Rangers Rumors: Potential Cap Clearing Moves For New York To Make

Arthur Staple of The Athletic reports that New York Rangers GM Chris Drury faces a tough next offseason, with key players like Igor Shesterkin, K’Andre Miller, Kaapo Kakko, and Will Cuylle all in line for new contracts. 

With the team already committing $66.5 million to 12 players for the 2025-26 season, Drury has limited cap space — around $26 million — to complete the roster. 

Shesterkin's extension could alone take up nearly half of that room, with Staple predicting a deal “around $12 million per season.” 

To fit these core contracts under the cap, Drury will need to make tough decisions, possibly trading high-salary players to maintain a balanced roster.

Who else but Chris Kreider with the shorthanded tally for the Rangers 🚨 pic.twitter.com/TDPTjhCgbF

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) November 3, 2024

Staple identifies defenseman Jacob Trouba as the most likely candidate for a cap-clearing trade. 

With one year remaining at an $8 million cap hit and a 15-team no-trade list, Trouba’s contract is manageable for a move, potentially bringing “huge relief” without requiring the Rangers to retain salary or add assets to close the deal. 

However, trading Trouba would leave a leadership gap on the roster, especially if Drury considers moving Chris Kreider, another high-salary player. 

Drury would need to balance these moves carefully, as shedding both Trouba and Kreider in one offseason could affect the team's cohesion.

Oh man, Kaapo Kakko had a wide-open net on a rebound and broke his stick in half while falling.

It's never easy for 24 on #NYR

— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) November 3, 2024

A more surprising option could be trading K’Andre Miller, whose youth and top-four defense capabilities would fetch a strong return in a cost-controlled player or multiple lower-salary assets. 

Staple sees Miller as a “wild-card move” that could give the Rangers essential flexibility while allowing them to keep Ryan Lindgren and shore up other roster needs. 

With emerging talent like Braden Schneider and Vincent Mancini showing promise, the Rangers may be able to withstand the loss of a high-salary player on defense. 

As Staple notes, Drury faces a “5,000-piece puzzle” in constructing a roster that balances cap concerns with talent retention and competitiveness.

Photo Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images