Chris Kreider, the New York Rangers’ longest-serving player, was a surprising healthy scratch in Monday’s game against the New Jersey Devils. Head coach Peter Laviolette made the decision in an attempt to shake up the lineup and spark the team, but it backfired as the Rangers suffered a 5-0 loss at the Prudential Center. The move has since fueled speculation about whether Kreider could be on the trading block.
Kreider’s 13-year tenure with the Rangers makes his benching notable, but Laviolette described the decision as straightforward.
“We’re not playing the type of game we need to play to succeed,” Laviolette explained after the game. “He’s someone we rely on to deliver that. These conversations are tough, but it was the choice I felt I had to make.”
Now, discussions and mock trade scenarios involving Kreider are circulating widely on social media platforms like Twitter/X.
Kreider is currently in the fifth year of his seven-year, $45.5 million contract, which transitioned from a full no-move clause to a modified no-trade clause (allowing him to block trades to 15 teams) at the start of the 2024-25 season.
Players of Kreider’s caliber rarely become available, but the Rangers’ struggles this season could prompt them to consider a trade. His name reportedly appeared in a league-wide memo earlier this year, identifying players New York might be open to moving.
Adding to the speculation, Maverick Mitchell of Vancouver Canucks Daily revealed:
“Someone told me the Canucks reached out to the Rangers about Chris Kreider. My guess is Vancouver is probably on Kreider’s no-trade list—he’s got a pretty extensive one with 15 teams. The Rangers reportedly sent out feelers about Kreider and [Jacob] Trouba being available, which led to inquiries from several teams, including the Canucks.”
The Massachusetts native is enduring one of the least productive seasons of his career, tallying just 11 goals and one assist in 30 games. He’s currently on track for his lowest point total since the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season.
If Kreider is traded, he would join Jacob Trouba (now with the Anaheim Ducks) and Kaapo Kakko (Seattle Kraken) as high-profile departures from the Rangers’ roster this year.
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