If he’s forced out, it’s gonna happen next summer, and he’s gonna pick where he goes. Which will 100% effect his value.
You just don’t get to trade NMC players with 5 years left on $8.5 million contracts post 30, without taking a hit on their value. Especially when the team he’ll want to go to, knows they almost have to trade him there.
The 5 years left would hurt them the most, so really can’t see him being their cap victim.
Trouba will be one, they probably won’t re-sign Lindgren unless they have a plan to trade a 2nd Dman, and they won’t qualify Kakko if he’s not traded. If there’s another victim it’ll likely be Trocheck as his NMC changes on July 1 to an NTC.
They put that in his contract because they knew, they were gonna have some issues in the summer of 2025. In fact Kakko not blowing up into a star, has actually allowed them to get to 2025 without having to make a big cut yet.
Don’t be surprised btw with Trouba, if they trade him AND pay a sweetener for the other team to buy him out. It’ll open up the amount of teams who will take the year of his deal and save the Rangers money If they can find someone just to take the $8 million, even better, but he’ll still want a say in where he goes with his NTC. If Trouba knows he’s gonna be bought out though, he won’t care where he goes, then he can sign with the Devils or Isles for cheap if he wants to remain in the area.
Obviously the Rangers would rather trade him to a team that won’t buy him out, but it’s still gonna be interesting to see how it all ends for him with the Rangers after this season, but it’s ending.