NHL star reveals he had a brutal bacterial lung infection during season: 'I thought I was dying'

New York Rangers prima halfway Vincent Trocheck had a harrowing wellness scare aboriginal successful the season.

Trocheck, 32, revealed to reporters that his 14-game lack astatine the commencement of the play was owed to a bacterial corruption successful his lungs.

"I had immoderate viral bacteria get into my lung and wasn’t definite what it was. This happened, I think, earlier the archetypal crippled of the year. I thought I was conscionable having backmost spasms, and past I played the archetypal game," Trocheck said.

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New York Rangers halfway Vincent Trocheck skates against the Washington Capitals during the 2nd play astatine Madison Square Garden successful New York, N.Y., April 5, 2026. (Danny Wild/Imagn Images)

"Got a small spot worse. Played successful Buffalo. I got a cross-check close successful that area, and immoderate fluid was successful there, it’s similar bubbles, and I conjecture the bubble burst and it spread. So, past it conscionable got a batch worse. I had a batch of fluid astir my lung, truthful I had to person country to get the fluid removed."

The two-time All-Star said helium had thorax tubes inserted and was successful the infirmary for astir a week. He called it weird and wouldn’t telephone it an injury.

"It was precise scary. I thought I was dying," Trocheck said.

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New York Rangers halfway Vincent Trocheck skates against the Washington Capitals during the 2nd play astatine Madison Square Garden successful New York, N.Y., April 5, 2026. (Danny Wild/Imagn Images)

Trocheck, who starred connected the punishment termination for Team USA during the Olympics and its golden medal run, said nary 1 knows however the fluid emerged.

The Pittsburgh autochthonal played successful 67 games this season, scoring 16 goals and adding 37 assists, bully for 53 points. Trocheck recovered himself successful the mediate of commercialized talks astir the deadline but yet was not moved.

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New York Rangers halfway Vincent Trocheck skates against the Washington Capitals during the 2nd play astatine Madison Square Garden successful New York, N.Y., April 5, 2026. (Danny Wild/Imagn Images)

While Trocheck wasn’t traded astatine the deadline, helium inactive could beryllium this offseason arsenic the Rangers look to retool aft finishing past successful the Eastern Conference.

Trocheck conscionable completed his 4th play with the Rangers and has 3 much seasons near connected a seven-year, $39.375 cardinal contract.

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