President and general manager Chris Drury might need to make multiple tough decisions in the months leading up to next offseason for the New York Rangers.
Related: Rangers’ Projected 2024-25 Roster Is an Improvement Over Last Season’s
In 2024-25, over a dozen names are playing on expiring contracts. Of those, six are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents. Particularly, the Rangers will need to allocate a big chunk of money toward Igor Shesterkin and emerging star Alexis Lafreniere.
The reality in a hard salary cap world is you can’t keep everyone. Some fan favorites will be lost to free agency – and even some under contract could get traded. Here are a few players that could be moved or opt to hit the open market on July 1, 2025.
Jacob Trouba
In the short term, you have to think Jacob Trouba’s Rangers tenure will end. This offseason, he was in the rumor mill and it felt like a trade to the Detroit Red Wings might happen. While it feels like the front office wants to move on, he has some power to control his destination with his 15-team no-trade list, according to PuckPedia.
The captain has two seasons left at an $8 million average annual value (AAV). The question is would Trouba change his mind ahead of the 2025 Trade Deadline, or will a buyer on his approved list come in with an offer for the veteran defenseman? With all the expiring contracts coming up, it’s tough to justify Trouba at $8 million. They will need to move him ahead of free agency next year to clear cap space.
Ryan Lindgren
This offseason was the Rangers’ chance to lock up Ryan Lindgren; if not long, then medium-term. But Drury chose neither and instead settled on a one-year deal. That tells you the team might not be confident that he’s a viable long-term solution inside the top four defensive pairings.
We recently made the argument, that while Lindgren’s tenure as a Blueshirt has been respectable and steady, going short-term was the right move for the front office. His concerning 2023-24 campaign can’t be ignored. Last season, he played 76 games and was the team’s worst defenseman in terms of expected goals (xGF), among players who played double-digit games, according to Natural Stat Trick. And the postseason wasn’t great either. Only Barclay Goodrow finished with a lower xGF than the Minnesota native, amongst Rangers that played at least four games in the postseason.
While it’s not a foregone conclusion, the Rangers appear poised to lose Lindgren for nothing, following the conclusion of this season.
Kaapo Kakko
While the Rangers still have multiple restricted free agency (RFA) years left, the organization could part ways with the 2019 second-overall pick, assuming he does not take a massive leap in 2024-25. Simply put, Kaapo Kakko’s tenure just hasn’t lived up to the hype. The Finnish winger has posted 40 points once in five seasons, which is his career-high in the NHL.
While Kakko has been given opportunities to play inside the Rangers’ top-six forward group, he hasn’t been able to lock down a role. Plus, injuries have caused issues. Now, after signing a one-year deal, this could be his last season to prove himself. If not, the Rangers could deal him in the offseason or by the trade deadline to give Kakko a new opportunity elsewhere.
Chris Kreider
Chris Kreider has been with the organization for what feels like an eternity. The 6-foot-3, 226-pound winger likely punched his ticket to a future Madison Square Garden retirement rafter ceremony after his heroic Game 6 hat trick against the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2024 postseason.
However, 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.
Between now and a year from now – a lot can change. The Rangers could look significantly different come the beginning of 2025-26. This upcoming season could be the last one before multiple familiar faces find a new home.
