Veteran winger Chris Kreider is heading west, as the New York Rangers have traded him to the Anaheim Ducks after he agreed to waive his no-trade clause.
In return, the Rangers receive promising prospect Carey Terrance and a third-round pick in this year’s NHL Draft—originally owned by the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Ducks also reacquire a fourth-round pick they previously sent to New York in the Jacob Trouba trade back in December.
Kreider, 34, had Anaheim on his 15-team no-trade list, but waived it to facilitate the deal.
“Chris Kreider is the type of player we were looking to add this offseason,” Ducks GM Pat Verbeek said. “He brings size, speed, and a knack for performing in clutch moments. He’ll significantly upgrade both our power play and penalty kill units, which was a key area of focus for us.”
Kreider has two years remaining on his contract, which carries a $6.5 million annual cap hit—salary that Anaheim will absorb. The move provides the Rangers with increased cap flexibility ahead of free agency on July 1.
Rangers GM Chris Drury has been clear about his intention to retool the roster after missing the playoffs. That process began with the trade of former captain Jacob Trouba earlier in the season, and continued with transparency around Kreider’s status this offseason.
“Chris Kreider has meant so much to this franchise,” Drury said. “He’s been at the heart of some of our most iconic moments, from leading the team to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final to setting numerous franchise records. His leadership, both on and off the ice, including being the first recipient of the Rod Gilbert ‘Mr. Ranger’ Award, cements his legacy here. Chris will always be a Ranger, and we wish him and his family the very best.”
By completing the trade early in the offseason, the Rangers are positioned to be aggressive in free agency and could even pursue offer sheets to acquire young talent.
The Ducks, meanwhile, continue an aggressive rebuild in hopes of returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2018. They recently hired three-time Stanley Cup-winning coach Joel Quenneville, the second-winningest coach in NHL history.
Kreider leaves New York after a 13-year career entirely spent with the Rangers, who selected him in the first round of the 2009 draft. He departs as the franchise’s all-time playoff leader in goals, power-play goals, and game-winning goals, having recorded 326 goals and 582 points in 883 regular-season games.
This past season was a challenging one for Kreider, who finished with 22 goals and eight assists in 68 games. In April, he revealed he played through multiple health issues, including back problems, vertigo, and a hand injury suffered during his first game after representing Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. He indicated the hand injury may require offseason surgery.
In Carey Terrance, the Rangers acquire a 20-year-old center who was a second-round pick in 2023. He notched 20 goals and 19 assists as captain of the OHL’s Erie Otters and brings leadership and international pedigree, having won back-to-back gold medals with Team USA at the World Junior Championships in 2024 and 2025.
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