Ducks Acquire Chris Kreider from Rangers in Trade

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Chris Kreider acknowledged that he had anticipated for months that his lengthy and distinguished career with the New York Rangers would likely come to a close this summer.

Although concluding his time with the Rangers is undoubtedly emotional, he expressed excitement about starting his next chapter on the West Coast.

On Thursday, the Anaheim Ducks completed a trade to acquire Kreider and a fourth-round draft selection 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 teammates Jacob Trouba, Ryan Strome, and Frank Vatrano in Southern California. This move came after Rangers general manager Chris Drury decided that creating salary cap flexibility was a greater priority than retaining the left wing, who had been a crucial player for New York for over ten years.

The 34-year-old Kreider, who was the longest-serving player on the Rangers roster, shared his mixed feelings about leaving New York.

“I think I’ve probably gone through the spectrum – anger, sadness, grief, whatever you want to call it,” Kreider commented. “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 to join a Ducks team that appears poised to emerge from an extended rebuilding phase under general manager Pat Verbeek. The Ducks have missed the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons but showed a 20-point improvement in the standings this past spring. They recently hired three-time Stanley Cup champion coach Joel Quenneville last month to lead a roster that features impressive 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 said. “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 mentioned that he already trains with Ducks forward Trevor Zegras, a lively player from Westchester County whom 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 as his destination after leaving the only NHL franchise and city he has ever known professionally. Although he grew up near Boston, he feels New York City shaped him into the person he is today.

The Rangers drafted him 19th overall in 2009, and he made his debut during the 2012 playoffs. He became a core player during New York’s run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014.

Over his 14 seasons with the team, Kreider participated in 10 playoff appearances. He holds the Original Six franchise record for career playoff goals. Only Hall of Famers Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle have scored more total goals for the Rangers 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.”

General Manager Chris Drury is focused on reshaping the Rangers roster after the team missed the playoffs this spring following their appearance in the 2024 Eastern Conference final. Drury had previously traded captain Jacob Trouba to the Ducks last December. Trouba was reportedly less pleased than Kreider with how his departure from the Rangers was handled.

Last season, Kreider scored 22 goals while dealing with injuries. He has two years remaining on his contract with an annual salary cap hit of $6.5 million. While Drury viewed this contract as a constraint for his roster adjustments, Verbeek sees it as a fair value for Kreider’s skills and leadership.

“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 highlighted Kreider’s strength, his presence around the net, and his abilities on special teams, areas where Anaheim has struggled for years.

Kreider mentioned he is already working hard during his longest offseason in six years to ensure he is healthy, strong, and ready 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.”