Darren Dreger said on the latest edition of Insider Trading that if incentivized in the right deal, they would retain 50% of his salary.
Rangers GM Jeff Gorton and Kreider’s agent Matt Keator are expected to speak again later this month about Kreider’s contractual status, though an extension, at this point, might not be in the cards. It’s believed the Rangers and Kreider’s camp spoke in the off-season and New York is familiar with the type of deal Kreider would be looking for. It’s unknown if Kreider’s contractual mindset has changed. During Tuesday evening’s “Insider Trading” segment on TSN, Dreger reported the Rangers could eat a good chunk, possibly up to 50 percent, of Kreider’s contract if they were incentivized to do so.
TFP
Our Take on Kreider
As Kreider heats up so does the interest from around the NHL about his availability. In the veteran’s last 6 games he has 4 goals and 7 points playing a physical game at high speed. Teams heading into the postseason look for players that are big, strong, fast, and can score. Kreider fits that to a tee and the Rangers will not move him for anything less than a 1st rounder to start.
If there is one team that has been not only interested but came close to acquiring him at the draft is the Avalanche. The deadline is in February, and you can expect that Colorado will be in the mix, if not the favorites to land Kreider until the very end.
Since all the major contenders have 1st round picks in the high 20’s someone will need to step up and give up a prospect. When it comes to contenders with deep prospect pools, the Avs have what it takes to get it done. That’s why I believe they will land him at the deadline.
