{"time":1789318316576,"blocks":[{"id":"CVcWyRSFeK","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The 2026-27 NHL Regular Season kicks off in just 16 days for the Boston Bruins, when they take on the New York Rangers on the opening night of the NHL season."}},{"id":"Pzv2W0xQ5t","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"After days of wild speculation about a potential homecoming in Massachusetts, the Bruins officially missed out on adding two-time all-star Chris Kreider."}},{"id":"4EjcmqQRS0","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Kreider signed with arch-rival the Montreal Canadiens, further strengthening the emerging juggernaut north of the border."}},{"id":"0-qKNhj7kS","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Kreider, 35, posted 22 goals and 50 points in 78 games with the Anaheim Ducks last season. Kreider unexpectedly hit the UFA market after he and the Ducks agreed to a mutual contract termination on Wednesday, with reports stating Kreider wants to return home to the East Coast."}},{"id":"sZWesycBOk","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Elliotte Friedman, the best insider for the NHL, posted a podcast Thursday morning with an update on the situation and fanned the flames of Kreider returning to Boston."}},{"id":"8PX3TK6y1V","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\"He wants to go back by his family East,\" Friedman said. \"I know there's a lot of speculation about Boston. It makes a lot of sense. We'll see on Thursday. I heard there was interest in him.\" "}},{"id":"mNRcrRTmjs","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The veteran forward is a native of Boxford, Massachusetts. He was picked 19th overall in the 2009 NHL Draft and then played three seasons of college hockey with Boston College."}},{"id":"aJalpGnwf5","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Montreal gave Kreider a one-year, bonus-laden deal for the star veteran."}},{"id":"FNbIEvs_s9","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The two-time All-Star forward spent the first 13 years of his NHL career with the Rangers, posting 326 goals and 582 points in 883 games for the Original 6 franchise, while reaching the 2014 Stanley Cup Final, along with multiple Conference Finals appearances in 2012, 2015, 2022, and 2024."}},{"id":"x76J3vuaE9","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Kreider spent 2025-26 with the Ducks."}},{"id":"POfxW1Wsd-","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The veteran forward is a guaranteed 20-goals-a-year player. Kreider has never had a season since his rookie year when he didn't play at a pace of 20-goals-per-year, while only failing to reach the mark officially twice in that time due to injuries in 2017-18 and 2013-14."}},{"id":"nfyosqT-hP","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Kreider can play on both special teams units and will be an excellent veteran leader for the younger Canadiens forwards."}},{"id":"Wa62jnrwwr","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Had he landed in Boston, Kreider felt like a perfect fit to skate alongside Fraser Minten and become another key part of a new, emerging leadership."}},{"id":"ncGBQ13kt3","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Instead, the Bruins will likely roll with what they've got in an already strong, depth-filled forward depth chart and move forward through camp that way."}},{"id":"mtvrpo2g","type":"video","data":{"url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/ef9eee17-8e49-4596-9313-abac9b5ea01a/mp4","caption":"","autoplay":false,"controls":true,"muted":false,"stretched":true,"width":0,"height":0,"image":{"url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/ef9eee17-8e49-4596-9313-abac9b5ea01a/thumbnail"},"cdn":{"videoId":"ef9eee17-8e49-4596-9313-abac9b5ea01a","libraryId":"372172","collectionId":"30032062-eefd-4041-a355-12ad05bc987b","cdnBaseUrl":"https://vz-052fc010-b27.b-cdn.net","mp4Url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/ef9eee17-8e49-4596-9313-abac9b5ea01a/mp4","thumbnailUrl":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/ef9eee17-8e49-4596-9313-abac9b5ea01a/thumbnail","previewAnimationUrl":"https://vz-052fc010-b27.b-cdn.net/ef9eee17-8e49-4596-9313-abac9b5ea01a/preview.webp"}}}],"version":"2.31.6"}

Former Boston Bruins 49-Point Forward Signs Deal In Slovakia