Rangers are still discussing a trade involving Chris Kreider with the Ducks on Wednesday.

Rangers Considering Chris Kreider Trade

After months of speculation, it seems a divorce between Chris Kreider and the Rangers might finally happen. The club is reportedly in talks about sending him to Anaheim.

Kreider, who has been with the team since the 2012 playoffs, is locked into a two-year contract with a $6.5 million cap hit each season. Details about what the Rangers might receive in return are still unclear.

This potential separation has been anticipated for some time, particularly after an incident last November when public league-wide memos were leaked. In these discussions, Chris Drury, the general manager, had mentioned Kreider, along with Jacob Trouba, as players who could be available.

In a notable incident on December 23, Kreider was a healthy scratch for a game against New Jersey, which was confirmed as not related to an injury.

Now, it looks like Kreider, who has a list of 15 teams he won’t accept trades to, might end up joining forces with the former captain from Orange County.

At 34 years old, Kreider is coming off what many consider to be his worst season, plagued by injuries. He managed to score 22 goals and record eight assists over 68 games, with just one power-play goal after the calendar flipped to 2025.

In terms of franchise history, Kreider ranks just behind Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle in goals scored and is 10th in points.

He holds the record for most playoff goals (48) and points (76) for the Rangers, including a memorable hat trick in Game 6 against Carolina, which helped propel the team to the finals against Florida in 2024. The Rangers have made the conference finals five times, including during Kreider’s tenure, notably in 2014.

If Kreider were to be traded, his close friend Mika Zibanejad might be inclined to waive his no-trade clause if asked. Their bond has grown strong over the years.

This trade talk comes at a time when the Rangers are looking to revamp their core, which has been largely unchanged since the 2019-20 season. This group includes Zibanejad, Trouba, Igor Shesterkin, Artemi Panarin, Adam Fox, Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, Kaapo Kako, K’Andre Miller, and Alexis Lafreniere.