Why it’s time for Rangers to trade Chris Kreider this offseason
This offseason should not be a time for the New York Rangers to be sentimental about their current longest-tenured player. It’s best for the Rangers to find a trade partner and cut ties with Chris Kreider.
Perhaps that sounds a bit cold. But if that’s the case, then the Rangers likely have the right man for the job to manage this situation. Though you’d hope that Chris Drury would handle Kreider’s exit more smoothly than he did those of Jacob Trouba and Barclay Goodrow, the bottom line is that the general manager has already proven capable of making hard decisions when it comes to veteran personnel.
That Drury already showed his hand by including Kreider specifically in the infamous trade memo to the 31 other GMs in the League last November is reason to believe that he’s planning to move on from Kreider.
Though, there are valid arguments to keep Kreider, they simply don’t trump those to deal him away.
There’s certainly sentiment that new coach Mike Sullivan could help spur a comeback season from Kreider, who dropped to 22 goals and 30 points this past season. That, coupled with the hope that a healthy Kreider is due to bounce back in 2025-26, are understandable reasons to keep CK20 on Broadway.
The Kreider who’s a game-changing net front presence and 30+ goal scorer as he was the previous three seasons before his 2024-25 downturn is enticing to have on the roster. But at age 34 and coming off a slew of injuries, can that type of season be expected from him?
Then there is the sentimental side. Kreider is one of three players to score 300 goals in Rangers history, and is 11 away from passing Jean Ratelle for second-most all-time. He needs one more power-play goal to pass Camille Henry for most in franchise history. He’s 117 games away from 1,000 with the Rangers.
But as already stated, sentimentality has no place here. If Brian Leetch can be traded by this organization, so can Chris Kreider.
So, let’s breakdown into why exactly this is the time for the Rangers to trade Kreider.
Related: Why John Davidson believes Rangers will ‘come back … make some noise’ next season
Reason why Rangers should trade Chris Kreider this offseason
Salary cap
The No. 1 reason to move Kreider is to create more room under the salary cap. It’s exactly why Drury went to such lengths to move on from Goodrow and Trouba. Veterans making too much money, where salary-cap space outweighs a player’s value to the roster.
Kreider is owed $6.5 million each of the next two seasons. To help reshape their roster, the Rangers need more room under the cap and removing Kreider’s AAV would be a big help.
As of today, the Rangers have roughly $8.422 million in cap space, per PuckPedia, even with it rising to $95.5 million next season. That’s before they re-sign RFAs Will Cuylle, K’Andre Miller, Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom.
It’s not going to be easy. Kreider has a 15-team no-trade clause; and there might be teams interested in Kreider who want the Rangers to retain some salary here. The Rangers don’t want that. They’ll take less in return to rid themselves of the full $6.5 million per season. But keep in mind, there may not be a robust market for an aging power forward with back issues coming off his lowest full-season point total in seven years.
Drury’s proven adept at getting other teams to take on the full contract before — again, see Trouba and Goodrow, in different circumstances — so he may need to wield some similar magic here with Kreider.
Give the kids a chance
Removing Kreider from the mix, in theory, creates more opportunity for young forwards Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othmann and Brett Berard. We say “in theory” because the Rangers could use the Kreider savings to add another veteran forward either via trade or free agency. But for salary-cap reasons and solid roster management, it makes the most sense to give the kids an opportunity at regular playing time.
That doesn’t mean guaranteeing Perreault, Othmann and/or Berard a lineup spot. Sullivan’s already made it clear that everyone must earn their way. But without Kreider there, it creates an opening, an opportunity.
Perreault will be a 20-year-old rookie next season. He’s the wild card here. Will he be ready to add skill and high hockey IQ to this stagnant lineup next season? Othmann doesn’t have a goal in 25 career games in the NHL, but he’s been a goal scorer at every other level, is just 22, and brings a physical element the Rangers like. Berard scored six goals and had 10 points in 35 games this season; he adds speed and energy to the lineup, but his upside is more in question than the other two.
Maybe Juuso Parssinen gets more of a look, too. With Kreider out of the picture, it makes it easier to work Will Cuylle full-time into the top six. Perhaps Cuylle or Alexis Lafreniere takes over Kreider’s power-play time, as well.
But the key here is that competition ramps up and the kids get a chance if Kreider is not on the roster.
Shake up stagnant core
This is a transitional time for the Rangers. Their core — led by Kreider and Mika Zibanejad — has been intact a long time and achieved some success with a pair of trips to the Eastern Conference Final, three 100-point seasons, and winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24. But that core crumbled last season and showed signs of not being mentally strong enough to be a champion.
Drury noticed the need for change after the six-game loss to the Florida Panthers in the 2024 conference final. He’s addressed it some with several roster changes the past year. But he’s not done. And moving Kreider feels like the most obvious move to make here to continue shaking up the mix on the ice and in the room.
That’s not to insinuate at all that Kreider is a problem. It just feels like it’s time to make this move.
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