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Chris Kreider’s becoming a cap casualty was not the way anyone would’ve liked to see the 13-year Ranger go, but it was a decision the organization deemed necessary to set itself up for an important offseason.

The Blueshirts wanted to execute the trade early to ensure cap flexibility and cost certainty heading into the NHL draft in Los Angeles on June 27-28 and the beginning of the free agency window on July 1 at noon.

While seeing Kreider in Ducks orange feels wrong in so many ways, the Rangers essentially obtained a second-round prospect, Carey Terrance, and moved up 15 spots in this year’s draft in exchange for the 34-year-old wing.

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This in addition to taking his full $6.5 million cap hit off the books over the next two seasons.