Chris Kreider reveals hand injury, discusses Rangers future at break-up day: ‘This is home’
Coming off his worst season in the NHL and under heavy trade speculation for months, Chris Kreider declared Monday that he wants to remain with the New York Rangers.
“This is home for me,” Kreider said at New York’s break-up day. “This is the organization that gave me an opportunity to live out my dream. So obviously this is where I want to be and this is the group that I want to help in whatever fashion.”
Whether the Rangers feel the same way remains in question, if not downright doubtful. Kreider’s name was included in general manager Chris Drury’s infamous trade memo to the other 31 NHL GMs in November. That’s believed to have shaken Kreider and angered his teammates.
Kreider has two seasons remaining at $6.5 million per on a seven-year, $45 million contract he signed Feb. 24, 2020. That deal includes a 15-team no-trade clause, which makes it challenging to trade him.
That Kreider is 33 years old and coming off an injury-plagued season that saw him drop to a career-low 30 points in 68 games further diminishes his value around the League, and to the Rangers. Kreider ended the season playing primarily in the bottom six.
It was just a year ago that Kreider scored 39 goals and had 75 points, helping the Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy. His natural hat trick in the third period of Game 6 helped lift the Rangers past the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, before they lost in six games to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final.
But this season, Kreider managed 22 goals — only 10 at even strength — and the Rangers suffered through perhaps the most disappointing season in franchise history, failing to make the playoffs.
“There were challenges this season, and we didn’t rise to those challenges as well as we would’ve liked,” Kreider said.
Already, coach Peter Laviolette was fired Saturday, and Drury promised to make whatever moves are necessary to get New York back into the playoffs next season.
“Unfortunately, we do have extra time with not being in the playoffs, to look at a lot of things this offseason and, again, try and make sure we’re back in the playoffs next year, Drury said over the weekend.
Related: GM Chris Drury fires coach but takes blame for Rangers dismal season: ‘It starts with me’
Chris Kreider’s season with Rangers sabotaged by litany of injuries, may need hand surgery
It was known that Kreider had back issues this season; he said so himself back in November and December. The power forward appeared to be ailing much of the season and was not his usual self as a massive net-front presence.
To that end, Kreider revealed Monday a litany of injuries and illnesses that plagued him this season. Along with the back issues, Kreider sustained a significant hand injury playing against the Buffalo Sabres after the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. That injury was an issue for him the rest of the season and will likely require offseason surgery.
Kreider also had a virus that led to vertigo during the season.
“Just a bunch of weird, fluky things this year,” he said.
The 2009 first-round pick (No. 19 overall) is a Rangers lifer, so it’s understandable that he wants to remain with the Rangers, even with another coaching change. If Kreider is with the Rangers next season, he will play for his sixth different coach in 14 seasons — following John Tortorella, Alain Vigneault, David Quinn, Gerard Gallant and Laviolette.
Kreider is third in Rangers history with 326 goals, behind only Rod Gilbert (406) and Jean Ratelle (336). He is tied with Camille Henry for first with 116 power-play goals and is fourth with 13 short-handed goals.
He finished strong with four points in his final two games. He had two assists in a 5-3 win against the Florida Panthers and scored a goal and assisted on a Mika Zibanejad score when the Rangers won their season finale, 4-0 over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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