3 players the Rangers should trade not named Chris Kreider or Jacob Trouba

The New York Rangers might be 12-7-1 overall, but it feels as if this team is in dire need of a shake-up. They've lost three in a row by a combined score of 14-6, have struggled against good teams, and look like the fourth-best team in the Metropolitan Division.

The Rangers have gotten strong showings from several young players on their roster, but most of the veterans have struggled. With that in mind, it comes as little surprise to see expensive veterans Jacob Trouba and Chris Kreider on the trade block.

Both Trouba and Kreider don't have the full no-trade clauses that Mika Zibanejad has, making them far more moveable. Whether the Rangers actually trade one or both of Trouba or Kreider remains to be seen, but given the fact that they've underperformed this season and have a ton of money headed their way, it doesn't hurt to look. Kreider, at the very least, should receive a good amount of interest on the trade market.

Both Trouba and Kreider are sure to be in rumors for the months to come before March's trade deadline, but those two players are far from the only players who should be dealt. These three players should be just as available - if not more so.

3. Ryan Lindgren has taken a step back this season

A lot has gone wrong for the Rangers thus far, but their defense is a huge reason why the team has gotten off to such a sluggish start. The Rangers have allowed 2.75 goals per game, which is tenth in the NHL, but this is the first time they've ranked lower than seventh in goals allowed per game since the 2020-21 season.

It'd be easy to point the finger for the regression in goals allowed on the goaltenders, but Rangers goaltenders have the second-best save percentage in the NHL despite facing the seventh-most shots. They've been far from the problem. The Rangers surrendering as many shots as they have is a big reason why they've taken some of their losses. They allowed 43 shots on goal in their loss on Monday.

Ryan Lindgren is far from the only player to blame for their struggles, but his on-ice expected goal percentage is at 38.8 percent according to MoneyPuck. The only player below him is Victor Mancini, a rookie who has played in 10 games. He has never done much offensively, but the fact that his expected goal percentage is as low as it is suggests his defense has faltered as well.

Lindgren has been a key contributor in New York for a while now and has even had some good moments playing alongside Adam Fox on New York's top defensive pair, but he no longer plays with Fox and has struggled mightily this season. With Lindgren set to hit unrestricted free agency at the end of the year, the Rangers might benefit from seeing what they can get for him.

2. Reilly Smith has been far from a great fit with the Rangers

It feels as if the Rangers have been looking for their ideal right winger to play on their first line alongside Kreider and Zibanejad for years and have failed over and over again. Reilly Smith is just the latest example of that.

The Rangers traded draft compensation to acquire Smith hoping that he'd be the answer they were looking for, but they couldn't have been more wrong so far. The 33-year-old has just three goals and eight assists, totaling 11 points in 20 games played. His start has been incredibly disappointing coming from a player who had 26 goals and 56 points just two years ago.

Admittedly, trading Smith would be a bit easier said than done. He's owed $5 million this season before hitting unrestricted free agency over the offseason. A team might be willing to take a chance on him, but the cap hit is steep, especially for a rental who is having a down year.

The biggest win that the Rangers can get from Smith is clearing as much of his money as possible so they can try to acquire a different winger to play on that top line. Is that feasible? I have no idea. It's worth exploring based on how he has played, though.

1. The Rangers expected more development from K'Andre Miller

Adam Fox leads the Rangers with 22:28 of ice time per game, and K'Andre Miller is right behind him at 22:02. They've spent virtually all season together on New York's top defensive pair. Fox has 17 points and is a +3 in his time on the ice. Miller has four points and is a -2. Fox is one of the NHL's best defensemen so it isn't surprising to see him be far better than Miller, but the difference is stark.

The Rangers had reason to expect more from Miller, given the promise he showed as a younger player and given the opportunity to play with Fox. With just four points and questionable defense thus far, that development hasn't come yet.

Notably, this is Miller's final year under contract before hitting restricted free agency this coming offseason. The Rangers can still keep him around long-term, and considering the fact that he's just 24 years old, that might be wise, but based on how he has played so far, they need a better partner to pair with Fox. Miller should have a good amount of trade value and can help them get that player.