The New York Rangers aren’t stopping with the Chris Kreider trade and are gearing up for a busy offseason. Moving their longest-tenured player to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday could just be the beginning of several more moves as the Rangers continue to reshape their roster.
According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, while the Rangers don’t have a lot of salary cap space left, they’re clearly planning to be aggressive in the market.
“They may not have a ton of cap space right now, but they’re signaling that they’re ready to make moves,” Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts podcast.
By trading Kreider and his $6.5 million annual salary to the Ducks, the Rangers freed up more cap space, leaving them with around $15 million to work with. Still, they’re expected to make additional moves to create more room under the $95.5 million cap ceiling.
Friedman emphasized that the Rangers are actively pursuing options, despite general manager Chris Drury not being overtly public about it. “It’s clear they’re not done,” Friedman noted on The FAN Hockey Show.
However, the Rangers still need to re-sign restricted free agents like K’Andre Miller, Will Cuylle, Matt Rempe, and Adam Edstrom, which limits the amount they can spend on upgrades. The buzz around Miller’s future continues to grow, with rumors suggesting the Rangers are exploring trade options for the 25-year-old defenseman.
Friedman pointed out that the reason for the trade speculation around Miller is that the Rangers are hesitant to give him a long-term extension, with the team reportedly only willing to offer a shorter deal if they re-sign him.
Regarding Alexis Lafrenière, who struggled after signing a seven-year, $52.15 million contract extension, Friedman was more cautious about the possibility of a trade. Despite Lafrenière’s tough season, his $7.45 million cap hit is expected to be more manageable when the salary cap rises significantly in 2026-27.
“If Lafrenière is available, it’s not something that’s widely known,” Friedman added, suggesting that the rumors around him might not be as strong as they appear.
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