Chris Kreider was a valuable piece of the New York Rangers organization from the moment he was drafted – but after last season, the time came to move on.
Related: Rangers Calling up Gabe Perreault to Address Scoring Woes Seems Inevitable
It was the right decision by the hierarchy to trade him to the Anaheim Ducks and clear salary cap space to improve the roster for 2025-26 – but perhaps some may have underestimated the vacancy it would provide.
Why Kreider’s Loss Hurt
Before last season, Kreider was a significant contributor to the Rangers’ success. The 2009 first-round pick’s presence made him perhaps the best net front presence in the league and was a lethal weapon on the power play. Add that to his big 6-foot-3, 226-pound frame with elite speed. He was a nightmare for opposing teams to defend.
Even though Kreider struggled last season, with only 30 points in 68 games, the injuries likely weighed on his performance. And that might be proving to be true. So far, in nine games with the Ducks, Kreider has posted 10 points.
Add that to the fact that the Rangers did not have a viable replacement in the system. The hope was that a top prospect like Brennan Othmann or Gabe Perreault would be able to step up and mitigate the loss of Kreider, but that hasn’t happened to this point. Will Cuylle, who does play a big game with his 6-foot-3, 212-pound frame, was always an ambitious and unrealistic ask to replace what Kreider does. They bring different skill sets to the table. Sure, both players are willing to jam the front of the net – but Kreider was rare in what he offered with his mobility. You can’t replace what he does – but maybe you can find somebody more or as productive on the scoresheet. But again, that hasn’t happened yet.
It Was the Only Way to Improve the Defense
For years now, the weakness has been the defensive unit. After missing the playoffs in 2024-25, president and general manager Chris Drury was tasked with no other choice but to restructure and improve. The only way to do that was to clear salary cap space, which the Rangers achieved by deciding to deal Kreider and K’Andre Miller for prospects and draft pick compensation. The trades allowed the organization to pay Vladislav Gavrikov in free agency at an average annual value of $7 million, according to PuckPedia.
The Rangers, who allowed the fourth-most high-danger chances in 2024-25, needed to make changes. Sure, the power play and scoring have suffered early on, but the Rangers’ structure looks strong overall. In all situations, the Rangers rank fourth overall in the league in expected goal percentage (54.06 percent) and have given up the third-fewest high-danger chances, according to Natural Stat Trick. It’s quite the turnaround, and the mediocre 7-7-2 record doesn’t reflect their play. When Gavrikov is paired with Fox, the Rangers are commanding an xGF rate of 59.45 percent.
So yes, losing Kreider hurt, and the loss was underestimated. However, it was the right move to address a flawed defense, which now remarkably appears to be the team’s strength. The problem is that the Rangers improved in one area and subtracted from another.
Cuylle and Conor Sheary are great players who generate pressure in the offensive zone, but neither are noted finishers or goal scorers. That’s one problem; the other is that other star players, including Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafrenière, have not been able to capitalize on prime scoring chances. As a team, the Rangers are shooting just 6.88 percent, which is dead last in the league. Those numbers will likely improve at least a little bit, as there’s too much talent on the roster for that to continue. However, the Rangers must look for solutions. One of them might be Perreault, who just earned a call-up. The 2023 first-round pick has posted 10 points in nine games with the Hartford Wolf Pack this season.
In the short term, the Rangers, led by head coach Mike Sullivan, are going to have to manage in the short-term with what’s on the roster and in the system. Right now, the Rangers are playing .500 hockey, which is far from disastrous but yet underwhelming. The team needs to find ways to win and get themselves in a playoff position between now and the trade deadline so they can become buyers and potentially solve their scoring woes.
