California Continues To Be The NY Rangers Salary Dumping Ground As Chris Kreider Is Shipped To Anaheim

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Less than a calendar year ago it was Barclay Goodrow's remaining 3 years/$11M put on waivers for San Jose to claim. Then it was a tenuous divorce that sent their captain Jacob Trouba's remaining 2 years/$16M to Anaheim. And now joining Troubs in on the Ducks will be a staple on this New York Rangers roster since his debut in the 2012 playoffs, as Chris Kreider waives his NTC & agrees to take his final 2 years/$13M cross-country. Drury will kick in a 4th for a return of 2023 second-rounder Carey Terrance and a 3rd.

The Blueshirts aren't waiting for the offseason to start stripping down this core.

It was a tough swan song on Broadway for the 19th overall pick in 2009 but despite battling through back issues, vertigo & a hand injury he still managed to pot 22 goals in 68 contests. Not bad but a mere shadow of the guy who racked up 127 over the prior three seasons, better than all but 6 NHLers over that span. With cap space needed as always in Rangerstown on top of a culture change it was seemingly a foregone conclusion that a 34 year-old coming off an injury-riddled season & significant scoring dip would be at the top of the move list. Especially considering Drury was publicly looking to cut bait months ago. For Anaheim, Kreider seems like a great fit among all the young skill and I wouldn't be surprised if he's got another 30-spot in him as a PP fixture among a blossoming Carlsson, Lacombe, etc.

Kreider's legacy is a tough one. A great Ranger, no doubt. Four ECF appearances and one Cup shot all came up short, although CK20 usually performed in the postseason more times than not. Hell he singlehandedly brought the Blueshirts to their last ECF with an unforgettable 3rd period hat trick to erase a 3-1 deficit in Carolina a little over a year ago. Crashing into Carey Price may have sent them to the Cup Final in 2014 as well. But overall, considering all the physical tools, he left a lot of Rangers fans wanting more - whether it was more physicality, more "mean" or just more consistency. Between some white-hot stretches were others where he'd go ghost mode. Hard to do for a 6'3 230-pound speed demon but there were plenty of times Kreider would need to be put on a milk carton.

As for the present day, Drury is now sitting on around $17M in cap space & decisions looming on RFAs K'Andre Miller & Will Cuylle. Krieder's departure also opens up another top-9 wing slot opportunity for the likes of Perreault, Othmann & Berard (barring a significant free agent signing). Carey Terrance is a speedy center - both things the Rangers desperately need - who, based on scouting reports, could end up a bottom-six energy/forecheck/PK pivot. Nothing at all wrong with that but fans should temper expectations on the return. Financial flexibility was the focal point here. Mission accomplished. What the Blueshirts do with that flexibility remains to be seen, but one thing is certain. After last season's faceplant they've made it abundantly clear they're not just gonna idly stand pat and run it back.

A coaching change and parting with their longest-tenured veteran is just the beginning of what should be an active offseason for the Rangers.

VIVA LA BLUESHIRTS!!!!!