Next deadline I think these late 1st and not top prospects returns is going to be the type or return the Rangers will be looking at for Kreider as at that point he will not have the extra year left.
And I don't like it.
But given that is about what top rentals go for, either teams are seemingly going to have to wait until he is a pure rental or they are going to have to offer more than what the Rangers would get next deadline.
Rangers are in a tough spot, if they can not get more than that, they may as well wait.
If they can get only a moderately better return, I don't think any trade is going to satisfy the fans or the organization.
Yet if they wait until next deadline they are going to be faced with extending him to pretty much whatever realistically he wants, or taking back rental like return.
And I like that even less.
In my mind if the Rangers can get back something like two rental like returns rolled into one now, I think that is about the best case scenario short of a desperate over payment, or Kreider extending with them for the same as he'd get as UFA (which he has no reason to do before he tests the market to see what he'd actually be offered)
Holding out in hopes either case plays out seems like the wrong play to me.
It's not like there are not examples of about what a top end player can return who has a year left, Rangers have bought some of them in MSL, Yandle.