With a team in need of major changes, it’s no surprise they moved on from the disgruntled winger.

The reality is that these developments have only accelerated the inevitable. Kakko should get another contract in the summer and the organization is loaded with young wingers who are on the rise. Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othmann and Brett Berard will all be competing for full-time NHL status next season, with Adam Sýkora not far behind. They will need cheap, young players to fill out the lineup while they try to find more expensive solutions to problems in defense and perhaps center.

So in that regard, the Rangers have made a reasonable assessment of the state of the organization and the team’s needs.

It feels like Kakko has been around forever, but he’s only 23. There are players who are just breaking through at this age. Although the Finnish winger’s development has plateaued, he is a 45-point winger with a strong defensive presence and could be a capable NHL player in the next decade. This is a valuable player in the NHL landscape.

And what do the Rangers have to show for it?

When Will Borgen is in good form, he can be a useful defender. He doesn’t provide much offense, but the 6-foot-2 Minnesota native is a good skater for his size. He can retrieve pucks and find exits from the defensive zone. He’s a pretty good defender against the rush, a glaring weakness for the Rangers. At best, Borgen is a third-team defenseman.