Possible trade shakes up the NHL: Chris Kreider could leave the Rangers
A possible trade is generating expectations in the NHL. The New York Rangers and the Anaheim Ducks are in advanced talks for a deal that would send Chris Kreider to Anaheim.
The agreement, in its final stages, would involve the Rangers receiving a prospect and a draft pick in return. The Ducks, for their part, would assume the last two years of Kreider’s contract, which amounts to $6.5 million annually. This would provide the Rangers with flexibility in the salary cap heading into free agency on July 1st.
The transfer could be finalized on Wednesday itself, but requires Kreider to waive his no-trade clause. Kreider has a list of 15 teams to which he cannot be traded and, according to sources, recently added Anaheim to that list. However, he could be open to joining a team that has former Rangers players like Jacob Trouba and Ryan Strome.
The Rangers’ general manager, Chris Drury, has been looking for ways to revamp his roster after failing to qualify for the playoffs.
The Ducks, under the direction of general manager Pat Verbeek, are looking to make a splash to advance and reach the playoffs for the first time since 2018. Last month, Anaheim hired Joel Quenneville, a three-time Stanley Cup champion, as their coach.
Kreider, 34, has played his entire 13-year career with the Rangers, the team that selected him in the first round in 2009. He is the Rangers’ all-time playoff leader in goals, power-play goals, and game-winning goals. Kreider has 326 goals and 582 points in 883 regular season games.
This season, his production decreased, with 22 goals and eight assists in 68 games. The veteran forward, known for his presence in front of the goal, revealed in April that he faced several health problems during the season, including back problems and an illness that caused him vertigo. Kreider also played with a hand injury suffered in the first game after the 4 Nations Face-Off, where he competed for Team USA. He indicated that the hand injury could require surgery in the offseason.
