trade was far from being a blockbuster. O’Connor was transferred to New York from Montreal alongside the underwhelming defenseman, Frank Eddolls. In exchange, the Canadiens acquired defenseman Hal Laycoe and forwards Joe Bell and George Robertson.

“When I was working for Rangers general manager Frank Boucher during the 1954-55 season, he confided in me that the deal was quite risky. Despite my boss Lester Patrick’s disapproval, I approached Gen. John Reed Kilpatrick, who oversaw the Garden, seeking his opinion. Kilpatrick simply advised, ‘If you believe in its potential, go ahead and proceed.'”

Boucher’s trade turned out to be drastically one-sided, standing as one of the most lopsided deals in NHL history. The players sent to Montreal failed to provide any significant contribution to the Canadiens, while Boucher, on the other hand, excelled in his new team.

Eddolls emerged as one of the best Rangers defensemen of that era while O’Connor missed being the NHL’s leading scorer by only one point; losing to Montreal forward Elmer Lach (61). O’Connor won the Hart and Lady Byng Trophies, the Montreal-born Irishman becoming the first player in League history to win both awards.

“Buddy truly blossomed into one of hockey’s exceptional stars when he joined the Rangers,” recalled Stan Saplin, the Rangers’ publicist at the time and later a beat writer for the New York Journal-American. “Remarkably, he achieved all these remarkable feats despite being the lightest player in the League.”

Despite his relatively light frame, Trocheck displays an impressive ability to play a physical game and is unafraid to engage in gritty battles along the boards.

According to Alan Greenberg, a seasoned author and hockey writer covering the Stanley Cup champion Panthers, Trocheck is considered the driving force behind the Rangers. Greenberg recalls Trocheck’s time with the Panthers, where he was a reliable player, but acknowledges that he has evolved into something extraordinary since joining the Rangers.

A native of Pittsburgh, Trocheck finished last season second on the Rangers with an NHL career high 77 points (25 goals, 52 assists), trailing only Artemi Panarin‘s 120 (49 goals, 71 assists), but there’s a lot more to Trocheck’s game than mere points.

“He’s an all-around player who contributes in every aspect of our game,” expressed Peter Laviolette, the Rangers coach. “From face-offs to offense, defense to power play, penalty kill to 6-on-5 and 5-on-5 situations, he excels. He consistently plays crucial minutes and I have complete confidence in him.”

Trocheck expressed his desire to make a significant impact on the game and contribute to his team’s success. He emphasized the importance of being involved in various aspects of the game, such as penalty killing, playing with an extra skater, and engaging in physical battles. Additionally, he expressed his wish to be on the ice during crucial moments of the game.

He was one of the best Rangers during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In some ways his style is reminiscent of Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk or Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand, who play with an edge.

Trocheck has become a complete hockey player with a style all his own. He won 58.7 percent of his face-offs, second in the NHL (minimum 1,000 taken) behind Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares (59.3 percent). He was named an NHL All-Star for the second time.

George Grimm, a historian and author specializing in the Rangers, acknowledges the resemblance between O’Connor and Trocheck.

“He said that both individuals made an instant positive contribution to the club. O’Connor played a crucial role in leading the Blueshirts to the playoffs after a six-year drought, ultimately guiding them to the Cup Final in 1950.”

Trocheck’s presence on the second line not only strengthened it but also played a crucial role in establishing Alexis Lafreniere as a formidable scoring threat. Moreover, both players brought valuable experience to the Rangers when they joined the team.

Grimm’s latest book, titled “Undermanned but Undaunted: The Frank Boucher Era New York Rangers 1940-1955,” focuses on O’Connor’s remarkable journey to becoming a star. Additionally, Grimm has authored several other works that delve into the present-day Rangers.

“It is worth noting that both Buddy and Vincent proved to be valuable investments for their managers,” Grimm commented. “Despite facing risks, Boucher defied advice and potentially jeopardized his job to acquire O’Connor. On the other hand, Rangers GM Chris Drury secured Trocheck with a substantial contract.”

O’Connor had the privilege of being a part of two Stanley Cup-winning teams while playing in Montreal, although he did not experience the same success in New York. The Rangers made it to the Stanley Cup Final in 1950, but unfortunately fell short with a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings in double overtime of Game 7.

“Their exceptional leadership abilities are further evident,” Grimm pointed out. “O’Connor, who captained the Rangers in the 1949-50 season, shares this quality with Trocheck, who could potentially be a strong contender for the role of future Rangers captain.”

Trocheck achieved a remarkable feat in his sixth playoff appearance, as he surpassed the point-per-game average (1.25) for the very first time. Throughout 16 games, he displayed his exceptional skills by scoring eight goals and assisting on 12, solidifying his outstanding performance.

In the 1947-48 season, O’Connor achieved remarkable NHL records by scoring 24 goals and accumulating 60 points. Throughout the 60-game schedule, he managed to contribute to at least one point in 43 of those games. This outstanding performance played a significant role in him being awarded the Hart Trophy as the League’s most valuable player.

In summary, Greenberg stated that O’Connor was and Trocheck is the type of players that every NHL team desires to have.