ANAHEIM, Calif. — Chris Kreider had anticipated for several months that his long and distinguished career with the New York Rangers would likely conclude this summer.
While acknowledging the bittersweet end to his time on Broadway, Kreider expressed enthusiasm for beginning his next chapter on the West Coast.
In a trade finalized Thursday, the Anaheim Ducks acquired Kreider and a fourth-round draft pick from the Rangers. In return, New York received prospect Carey Terrance and a third-round pick.
Kreider agreed to waive his no-trade clause to join former New York teammates Jacob Trouba, Ryan Strome, and Frank Vatrano in Southern California. This move came after Rangers general manager Chris Drury determined that acquiring salary cap flexibility was a higher priority than retaining Kreider, the veteran left wing who had been a key component for New York for over a decade.
The 34-year-old Kreider, who was the Rangers` longest-tenured player, admitted to feeling a degree of melancholy about his departure from New York.
“I think I’ve probably gone through the spectrum – anger, sadness, grief, whatever you want to call it,” Kreider said. “But I keep on arriving at gratitude for how I was treated, the opportunities I was given, for the connections I was able to make, the relationships, the friendships, the experiences that I was able to have. Playing in front of that fan base at that arena, playing in some of the games that I was able to play in, stuff that is so memorable and means so much to me, and stuff that I’ll take with me the rest of my life.”
He is now heading to Orange County, where he will join a team that appears poised to emerge from a lengthy rebuilding period under general manager Pat Verbeek. The Ducks have not reached the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons, but they showed significant improvement last spring with a 20-point increase in the standings. This was followed by the hiring of three-time Stanley Cup-winning coach Joel Quenneville last month to lead a roster impressively stocked with promising young talent.
“Having played with some of those guys, it’s a team that I’ve followed probably closer than other teams out West, just checking in on them, seeing how things are going,” Kreider commented. “It’s an incredibly deep roster. They’ve got some fantastic vets with great track records of winning, in the prime of their careers, and they’ve got a wealth of young talent, of speed, of size, of skill. … There’s so much potential there. I think it’s a really exciting time to be a Duck.”
Kreider already trains with Ducks forward Trevor Zegras, the energetic Westchester County native Kreider described as “born caffeinated.” Kreider also spoke highly of young Ducks centers Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish, calling Carlsson “a special player … every team doesn`t have a player like that.”
Kreider chose Anaheim for his departure from the only NHL franchise and city he has ever known. Although Kreider was born and raised north of Boston, he stated that New York City played a crucial role in shaping the person he is today.
The Rangers selected him 19th overall in the 2009 draft, and he made his debut during the 2012 playoffs. He became a cornerstone player for the franchise during New York’s run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014.
During his partial 14 seasons with the team, the Rangers made 10 postseason appearances, and Kreider became the Original Six franchise’s all-time leader in playoff goals. Only Hall of Famers Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle have scored more regular-season goals in a Rangers jersey than Kreider, a two-time All-Star.
“I grew up in the city of New York,” said Kreider, who has achieved 10 seasons with 20 or more goals. “I did. I spent my childhood in the Boston area, I went to school there, but I feel like I came into adulthood in the city of New York, became a man, matured, grew up and started a family. So yeah, a lot of emotions, but at the end of the day, just so much gratitude and appreciation.”
Drury is actively restructuring his roster after New York missed the playoffs this spring following their appearance in the 2024 Eastern Conference Final. Drury also traded Trouba, the team captain, to the Ducks last December — Trouba was reportedly less pleased than Kreider with how his exit from the Rangers was handled.
Kreider scored just 22 goals last season, partly due to being slowed by injuries. He has two years remaining on his contract with an annual salary cap hit of $6.5 million. While Drury viewed this financial commitment as a burden on his retooling efforts, Verbeek considers it a reasonable price for Kreider’s skills and leadership qualities.
“We took a big jump in the standings last year, and I think there’s a realization that the group is ready to take another step,” Verbeek stated. “I think it’s intriguing for a player of Chris Kreider’s ability to come and play with really good young players that we have, and to not only lead them but to be a part of their growth. … He`s going to be able to do a lot of things for our young centermen, but our young centermen are going to be able to do a lot of things for him as well.`
Verbeek commended Kreider`s physical strength and presence around the net, while also praising his effectiveness on special teams, areas where Anaheim has struggled for years.
Kreider mentioned that he is already training during his longest offseason in six years to ensure he is healthy, strong, and prepared for the Ducks` push towards contention.
“To come into a group like the Anaheim Mighty Ducks — or is it just the Ducks now?” Kreider quipped with a smile. “We`ll keep the Mighty in there.”
Duncan Priestley