The New York Rangers shockingly traded their longest-tenured player, Chris Kreider, this offseason. Kreider was a 13-year veteran with the organization, and thanks to GM Chris Drury, we'll see him wearing an Anaheim Ducks uniform this season. Ryan Strome drops the sauce on the story.![Chris Kreider]()
Chris Kreider proudly wore the New York Rangers jersey for 13 years. He's near the top of the scoring list for the team, with 326 goals in 13 seasons.
Yet, after a season of disappointments and injuries, GM Chris Drury would ship him out to California, in exchange for a Center, Carey Terrance, and a 3rd-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Now joining former Rangers Captain Jacob Trouba in Anaheim, the beans have been spilled on how it all went down.
The truth isn't what you think, but it is quite shocking, as Kreider himself wanted a fresh start and new challenges.
Ryan Strome elaborates on the deal:
"He's a very proud Ranger and one of the most accomplished Rangers in history.
As much as I feel like he needed a bit of a fresh start and a new challenge, I also think it was probably not the easiest thing to go. When you're dealing with a player of that pedigree and I think (with) the way some of the other exits of the Rangers' veterans in the previous years have gone, they wanted to let Chris handle it the way he wanted to handle it. I think he kind of steered the ship a little bit."
As much as I feel like he needed a bit of a fresh start and a new challenge, I also think it was probably not the easiest thing to go. When you're dealing with a player of that pedigree and I think (with) the way some of the other exits of the Rangers' veterans in the previous years have gone, they wanted to let Chris handle it the way he wanted to handle it. I think he kind of steered the ship a little bit."
Kreider joins the Anaheim Ducks organization with a goal to help put them on the path for playoff contention. Could he end up wearing an "A" for the Ducks later down the road as its rebuild nears its end?
It seemed the Rangers' relationship with Kreider had officially run its course when the memo earlier in the year came out, as Drury was shopping him and other players with the team being "open for business".
