Rangers trade Chris Kreider to Ducks for prospect Carey Terrance, exchange of draft picks
What’s felt inevitable since his name was leaked in a League-wide trade memo seven months ago finally became reality Thursday, when the New York Rangers traded Chris Kreider and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft to the Anaheim Ducks for center prospect Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-rounder.
The Rangers are sending Anaheim the fourth-round pick they received as part of the trade that sent defenseman and captain Jacob Trouba to the Ducks in December. They will receive a third-round pick that originally belonged to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The net effect is that the Rangers will move up 15 spots in the draft.
The key to this trade was that the Rangers did not retain any salary. The Ducks assume all $13 million Kreider is owed for the next two seasons, freeing up a crucial $6.5 million in salary-cap space for the Rangers, who now have roughly $15 million available this offseason but need to sign a handful of restricted free agents, including forward Will Cuylle.
Terrance is 20 years old and was Anaheim’s second-round pick (No. 59 overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft. The upstate New York native signed his entry-level contract April 9 and will turn pro next season. He’s a high-character, two-way center who was captain for Erie in the OHL this season and is likely suited for a bottom-six role in the NHL.
Kreider was the longest-tenured player on the Rangers roster, after making his NHL debut in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Ottawa Senators in 2012, shortly after helping Boston College win the NCAA National Championship.
The 34-year-old forward played 883 regular-season games over 13 years with the Rangers, seventh most in franchise history. He also appeared in a Rangers-record 123 Stanley Cup Playoff games, and is their all-time leader with 48 postseason goals.
“We want to thank Chris Kreider for all of his contributions to the Rangers organization over his stellar career,” general manager Chris Drury said. “Chris has been an integral part of some of the most iconic moments in Rangers history, including setting multiple franchise records and helping the team advance to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.
“His leadership on the ice and tireless efforts in the community — which he was recognized for as the inaugural recipient of the Rod Gilbert “Mr. Ranger” Award — only add to his distinguished Rangers legacy. Chris will always be a Ranger and we wish him and his family all the best.”
The Rangers reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2014 and the Eastern Conference Final five times during Kreider’s tenure. Likely his greatest moment wearing the Rangers sweater came in the spring of 2024, when he scored a natural hat trick in the third period to spark a comeback victory and eliminate the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Second Round.
When Kreider and the Rangers returned from Raleigh, Kreider’s lawn was filled with signs and balloons from fans celebrating his heroics. But that joy didn’t continue for Kreider, whose name was included in a November memo Rangers general manager Chris Drury sent to all 31 teams expressing his desire to trade the power forward and Trouba, the team captain.
Though only Trouba was traded — coincidentally to the Ducks in December — Kreider was stung by the memo. He retreated into himself, dealt with back and hand injuries, and had a major backslide in production, ending up with just 30 points in 68 games.
Despite finishing third on the Rangers with 22 goals, Kreider’s struggles were a big reason the Blueshirts missed the playoffs for the first time in four years to complete one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history.
So, this day seemed inevitable and necessary for both Kreider and the Rangers, albeit still somewhat shocking considering his place in Rangers history.
Related: Why former Rangers center nearly was traded 2nd time before deadline
Chris Kreider goes down as one of greats in Rangers history
There’s a good chance Kreider’s No. 20 will end up in the rafters at Madison Square Garden one day. He’s third all-time in Rangers history with 326 goals and tied with Camille Henry for first with 116 power-play goals. His 582 points are 10th in team history.
A beast in front of the net who brought blazing speed and brute strength to the Rangers lineup for more than a decade, Kreider scored 52 goals in 2021-22. He’s one of only four players in Rangers history to score 50 goals in a season and ended the season two shy of tying Jaromir Jagr’s record of 54 set in 2005-06.
Kreider won the prestigious Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award in 2021-22, as well as the Rod Gilbert Mr. Rangers Award that same season. He represented the Rangers in the 2020 and 2022 NHL All-Star Games, and the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
The respected alternate captain is headed to Orange County, where he’s reunited with Trouba, Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano — and is expected to be a leader on a talented, young Ducks team on the upswing. Earlier this offseason, the Ducks hired three-time Stanley Cup winner Joel Quenneville as coach.
The Ducks have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs seven consecutive seasons, but improved 21 points (to 80) year-over-year in 2024-25 and appear poised to be in the postseason picture next season.
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