Rangers' Vincent Trocheck savors his second NHL All-Star appearance more than the first one

TORONTO — Vincent Trocheck had his 5-year-old son Leo sitting on his lap at the podium as he addressed the media and acknowledged that he appreciates his second All-Star selection a bit more than his first in 2017.

“To be an NHL All-Star is a huge honor,” the Rangers center said at the All-Star Weekend’s media day at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday. “I think my first time around, I kind of took it for granted, being a younger kid.

“Now I have a couple of kids of my own and my son is old enough to understand what’s going on. He loves the game of hockey so much. To have him here with me now at this age, it’s special to be able to go through it with him and have him see everything and be a part of it.”

The revamped All-Star Weekend kicked off on Thursday with a draft to determine the four teams rather than squads being determined by division.

The Skills competition — featuring a new format in which 12 players compete for points in eight events — will be held Friday and the three-on-three, four-team tournament will take place Saturday.

The Islanders’ Mathew Barzal and Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin were selected by the Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews to his squad. Trocheck, among the last four players available in the draft, was randomly assigned to Matthews’ team as well. The rest of the team includes Maple Leafs teammates Morgan Rielly, William Nylander and Mitchell Marner, goalie Jake Oettinger (Stars), Clayton Keller (Coyotes), Filip Forsberg (Predators) and Alex DeBrincat (Red Wings).

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette will guide the team captained by the Oilers’ Connor McDavid as he makes his fourth appearance behind an All-Star bench and first since 2018.

Barzal is making his third All-Star appearance — his first since 2020 — and Shesterkin is making his second after joining Russian buddy Ilya Sorokin of the Islanders last season in Sunrise, Florida.

“I think the new format is cool,” said Barzal, a late replacement for injured Devils All-Star Jack Hughes in the Skills competition. “I like the idea of the Skills competition and how that’s done, and with the team captains and the draft, it’s exciting for fans. They’re trying to grow the game. I think this All-Star Game is a pretty good indication the NHL is trying to get more creative and keep it fun.”

Shesterkin’s role in the Skills competition will be limited — each of the eight shooters in the one-one-one event will select a goalie to oppose — but he said he was honored to be picked as an All-Star in consecutive seasons.

“To be in the NHL is something special,” he said. “For everybody, it’s a dream to play one game in the NHL. I’m so happy I’m an NHL player and I’m so happy to be here two years in a row.”

Trocheck was a late addition to the All-Star roster as the NHL picked him and the Jets’ Kyle Connor to replace Chicago rookie Connor Bedard and Vegas’ Jack Eichel, both injured, on Jan. 22.

Laviolette is thrilled that Trocheck is getting the recognition.

“When you’re talking about [Artemi] Panarin or Matthews or Hughes, those are big names that put up a bunch of points every year and the leaders on their team,” Laviolette said. “What’s really special about Vincent for me is the way he plays the game. It’s his character. You get to know players that maybe I didn’t know when I was on the outside and I’m coaching against him. It’s what he brings to the locker room. It’s what he brings to the team on a personal level.”

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.