It didn’t take long for the New York Rangers to make a big splash in free agency, locking down Vincent Trocheck on a massive seven-year deal, according to Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff. Trocheck will make an average of $5.625 million over the course of his deal, per Arthur Staple, and the 29-year-old will spend the bulk of the remainder of his career playing in the bright lights of New York.

Trocheck was a key player for the Carolina Hurricanes last year, serving as their second-line center behind Sebastian Aho. He racked up 51 points across 81 games, his highest offensive output since the 2017-18 season, back when he was with the Florida Panthers.

Trocheck will serve as the Rangers’ replacement for Andrew Copp, whom they acquired at the trade deadline from the Winnipeg Jets but failed to reach an agreement with in free agency. The signing of Trocheck effectively rules out a return to New York for Copp after the Rangers committed just shy of $40 million to Trocheck on Day 1 of NHL free agency.

The Trocheck deal will likely resemble the only major move the Rangers make in free agency, as the team is now pressed for cap space. According to CapFriendly, the Rangers have $4.5 million to work with after the Trocheck deal.

After the Rangers made an impressive run to the Eastern Conference Finals last year, they’ll bring on the experienced Trocheck who will provide them with excellent two-way play and some important leadership on the second line. It’s a long deal for Trocheck, but with the Rangers keen on making a Stanley Cup Finals push in the near future, he could be a crucial addition for the franchise.