Chris Kreider is now in his tenth season with the New York Rangers. At the age of 30, he is the longest-tenured player on the team. In 2020 the Rangers signed him to a seven-year extension, so the front office believed he was one of the key players going forward for the team. However, many fans and sports pages wondered if he was worth the contract due to his play over his tenure as a Ranger. It looks like Kreider is finally proving his worth to everyone.
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Kreider 2.0
This season we have the new and improved Kreider. It appears that gone are the days when Kreider would go on a scoring spree and then suddenly disappear into the background. He has always been seen as a streaky scorer, and many believed this season would be no different. However, they appear to be wrong.
The Kreider that has shown up this season is someone different. There’s more confidence in his play, and in turn, it has seeped into his teammates and fueled their play. As a result, he’s progressing into being not just great on the power play but is also getting minutes on the penalty kill.
As one of the alternate captains, it’s clear to see he’s one of the team’s leaders. He still seeks mentorship for himself with former players like Martin St. Louis. Choosing to improve oneself shows confidence and maturity, which can then stand as an example to his teammates.
All-Star Season
Kreider currently has 33 goals for the season, with 17 coming on the power play. At the moment, he has the most goals in the NHL, coming in right ahead of Leon Draisaitl, who has 32. Not too far behind are players such as Auston Matthews, Alex Ovechkin, and Alex DeBrincat. This is the first season he has reached 30 goals, and there is still half a season to go. Kreider is the first Ranger player in the League’s modern era to be the first player to hit that benchmark in a season.
Kreider has played 47 games this season, and along with those 30 goals, he also has 14 assists. That is 47 points in 47 games, which averages out to one point per game. In addition, he has two shorthanded goals, making this the first time in his career with the Rangers that he’s been able to score them.
Even when he’s not scoring, Kreider is still able to make a difference in the game. It’s most noticeable during a power play, but his size allows him to be able to be used as a screen, making it difficult for the other team’s goalie to see what’s coming. Tip-ins aside, he is also able to score from the net-front and low-slot positions. He is also third in hits on the team, behind Ryan Reaves and Jacob Trouba.
Kreider was selected to the All-Star team for all of his hard work. This is the second time he has been, but it is the first time he was selected outright. The last time he went was in 2020, as a replacement for the injured Artemi Panarin.
The Future
It appears Kreider is making up for previous seasons, and with that confidence and leadership, he’s setting the tone for the rest of the season. The Rangers would not be where they are in the standings right now if he wasn’t performing at the level he’s at. Kreider will need to continue with the style of play he’s found this season and gift that wisdom to the younger players on the team. If he’s not able to continue at the pace he has set, then it will be up to the other players to help get the team to the playoffs. That’s how important Kreider has been to the Rangers this season.
Everything is falling into place for Kreider, as he gives fans a glimpse of what he’s capable of. But, of course, the fans knew it all along; he just had to figure it out for himself. Now that he has, the only person who can stop him is himself.
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