I worded it poorly. I should have said a reduction in spuper salty water due to much less freezing of surface ice, thereby resulting in much less sinking of super salty water and thereby causing slowing of the NAO circulation.
I also worded poorly. The NAO is actually atmospheric, not oceanic. But I brought it up because it is keeping the Arctic warmer this year. But I don’t think it is so much warmer to have a major effect on ice.