From the moment the Rangers acquired Jacob Trouba from Winnipeg on June 17, it seemed a foregone conclusion they would sign the (then-impending) restricted free agent defenseman to a seven-year contract worth in the range of $7.5 million-$7.8 million per season and obviate the need for salary arbitration.

Even as late as Tuesday night, when I reported the July 25 date for Trouba’s arbitration date (eligible players routinely file) on Twitter, I wrote, “Would be stunning if it reaches that point.”

But now, I am not so sure it is out of the question. To be clear, I do not expect Trouba to go for a one-year award that would put him in line for 2020 unrestricted free agency, and I still believe he and the Rangers will reach an agreement on a bonus-heavy deal in the above-referenced neighborhood.

Indeed, Kurt Overhardt, who represents the defenseman, and general manager Jeff Gorton are conducting substantive, ongoing negotiations that are hardly just for show. The Rangers most certainly want to get this done, and it appears Trouba is on the same track.

But …

But if this drags on and Trouba wants to bet on himself, he could theoretically turn a seven-year contract into a nine-year commitment and guarantee himself an extra $15 million or so of owner Jim Dolan’s treasure chest. It is possible.

The 25-year-old American — whom the Rangers envision as their matchup, first-pair righty and first-unit power-play guy through this transition into contention and beyond — cannot sign an eight-year max term contract with the team until the trade deadline passes. Hence, Trouba could opt for a one-year deal via arbitration then sign an eight-year extension either late in the season or before July 1. That, of course, could not be a topic of conversation between the parties at this time, much less agreed upon, for that would represent circumvention.

But if Trouba takes this path, he’d get a sum of around $70 million rather than $55 million, presuming that a one-year arbitration award is likely to come in closer to $6.75 million than $7.75 million based on existing comparables. Going this way would represent a risk for Trouba, but he went through arbitration last summer and played on a one-year $5.5 million award while turning in the most productive season (8 goals, 42 assists, 50 points) of his career.

But going this route also could make Trouba a short-timer on Broadway rather than a critical piece of the foundation of this developing team.

If No. 8 plays on a one-year deal, there is no guarantee Gorton might not try to flip him for a rental haul at the deadline and look elsewhere for a young first-pair righty. Who knows? And who wants that? Who needs the drama?

Not the Rangers. If not for the acquisition of Trouba, management might not have signed Artemi Panarin. And the same applies to Trouba, who wanted to play for the Rangers and who has extolled the benefits of playing in New York for both himself and his fiancée, Kelly Tyson, who is on the career path of becoming an MD.

Talks continue, but urgency may not present itself until within two or three days of the arbitration date. The Rangers have routinely avoided arbitration over the years by striking agreements in the hour(s) before scheduled hearings, but none of the deals were close to this financial magnitude. It would probably serve the franchise well to get this wrapped up as quickly as possible.

Of course, though, Trouba has the leverage.

Trouba became the ninth defenseman age 25 or younger to record an at least 50-point season over the past three years with his 2018-19 production, per hockey-reference.com. The others are Morgan Rielly (twice), Seth Jones, John Klingberg, Thomas Chabot, Torrey Krug, Matt Dumba, Dougie Hamilton and Shayne Gostisbehere. Jones, Dumba, Hamilton and Klingberg are righties.

Dumba, entering the second season of a five-year deal, is the highest paid at $6 million per. Hamilton, in the fifth year of a six-year contract, is at $5.7 million per. Jones, going into the fourth year of a six-year contract, is at $5.4 million per. Krug has one year remaining on a deal under which he is earning $5.25 million per. They are the four highest-paid of the group.

You never know what might happen in arbitration, where the arbiters often split the difference between asks and Trouba’s side would probably use different comparables, but the defenseman would surely make a fair amount less (AAV) on a one-year deal than on a long-term one that would buy out six years of unrestricted free agency.

On June 17, neither party imagined this to be a short-term relationship. It is impossible to believe that has changed on one side or the other in less than a month. Trouba is the player the Rangers wanted, and the Rangers are the team the defenseman wanted.

I would still be mighty surprised if the sides do indeed somehow wind up in arbitration, but I might not be stunned.

Panarin’s $81.5 million contract includes $74.5 million in signing bonuses, or 91.4 percent of the sum. Just the 92.1 percent in bonus money ($70.89 million of $77 million) the Leafs granted to John Tavares last summer accounts for a larger share in league history, per capfriendly.com. If Trouba wishes a similar accommodation, the Rangers should be happy to grant it.

While we’re at it: Yes, Panarin did leave a fair amount of money on the table in eschewing a verified eight-year, $96 million offer so he would not say goodbye to Columbus (and that proffer from the organization that knows him best serves as a Grade A reference), but can we all please agree not to use the word “discount” as applies to his contract with the Rangers?

We know restricted free agents without arbitration rights have the least amount of leverage in the game and, marquee guys aside, they are going to be squeezed mercilessly this summer while caught in the vise of the mere 2.52 percent cap increase.

Still, it was rather surprising to see San Jose’s Kevin Labanc agree so quickly to a one-year, $1 million deal coming off a 56-point (17 G, 39 A) season at age 23.

We trust the NHL will keep a close eye on this when — that should be, if — he signs a multi-year extension soon after he is eligible to do so on Jan. 1.

Circumvention, anyone?

It is not quite a baseball-style situation, but the top 25 remaining unrestricted free-agent skaters ranked by 2018-19 cap hit feature nine players age 35 and older, 10 between 30 and 34, and six younger than 30.

Finally, don’t get me wrong, Sixth Avenue has enacted meaningful, progressive social and community outreach programs, and its teams and players are commendably charity-minded.

But why do I have this nagging suspicion ESPN’s decision to designate the medical science-denying NHL “The League Humanitarian of the Year” had ju-ust a little to do with upcoming rights negotiations?