The New York Rangers are an absolute disaster, and the Toronto Maple Leafs should take advantage.
Having lost seven of their last ten games after entering the season as one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, the Rangers are in trouble. There are also rumours of a revolt against GM Chris Drury, and rumours about almost all of their players. The one who should interest the Maple Leafs is Chris Kreider.
The 33 year old Chris Kreider has been a staple of the New York Rangers, having played 13 seasons with the original 6 team. Kreider was drafted 19th overall by the Rangers in the 2009 NHL entry draft and has been a key part of there roster since then.
The power forward left wing has found great success with the New York squad, registering 314 goals and 249 assists in 842 games played, including a 52 goal campaign in the 2021-2022 season. Kreiders skill isn't all he brings to the table as he has demonstrated that he can be a capable leader, being named an assistant captain in the 2021-2022 season. (stats NHL.com).
What Makes Chris Kreider a Good Fit for the Toronto Maple Leafs?
The Toronto Maple Leafs have an abundance of skilled offensive players like Marner, Matthews and Nylander, but clearly need depth scoring. Kreider has proven his ability to do this at the elite level as well, but what makes him such an exceptional value is his net front ability.
The 6'3 230 pound winger has found his niche parking himself in front of the net in the offensive zone, specifically on the power play. Kreiders toughness and edge he plays with contributes to the "sandpaper" aspect of his game that helps him to succeed in getting to the dirty areas of the ice and creating offensive opportunities that other players can't facilitate.
Kreider has notched 75 shots this season, 28 of which come from the high danger net front region, more impressive is that 7 of his 10 goals come from this same high danger area which puts him in the 90th percentile for goals and shots in the net front zone.
Since 2012-2013 to the present he has the most tipped goals in the NHL with over 80 buries. His ability to be highly effective in this high scoring area contribute to his value and demonstrate why any NHL squad, including the Leafs should be interested in him. (Stats Edge.NHL.com)
The Rangers are 2-6-0 since GM Chris Drury sent his "open for business" memo
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 10, 2024
What's next for New York? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/Rv4Q9WXcKj
Kreider Would Compliment Current Leafs Stars
Kreider would pair well with many of the Leafs stars, specifically an intelligent playmaker like Nylander who would compliment his net front presence and ability to finish in high danger areas. His 39 goals and 36 assists in the 2023-2024 season would put him in 3rd for goals and 4th for assists last season, demonstrating that he would be highly effective if paired with one of the Leafs big ticket playmakers.
His size and physical style of play would mesh well with Marner and Nylander who finished 1st and 2nd respectively for assists among leafs players last season. The size of Kreider would create time and space for the Leafs speedy assist getters to create offence and opportunities that he would be there to finish.
His abilities have shown been shown to extend beyond just the regular season. In last seasons play off campaign he recorded 8 goals and 4 assists in 16 playoff games last season, tied for most goals on the Rangers. Playoff performance has historically been a weakness of the Leafs, a hole that the New York forward could fill.
Kreider would also integrate well into the Leafs top power play unit as the net front presence, instigating chaos in front of the net and in the slot, where he has been shown to be most effective. Since the Toronto Maple Leafs have already shown that they are willing to go with five forwards on the top unit, its not crazy to theorize that Kreider would end up on the top unit, having Nylander or Marner assume the point position with Auston Matthews.
How the Maple Leafs Could Make This Work
Krieder is in year five of a seven year contract that pays him $6.5 million per year.
If they pay the Rangers to retain some of that salary, and to take back any of the Leafs bad contracts (Kampf, Reaves, Domi, etc.) the contract is doable, it would just depend on what the cost was.
The Rangers are in a win-now mode as well as the Leafs, so they likely aren't as interested in futures as most teams with a player like this to trade would be. I don't want to speculate on what the trade would be, only to say that a further two years commitment to Kreider at a reduced salary could work in the Leafs favor a lot like the Jack McCabe trade did a couple years ago (McCabe is arguably the Leafs best defenseman for $2 million dollars).
On a reduced salary, given his age, specific and unique abilities, and his obvious fit on a team coached by Craig Berube, Chris Kreider is the perfect Trade Deadline acquisition to put the Toronto Maple Leafs over the top.
The Leafs need goal scoring from the bottom of the lineup, and Chris Kreider would provide that.