On Tuesday night, the Anaheim Ducks were close to trading for Chris Kreider. A framework for a deal with the New York Rangers was in place. To make the trade official, they only needed a few finishing touches and Kreider’s approval.
On Thursday, they received the veteran’s go-ahead. The Ducks have officially acquired Kreider from the Rangers. This marks the end of Kreider’s 13-year tenure on Broadway with the Blueshirts.
“Chris has been an integral part of some of the most iconic moments in Rangers history,” Rangers president Chris Drury said in a statement, via The Athletic. “Chris will always be a Ranger and we wish him and his family all the best.”
Let’s take a deeper look at the trade and hand out grades to both the Ducks and Rangers for their part in this deal. For context, here is the trade as announced by both teams on Thursday.
Anaheim Ducks acquire: veteran forward Chris Kreider (no salary retention) and a 2025 fourth-round pick (Pick 104; owned by TOR)
New York Rangers acquire: forward prospect Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-round pick (Pick 89)
Anaheim Ducks: B+
Bruce Bennett/Getty ImagesThe Anaheim Ducks do well to add Chris Kreider, but this trade with the New York Rangers is not perfect.
The Ducks made a significant improvement in 2024-25 from their previous few seasons. Anaheim ended the season with 80 points. This is the first time since 2018-19 that this team finished with at least 80 points in a season.
Anaheim wanted to add talent around its young core this summer. Kreider fits the bill rather well. He brings size and a nose for the net that makes him dangerous in the offensive zone. He is also an extremely clutch performer, which bodes well if the Ducks challenge for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“Chris Kreider is the type of player we were looking to add this offseason,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement, via The Athletic. “He has size, speed and is a clutch performer that elevates his game in big moments. Chris also upgrades both of our special teams units, something we really needed to address.”
Anaheim’s grade is impacted by a few factors, however. First, they have once again bailed the Rangers out of salary cap trouble. The Ducks also took on all of Jacob Trouba’s contract in a trade with the Blueshirts back in early December.
Second, Kreider is not the same player he once was. In fact, he is coming off the worst season of his career. He scored just 22 goals and 30 points in 68 games. He was demoted to the fourth line at times in New York due to his on-ice struggles. Kreider also struggled with injury during the season, which undoubtedly impacted his play.
Still, this is a risk the Ducks can afford to take, even with the risks involved. Anaheim is well-positioned financially to make moves like this and still have the ability to sign their young core. This is a fine deal, and if Kreider bounces back, it could look even better.
New York Rangers: B+
The Rangers also receive a B+ for this part in this trade. New York had one goal when it came to moving Kreider: clear out as much salary as they can. Anaheim took all of his $6.5 million, giving New York options for this season and next year.
This alone gives them at least a B. Getting a prospect and a pick moves it up to a B+. One could argue an A- here, as New York did trade up in the 2025 NHL Draft. However, this could have been a condition for the Ducks taking all of Kreider’s salary.
It’s hard to gague how well this deal is for New York without seeing what they do with their new cap space. Without question, cap space matters. But what they do with it matters even more. For now, this trade works out for both sides. However, it isn’t exactly a great deal, and there is risk involved for the Ducks and Rangers alike.
Grading Chris Kreider Trade Between Ducks, Rangers