Possible Trade Shakes NHL: Chris Kreider Headed to the Ducks
The New York Rangers and the Anaheim Ducks are in advanced talks for a possible trade that would send Chris Kreider to Anaheim, according to sources close to the situation.
The agreement, which is in advanced stages, involves the Rangers receiving a player promise and a draft pick in return. For their part, the Ducks would assume the last two years of Kreider’s contract, which pays him $6.5 million annually.
This move could give the Rangers greater salary flexibility heading into free agency, which begins July 1st.
The transfer could be finalized soon, but it requires Kreider to waive his no-trade clause. The player has a list of 15 teams to which he cannot be traded and, according to sources, recently added Anaheim to that list. However, Kreider 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 missing the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Ducks and their general manager, Pat Verbeek, are looking to make significant moves 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. Quenneville is the second-winningest coach in NHL history.
Kreider, 34, has played his entire 13-year career with the Rangers, who 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 net, revealed in April that he dealt with several health issues during the season, including back problems and an illness that caused him vertigo. Kreider also mentioned a hand injury suffered in the first game after the 4 Nations Face-Off, where he competed for the United States team. He indicated that the injury might require surgery in the offseason.
