The New York Rangers found a way to free up cap space to use this summer in one of the hardest ways for their fan base when they traded team leader Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks.

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 deemed necessary.

The move by the New York Rangers to trade Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks comes with great emotion. For 13 seasons Kreider wore the Blueshirts jersey with pride and honor and cemented himself as one of the greatest Rangers players in franchise history. There was a great deal of talk regarding how Kreider’s tenure with the Rangers came to an end.