Former Capitals defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk has been bought out by the New York Rangers, according to The New York Post’s Brett Cyrgalis. The Fouth Line’s David Pagnotta confirmed the news.

Shattenkirk, who signed a four-year, $26.6 million deal with his hometown team in July 2017, fell to fourth on the depth chart among right-handed Rangers defensemen after the team acquired and signed restricted free agent Jacob Trouba to a seven-year, $56 million deal.

Kevin and his wife Deanna had their first child, a boy named Connor, in early July.

Can confirm the Rangers have indeed bought out the contract of D Kevin Shattenkirk, as @BrettCyrgalis first reported.

— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) July 31, 2019

According to CapFriendly, the buyout cap hit of Shattenkirk’s contract will be split across four years, and count for $1,483,333 in the 2019-20 season, $6,083,333 in 2020-21, $1,433,333 in 2021-22, and $1,433,333 in 2022-23. The breakdown of the buyout saves the Rangers $5,166,667 in cap space for the upcoming season.

#Rangers buying out the remaining 2 years of Shattenkirk's contract would result in 4 years of buyout cap hit broken down as follows:

2019-20: $1,483,333*
2020-21: $6,083,333
2021-22: $1,433,333
2022-23: $1,433,333

*It would save NY $5,166,667 in cap space this season. pic.twitter.com/0pG9p5leTO

— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) July 31, 2019

In his 119 games played with New York over two seasons, Shattenkirk tallied a total of 51 points and was a healthy scratch off and on.

Shattenkirk’s career through the NHL has been cosmically unfortunate since leaving the St. Louis Blues.

Lmao so let me get this straight:

-shattenkirk plays majority of career with Blues
-Traded to Caps
-nixes every trade to go “home” to NYR
-caps win cup
-blues win cup
-NYR buys him out

Truly a soap opera

— goth lightning fan (@LightningGoth) July 31, 2019

After his time in Washington, then-coach Barry Trotz remarked that Shattenkirk wasn’t a first-pairing defenseman as advertised when reflecting on the trade deadline deal that brought Shatty to DC.

“I just think it takes a little bit of adjustment,” Trotz said. “We play a little different than some teams. It worked in areas that we wanted. He helped our power play. He made it more dangerous in that. I think everybody thought of him as a 1-2 (top-pairing defenseman), and he really wasn’t, he was a little lower. I think it worked out okay.

“I think he had a patch during the one series where he wasn’t really good,” Trotz continued. “I think he regained it and scored a big goal for us in Pitt. I just think, yeah, the first playoff series wasn’t… that’s what you remember, it sticks out… but I think overall, he was fine.”

The thirty-year-old was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in 2007 and has played for them, the St. Louis Blues, the Capitals, and the New York Rangers.