Vincent Trocheck, Anders Lee back in New York with Utah Mammoth

Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck, teammates for only three months, chatted about their circumstances as the Utah Mammoth’s bus made its way to the team’s Manhattan hotel in Sunday’s early-morning hours. A year ago, neither really envisioned playing home games anywhere but in New York.

“It was still weird,” Lee told Newsday after Utah, playing its third game of the season, dropped a 4-2 decision to Trocheck’s former team, the Rangers, on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden. “We came into this building and it’s one that you look forward to since you see it on the calendar. People yelling during the anthem, so it was definitely weird. I can only imagine how it was for Troch.

“Troch and I on the bus last night were like, ‘We can’t believe we’re back in the city already,’ ” Lee said. “He’s checking it off pretty quickly. It’s definitely a little weird to be back in the city this quick. But at the same time, it’s awesome.”

Lee, who spent his first 14 NHL seasons with the Islanders, including the previous eight as captain, signed a three-year, $16.2 million deal with Utah on July 1 after not being offered more than one season to remain on Long Island.

After four seasons with the Rangers, Trocheck, in the fifth season of a seven-year, $39.8 million contract, was acquired the same day for defenseman Sean Durzi, forward Cole Beaudoin and a third-round pick in 2027.

Trocheck believed he’d be moved by last season’s trade deadline after general manager Chris Drury signaled his intent to retool the roster.

“I think everywhere you go, you kind of envision that being your last stop,” said Trocheck, who also has played for the Panthers and Hurricanes. “That was kind of the plan when I signed there was just to be there for the rest of my career. Things happen. It’s a business.”

But there’s a human heart to it as well, and that’s what Trocheck touched with his hand to acknowledge the cheers during a stoppage midway through the first period after a video highlighting his Rangers career.

Lee had the primary assist on defenseman Andrew Peeke’s third-period goal to bring Utah within one. He also was on the ice as the Rangers took a 1-0 lead on defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov’s first-period goal after defenseman Adam Fox stopped his clearing attempt. And Lee was quick to confront Will Cuylle after he drew a boarding penalty against Dylan Guenther in the second period.

Trocheck, who was cheered when he was announced as a starter, drew a first-period interference call against Rangers defenseman Marcus Pettersson, then was upended by Durzi’s solid check on the power play. He was on the ice for J.T. Miller’s third-period goal as the Rangers took a 3-1 lead.

“It was a roller coaster,'' Trocheck said. "Last year, going into the trade deadline being pretty positive it was going to happen and then it did not, it was a little bit odd. It felt weird. Going back to the team, it felt like I was already out the door. Then, going into the offseason, it was again pretty evident it was going to happen.”

The two former rivals quickly have formed a fast friendship based on their shared experiences of moving their families west.

“The family is doing really well but the transition has been a lot for sure,” Lee said. “It’s a big move and a lot of change for not only me but my kids and my wife. My family and I were so fortunate that the Trochecks were going through this, too.”

“It’s been a huge help for me and my family just having somebody here we’re familiar with and someone who is going through the same thing as you at the same time,” Trocheck said. “Both having kids around the same age being able to play with each other and having friends at school the first day. That goes a long way.”

Moving the families was the hard part, but hockey is hockey, and Lee and Trocheck have played it long enough to reach a comfort level with a new team.

Utah coach Andre Tourigny said they have fit into the team’s room and provided veteran leadership.

“Right now, it’s by their presence,the way they prep themselves, the way they carry themselves, the way they approach challenging situations,” Tourigny said. “You can see they have a calmness about them. I always say first you need to create connections and then you can put in tension.  So when you arrive with a new group, you don’t have a ton of connections. Everybody respects you for what you did.  But those guys are really smart working on those connections.”

Both still have connections with their former teams.

“A great player. He showed that for the years that he was here,” the Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad said of Trocheck.

“I can’t say enough about Troch as a player and a person,” said Rangers coach Mike Sullivan, who also coached Trocheck as Team USA won the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in February. “He was a big part of this team for a number of years. He was a big part of the Olympic team.”

Lee reached out to new Islanders captain Bo Horvat after he was given the “C” before training camp. Lee also was happy to see Matthew Schaefer named an alternate captain.

“I’m excited for them,” he said. “The second Bo came into our room, it was evident how good of a person he was and how good of a leader he was. With Schaef, he came into the room and kind of lit some great fire into the organization and into the team.”

Colin Stephenson contributed to this story.

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.