There will be a Chris Kreider trade this week. It’s only a matter of time and it will likely be announced today. Rumors broke late last night that the Rangers and Ducks were in advanced talks, and it seems everything is moving towards a trade before the day ends. This is bittersweet for many fans, as Kreider is–for the most part–a fan favorite that unfortunately had an injury plagued down year that coincided with players quitting and one of the worst seasons in Rangers history. As per usual, I have thoughts.
1. Though the Kreider trade is not finalized, it sounds like the return is going to be a mid level prospect and a pick. The prospect is rumored to be Carey Terrance, Anaheim’s 2nd round pick, 59th overall, in 2023 and a mid round pick. The key here is Anaheim would be taking Kreider’s full cap hit, giving the Rangers an additional $6.5 million to work with before RFA season begins. The prize is the cap space.
2. Terrance, if he’s the prospect, is a bottom-six low ceiling center that likely won’t have much offense to his game. The 20 year old finished his 4th season in the AHL, where his career high was a timid 29-23-52, though he did hit 30 goals once and eclipsed 20 goals in each of his last three seasons. While his offensive output is likely to be muted, he would instantly become one of the best skaters in the prospect pool. He plays a solid two-way game that could be helpful if he can make a successful transition to the NHL.
3. The Kreider trade is not finalized. Anaheim is on his 15-team no trade list submitted last year (it would be updated on July 1 this year). There’s still a chance this turns into a Jacob Trouba debacle, but I can’t imagine Kreider being too upset with a trade. He’d be reunited with Trouba, Ryan Strome, and Frank Vatrano. But again, the Kreider trade is not finalized just yet.
Kreider trade impact will be somewhat muted
4. Again, the prize of the Kreider trade is the cap space. It’s highly unlikely that the $6.5 million is used on Vlad Gavrikov or a big name free agent. Will Cuylle has been brought up as a prime offer sheet target, though I still don’t believe offer sheets are going to be a big thing this offseason. K’Andre Miller and Matt Rempe have also been mentioned as offer sheet targets, but Miller has arbitration rights so that’s unlikely, and Rempe is a fourth liner. Cuylle is the bigger risk, and it’s assumed that the Kreider trade was needed right now because they need the space.
5. If you’re hoping to catch lightning in a bottle with Terrance, you’re likely to be disappointed. Hopefully I’m wrong, but rarely do minimal offensive numbers in the OHL translate to top-six potential in the NHL. The expected mid-round pick is mostly a dart throw. Remember, Kreider is a 34 year old winger coming off surgery and an injury plagued season.
Future implications
6. One thing that has crossed my mind is Kreider’s future trade value should he rebound. If he heals from his injuries and returns to his normal self, then Anaheim could probably get a solid haul for him at the trade deadline. I’m not a big fan of Drury, but that wouldn’t be on him. Kreider’s injuries kept him out of the trade market in February and March, not whatever Drury was planning. Trade memo aside, the injuries impacted his value, not anything in particular Drury did or didn’t do.
If he rebounds, I’d expect Anaheim to get far more in a Kreider trade at the deadline than Drury is going to get in his Kreider trade today or this week.
7. How we view the Kreider trade in the future is going to be impacted by what Drury does with the cap space. If he uses it smartly, like signing Cuylle long term, then it’s a necessary trade that had to be done. If he uses it stupidly, which we unfortunately can’t rule out, then it’s another horrible trade of a fan favorite.
On Kreider’s legacy
8. There is debate whether Kreider’s jersey should be retired. Kreider was my favorite Ranger, even with this year’s debacle, so I’m conflicted. I think it should be retired, but there’s a good point made about retiring Mika Zibanejad’s jersey too, since he has comparable numbers in his decade or so with the Rangers. I don’t think there’s a wrong answer.
9. It’s ok to be conflicted with how you feel about the Kreider trade. His tenure in New York ended poorly. There’s no sugarcoating it. But he’s also a lifelong Ranger and the final tie-in to the mid-2010s run, the Henrik Lundqvist era, and one of the final pieces in the Jeff Gorton era. We are seeing a true shift to the Chris Drury era, for better or for worse. Kreider was a great Ranger, even with last season’s blemish.
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