HIS LEGACY
The 2023-24 New York Rangers had a historic season. In the regular season, they won the President’s Trophy by winning more games than any team in the organization’s 98-year history. Then they won their first 7 playoff games, sweeping the Washington Capitals and taking a 3-0 lead on the Carolina Hurricanes in round two.
Yet, on May 16, 2024, after two straight losses, and facing a 3-1 deficit at the end of the second period, the Rangers were in danger of having to play a Game 7 with no momentum on their side. That all changed when Chris Kreider, the longest tenured Ranger, went full “Mark Messier” on the Hurricanes. His natural third-period hat trick sparked the Rangers 5-3 victory and put them back in the Eastern Conference Finals for the fifth time in his 12-year career.
The humble Kreider played off his signature moment, but his coaches, teammates, alums, media, and fans spoke for him. Kreider’s lawn was famously littered by his neighbors celebratory hats, and there was a movement throughout the hockey community to ensure that when he retired, his number would be raised to the rafters at Madison Square Garden.
As the tributes poured in, Chris Kreider became the modern-day Mr. Ranger and the toast of New York.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
13 months later he is an Anaheim Duck.
Sports is a bottom-line business, which is why GM Chris Drury is well within his right to put aside sentimentality. He knows that if the Rangers don’t return to the playoffs in 2025-26, he will be joining Barclay Goodrow, Jacob Trouba, Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, Jimmy Vesey and Kreider out of New York.
Since sports is also entertainment, I believe that executives can show loyalty to fan favorites if they are still capable of producing. Let’s not forget that Ryan McDonagh was considered physically compromised when he was shipped out of New York in 2018. The 36-year-old defensemen has won a couple of Cups since and was a +43 while playing 20 minutes per game last season for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
How about 37-year-old Mats Zuccarello? He was deemed too old and replaceable in 2019. While the Rangers have cycled through Pavel Buchnevich, Kakko, Patrick Kane, Vitali Kravtsov, Vladimir Tarasenko and Frank Vatrano on the right side, Zuccarello has scored 335 points over his last 393 games, while playing the in-your-face style of hockey the Rangers are currently looking for. As the saying goes, a bird in the hand is worth two (or more) in the bush.
Kreider was not good last season, but he was not alone. No veteran played to his standard other than journeyman Sam Carrick. Even the Rangers probable 2025-26 Mount Rushmore – Adam Fox, JT Miller, Artemi Panarin and Igor Shesterkin – did not produce to their previous high standards.
Plus, in addition to dealing with constant trade rumors and upheaval, Kreider started the year with back issues, had bouts of vertigo in mid-season, and dealt with a hand injury down the stretch. Though compromised, he still tallied 22 goals, third on the team.
Very few players get to play with one team wire to wire. Out of all the jerseys in the rafters, only the Original Mr. Ranger Rod Gilbert never had his rights owned by another team (Mike Richter rights were temporarily owned by the Edmonton Oilers prior to the 2002 expansion draft, and Henrik Lundqvist was going to play for the Washington Capitals before heart surgery forced him to retire).
Since the “trade memo” went out last November 25th stating that Kreider was available, this day became inevitable. That did not make it any less painful.
13 REASONS WHY
- He’s an elite penalty killer and an offensive threat when down a man. Even in an injury marred season he still scored 4 short-handed goals, giving him a league leading 13 since he was first installed as a penalty killer by Gerrard Gallant in 2021-22.
- He’s still an elite net-front presence, especially on the power play. His 116 power play goals are tied for first all-time on the Rangers list with Camile Henry. That includes a franchise single-season record 26 PPGs in 2021-22.
- In the second half of Kreider’s career, he started to receive recognition as Joe Pavelski’s rival in terms of being the NHL’s premiere net-front player. Puck Unlimited tracked tip-in goals and found the following stats from 2018-19 through the 2023-24 seasons:
- Chris Kreider 61
- Joe Pavelski 40
- Sam Reinhart 36
- Despite turning 34 in April, Kreider has remained one of the fastest Rangers’ skaters since he arrived from the BC campus in 2012.
- Kreider’s first 18 games in the NHL were in the 2012 playoffs. He scored 5 goals during that run to the ECF. He finishes his Rangers’ career as their all-time leading playoff goal scorer with 48 goals in 123 games (39%).
- To put Kreider’s playoff numbers in perspective, let’s look at some of his contemporaries.
- Derek Brassard had 18 in 59 games (30%).
- Mika Zibanejad 17 in 58 games (29%)
- Artemi Panarin 12 in 46 games (26%)
- Marty St. Louis 9 in 44 games (20.5%)
- Derek Stepan 19 in 97 games (19.5%)
- Rick Nash had 14 goals in 73 games (19%)
- Mats Zuccarello 11 in 60 games (18%)
- In the three year stretch from 2021-22 through 2023-24, only three players, all from the Edmonton Oilers, scored more playoff goals than Kreider.
- Leon Draisaitl 30
- Zach Hyman 30
- Connor McDavid 26
- Kreider 24
- Kreider is the bridge from the Henrik Lundqvist era through the Igor Shesterkin era. He’s a first-round draft pick, a homegrown player, whose been to a Stanley Cup final and 4 other Eastern Conference Finals in his 13 seasons. That’s an unprecedented stretch for the franchise in the expansion era.
- His strength and workouts are legendary – who can forget seeing him jump out of a pool. Last season aside, it is his offseason work ethic that allowed him to get more productive with age.
- Every summer he mentors young Rangers players at Prentiss Hockey Performance in Stamford, CT. Last season his prized pupil was Matt Rempe. “He’s one of my best friends, obviously”, Rempe said on the Rangers Exit Day in April. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I know that I’m going to be staying here this summer and working out (with him) the whole time”.
- Kreider’s contract (2 years left at $6.5m per year) is not the albatross that it was portrayed to be. Trouba ($8m) and Goodrow ($3.64) were being paid significantly above their market value. Kreider’s salary is right in line with similar aging power forwards in the league.
- Hyman (33) 3 years left at $5.5 AAV
- Evander Kane (33) 1 year left at $5.13 AAV
- Anders Lee (34) 1 year left at $7m AAV
- Tyler Toffoli (33) 3 years left at $6m AAV
- The return from the Ducks is underwhelming due to this trade being framed as a necessary salary dump. While it is true that the Rangers need to clear salary space just to sign their own RFAs, it is also true that Kreider’s contract is reasonable (see above), his return to form is likely (see his injuries) and the Ducks have loads of cap room. The prospect, speedy center Casey Terrance, sounds promising, but flipping a high fourth round pick for a low third round pick is underwhelming.
- “13 Reasons Why the Chris Kreider Trade is Depressing” unapologetically is infused with the sentimentality of losing a beloved Ranger, my son’s favorite all-time player, and a man who just 13 months ago was a step away from cementing his legendary status. However, it is also based on facts. He’s going to be hard to replace on special teams, in the locker room, in the community and in fan’s hearts.
HE WILL RETURN
New York Rangers fans are resilient; they’ve been through this before. Let’s not forget that Messier had to go to Vancouver for three years before finishing his career back in New York. The next few weeks are going to get busy with the draft, trades and free agency. We will move on, until we get a chance to thank CK20 when he returns to MSG next season – wearing Orange & White.
