Major outlet lists NY Rangers cornerstone as a potential cap casualty

Every season, rumors swirl about those one or two players who could end up playing in a different uniform next season because of their overall cap hit. For the NY Rangers, one of those players is Chris Kreider, per Anthony Russo of The Hockey Writers. So you might be asking yourself, “Why Chris Kreider?” 

For placing Kreider on this list of four players, which also includes Jacob Trouba, Ryan Lindgren, and Kaapo Kakko, Russo writes, “By the time this season ends, Kreider will turn 34 and no longer have a full no-movement clause. While it might be unconscionable for fans to watch him play elsewhere – tough decisions again have to be made. The Rangers have plenty of prospects on the wing, including Gabriel Perreault and Brennan Othmann, who both might be able to challenge for prominent roles in the short term. Kreider will likely remain with the Rangers through this season to try and maximize the Stanley Cup window – but after that, all bets are off with the salary cap situation.”

As mentioned, Russo listed four players, but Kreider’s name was the one that jumped out at me the most. Note that Russo does not mean Kreider will be going anywhere in 2024-25, so you can heave a sigh of relief here, but is instead talking in terms of the 2025-26 season. 

I agree 100 percent with Russo, as, in my opinion, the only way to stay successful as an organization is to systematically phase out older talent once that younger talent is ready to roll. Someone like Gabe Perreault, for example, is one of the NY Rangers most exciting prospects, and there’s an excellent chance he’ll be NHL-ready sooner rather than later. 

Hockey writer is spot on about why Chris Kreider may leave NY Rangers

Meanwhile, Kreider is entering his 13th season in New York, and he’s also heading into his age-33 season, so it’s fair to ask how many good years he has left. Sure, Kreider is coming off of three incredible campaigns, and from a productivity standpoint, they have been his three best. But the last thing the Blueshirts need is to keep getting older while burying their young talent. 

Kreider is also more expendable than the Blueshirts other older forwards like Vincent Trocheck, Artemi Panarin, and Mika Zibanejad, all of whom remain locked into full no-movement clauses, although Trocheck’s no-movement clause will lift after this season. 

Still, Trocheck also places a smaller burden on the Rangers salary cap, and with Panarin and Zibanejad locked into no-movement clauses for the next two and four seasons, respectively, not only was Russo wise to place Kreider onto this list, but the Rangers would be wise to move him before the other veteran forwards and net a sound return while he’s still productive. 

Ultimately, the Blueshirts first order of business is to win that elusive Stanley Cup while Kreider remains a member of the lineup, and that’s all they’ll worry about this season. As for 2025-26 and beyond, it will be an offseason of tough decision-making facing Rangers general manager Chris Drury.