Would the Rangers benefit from a Chris Kreider trade?

Should the New York Rangers do the unthinkable and trade Chris Kreider?

On February 24, 2019 the New York Rangers put to bed any deadline trade rumors surrounding Chris Kreider. Signing him to a contract extension, the Rangers locked up Kreider at an annual average value (AAV) of $6.5 million for seven years. The contract has a full no movement clause (NMC) for the first four years, limiting the teams ability on the trade front until the conclusion of the 2023-24 season.

When they extended him, the Rangers did not know that they were about to win the draft lottery and the opportunity to draft Alexis Lafreniere. It should not be expected that Lafreniere can replace Kreider next season as a rookie, but in the following seasons, he is expected to be a star player, slotting into a top six role.

That makes this off-season the perfect time to trade Kreider. Under the Return to Play rules, his new contract, including his four years of NMC protection, does not kick in until October 9. That gives the Rangers just over two weeks to try to move him. If they choose this route, Kreider would be asked to submit his 11 team no trade list. This is assuming that the CBA allowance for immediate effect of movement clauses was not negotiated as part of his extension.

A Kreider trade would potentially alleviate the Rangers salary cap concerns and would be dealing from a position of strength. in Addition to Kreider, the Rangers left side boasts a Hart Trophy finalist in Artemi Panarin, and soon the number one overall pick Lafreniere. But as noted in a previous article here at Blue Line Station, “now is not the time for quick fix solutions”, so moving Kreider would need to be done to attain long term solutions that specifically address positional needs either at second line center, left defense or preferably both.

Kreider could be the primary asset used to pry an unhappy Jack Eichel from the Buffalo Sabres. The overall trade could be expanded to include the Rangers also attaining left side defenseman Jake McCabe as Steve Paulus has previously suggested.

The Rangers would be gaining a star center to anchor the second line, but also a possible replacement for Mika Zibanejad if he cannot be extended past his current contract. They also add a defensive partner for Jacob Trouba. The trade adds $6.35 million dollars against the cap, but removes two players from the Rangers restricted free agency (RFA) list. McCabe will be an unrestricted free agent following the 2020-21 season, so if he does not work out, he at least provides an extra year worth of development for the young crop of left side defenders in the pipeline.

Or Kreider can be moved to acquire Sean Monahan from the Calgary Flames. It has been reported that the Calgary Flames are looking for change after a disappointing end to their 2019-20 season. The Hockey Writers notes that either Johnny Gaudreau or Sean Monahan are in play, that they need to stay away from expensive goaltending and are in need of veteran help.

The Flames are deep on left wing, but Kreider brings veteran leadership, Strome replaces their center depth and Georgiev would certainly qualify as an inexpensive option in goal. The Rangers would get a established center with an above 50% winning percentage on faceoffs that is one year removed from a career high 82 point season. Additionally, Noah Hafinin is a big bodied left defenseman needed to partner with Trouba.

Brendan Smith’s inclusion would virtually equalize the cap expenditures for both teams. This would be as future considerations only after his one million dollar signing bonus is paid out. This saves the Flames from paying the signing bonus, but allows the trade to move forward prior to Kreider’s NTC kicking in on October ninth. While the exchange in salary cap on the trade is practically even, it would costs the Flames $1.4 million in real dollars next season before factoring in the costs of Strome and Georgiev.

The Rangers would fill their needs at second line center for the next three seasons and at left defense for four seasons before Monahan and Hafinin respectively reach unrestricted free agency (UFA). The relative short window of time these players are under contract is less appealing than that of the Buffalo scenario, where Eichel is locked up for six seasons.

However, In either scenario, the Rangers attain an established, points producing second line center and a partner for Trouba. Also, by attaining an established center, it gives the Rangers the option to move Filip Chytil to left wing on the third line, allowing one of the teams young centers to step up. Chytil may be a natural center, but his inability to win faceoffs has thus far been a liability. As a center turned winger, he could become a more points productive version of Jesper Fast, providing stability to a line that will most certainly be filled with youth.

If the Rangers had known they would win the draft lottery, no doubt Kreider would have been a rental trade in February.  What the New York Rangers can get for Chris Kreider now, is worth far more than they would have at the deadline. But their ability to do so has a two week time limit. They can either move forward with three high quality left wings for the next four years, or bring the team another step closer to contention with one trade.