The Boston Bruins could soon add a quality top-six forward without having to make a trade. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman is reporting that the Anaheim Ducks will soon place Chris Kreider on waivers. The move would be made to help terminate the forward’s significant contract. Kreider technically has one more season remaining on his seven-year, $45.5 million ($6.5 million AAV) contract.
According to Friedman, Kreider is willing to mutually part ways with the Ducks to return to the East Coast. While he can be picked up on waivers by any team, he will not report to training camp if selected by the wrong club. Because of this, the forward does have some power in the situation. He will become an unrestricted free agent if he passes through waivers.
The Ducks are making the move because of financial strains. After signing Leo Carlsson to an $18 million AAV deal, Anaheim still has to extend Cutter Gauthier. The budding star recently rejected a $13 million AAV offer from the team. According to PuckPedia.com, Anaheim has just $9 million in projected cap space.
Interestingly for the Boston Bruins, Kreider is from Massachusetts and played collegiately at Boston College. Because he has control in the situation, it seems logical that the veteran would want to play in Boston. The Bruins recently made the playoffs, and adding the dynamic forward would give them a significant boost. General manager Don Sweeney also has over $5 million in projected cap space to work with.
Boston Bruins Could use Chris Kreider’s Offense Despite Offseason Addition
Although Kreider is now 35, he still produced offense for the Ducks during the 2025-26 season. In fact, the winger recorded 50 points (22 goals) in Southern California last year. The Boston Bruins only had four forwards last season reach these specific totals during the most recent campaign. One of these players, Viktor Arvidsson, recently left the team in free agency.
So far, Sweeney has attempted to offset Arvidsson’s departure by acquiring fellow winger J.J. Peterka. While the move should give Boston a boost, the Bruins could still use more firepower. Brandon Share-Cohen of The Hockey Writers recently urged Sweeney to bring in another top-six forward, even after the Peterka deal.
As of now, the Boston Bruins have a top-six forward group of Peterka, Pavel Zacha, David Pastrnak, Casey Mittelstadt, Elias Lindholm, and Morgan Geekie. Potentially adding Kreider to the mix would drop one of these players to the third line. Sweeney, however, could opt to use Mittelstadt or Zacha as trade bait. Both veterans will both need new contracts soon.
Boston has Hurdles to Jump in Move for Veteran
While bringing Kreider home to the Boston Bruins would be nice, there are some potential hiccups in the move. For starters, the veteran may opt to join a true Stanley Cup contender in the near future. At 35, this could be his final chance to grab a championship. Although the Bruins are a solid team, they may not be ready to compete for a title just yet.
Sweeney also has shown a reluctance to sign aging star players. Instead, Boston’s top exec has preferred to give younger players a chance. Nevertheless, the Bruins may be willing to make an exception for the hometown Kreider. If so, Sweeney and Co. could swap out another forward to help get younger on defense.
Bruins Hold Advantage in Chase for $45.5 Million Star Forward