Chris Kreider has hit waivers, and at this stage, one has to wonder if he could be an interesting option for the Montreal Canadiens.
On Wednesday, Elliotte Friedman reported that the Anaheim Ducks and Chris Kreider had agreed to terminate the big forward’s contract and that he would be placed on unconditional waivers for contract termination. A couple of hours later, the 6-foot-3, 232-pound 35-year-old was indeed put on waivers, and once he clears, which he will, he will be free as a bird to sign with a new team.
While Kreider is no spring chicken, he still has a lot to give to a team. Last season, he put up 50 points in 75 games, and if not for the gigantic contract the Ducks were forced to give Leo Carlsson and its ripple effect, he would still be on the team. Last season, it wasn’t rare to see him play alongside top talent like Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier.
The plan now is for Kreider, a Massachusetts native, to head back to the East Coast to play on a contending team. This is where the Montreal Canadiens come in. Back in early July, we suggested that Kreider could be an interesting target for the Canadiens in the fallout of the Carlsson contract, and now that Kreider can be had for nothing more than money, he becomes an even better target.
Of course, if Kent Hughes still believes he has a shot at landing one of his “plan A” targets, such as Kirill Marchenko or Matthew Knies, he doesn’t need to pursue Kreider. Still, if those avenues or equivalent ones are shut, the veteran becomes an interesting option. While it’s clear that the Canadiens could use a second-line center, it appears they’ve decided to wait and see what they have in Michael Hage. However, they still want to acquire top-six talent to play alongside Ivan Demidov, and Kreider is, in many ways, similar to the aforementioned Marchenko and Knies. He’s big, he’s got speed, and he’s not afraid to get to the dirty areas. Last year he landed 69 hits in 73 games.
Most importantly, though, he shows up and delivers in the playoffs. Kreider is the kind of player who is made for playoff hockey and relishes playing when the stakes are high. In 135 playoff games, he has put up 83 points (0.61 PPG) and 84 penalty minutes. In the New York Rangers' run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014, he put up 13 points in 15 games. Yes, that was 12 years ago, but in his last three playoff years, he averaged 0.80 PPG over 35 games (28 points).
Granted, there is some history between Kreider and the Canadiens, namely that incident in the 2014 playoffs when he ran into Carey Price and caused the goaltender’s first serious knee injury. Many fans still see him as the cause of Price’s early retirement, but the fact of the matter is that Price isn’t on the team anymore, nor is anyone else who played for the Habs in 2014; Brendan Gallagher was the last survivor. This isn't like bringing Mark Scheifele in to play with Jake Evans.
If Kreider really wants to win a Stanley Cup, he should be willing to sign at a reasonable cap hit, and given his age, he shouldn’t ask for that much term either. Of course, you don’t want him to block the development of your young players, but there’s a balance to be struck. In the last playoffs, it was obvious that Oliver Kapanen lacked experience and still has plenty to learn to play that kind of hockey efficiently.
Having Kreider around for the next two years could be great for the Canadiens. He could have an important role this season and, if the young players improve enough, slide into a lesser role next season. His last contract had a $6.5 million cap hit, but by agreeing to have it terminated by the Ducks, he has proven that it’s not about the money for him anymore, and if there’s someone who can get players to sign reasonable deals, it’s the Canadiens’ GM.
This is an opportunity Hughes at least has to entertain, given that he couldn't find a trading partner this summer. Furthermore, both Jeff Gorton and Martin St-Louis know Kreider well and could speak to his character and potential fit with the team.
Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.
Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.
