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The New York Rangers have officially started their roster move by trading former captain Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defenseman Urho Veelanainen and a 2025 fourth-round pick.
Trouba has been in the rumor mill since last offseason, and things picked up again late last month when NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the Rangers were ready to make roster moves.
Although the Rangers have made their first major trade of the season, they likely aren’t done making moves yet. So let’s discuss three Blueshirts who could be traded next.
Related: It’s official: New York Rangers trade captain Jacob Trouba to Anaheim Ducks
Chris Kreider, LW
Chris Kreider is another big Rangers player who Friedman reported could be on the move, so he’s an obvious player to watch.
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The 33-year-old Kreider should draw interest from teams looking for a top-six winger. This is because he is a power forward who is a great scoring threat and throws the body. Moreover, he has scored at least 36 goals in the past three seasons. He is also on course to achieve this again, having scored 10 goals in his first 22 games this season.
Related: Three potential trade destinations for Rangers’ Chris Kreider
Kreider has a cap hit of $6.5 million through the completion of the 2026-27 season and is on a 15-team no-trade list for the remainder of his deal.
Kaapo Kakko, RW
Kaapo Kakko is another Rangers winger who has the potential to be dealt. NHL insider Darren Dreger recently reported that the name of the 2019 second pick has resurfaced on the trade market and could be moved.
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Kakko, 23, is an easier player for the Rangers to flip if they want to. Unlike Kreider, he has no trade protection whatsoever and cannot block any potential moves. He also has a reasonable cap hit of $2.4 million for this season.
As a former top prospect, Kakko should generate interest in the league. In 24 games this season, the Turku native has four goals, 13 points and a plus-10 rating.
Ryan Lindgren, D
Ryan Lindgren is another Ranger to watch this season. With the Rangers shaking up their roster and Lindgren being an impending unrestricted free agent (UFA), he could be expendable if they don’t consider him a long-term part of their plans.
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If Lindgren is officially made available, he could be a hot target for teams looking for help on the left side of their defense. This is because he can play top-pair minutes and thrives on the penalty kill.
The 26-year-old Lindgren played in 20 games this season, scoring one goal, four points, 32 hits and a plus-1 rating.
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