It was a sight that could have been scripted for a movie: a team star passing a legend. New York Rangers on the power play, fan out, and MVP favorite Artemi Panarin slides the puck to the side of the net, where the Rangers' Chris Kreider deftly deflects the puck into the net. That goal was Kreider's 100th Power Play goal of his career, and he passed Adam Graves for 3rd most goals in Rangers history after tying him in earlier in the night. It's been a long road to this point for the 2nd best player the Rangers drafted out of Boston College (Brian Leetch), but what is the legacy of the "Amazing Kreider-man" writing on Broadway?
It's not hard to see the comparison between Kreider and the man he passed, Adam Graves. Both were players that the fanbase looked at as the prototypical power forward, except Graves impacted the game with his physical play as Kreider relied on his speed. Both park their 200+ pound frames in front of the net. Graves would be the immovable object at the cost of his back for years, but Kreider is moved around a lot in the 1-3-1 Power Play that no team used until the late 90s. While both were deflection masters, Kreider has led the NHL in tip-in goals since 2012 with 81. Kreider adds a speed component to his game to separate him from Graves. The next stat in Boxford, Massachusetts native's cross-hairs is Camille Henry's team Power Play goal record of 115. Or...is there another record that could be in his sight?
Arguably, Chris Kreider is the 3rd best First Round pick in New York Rangers history behind Brad Park and Brian Leetch. Yes, he is better than 1991's First Round pick Alexei Kovalev, and most successful First Rounders like Rick Middleton had it elsewhere. Despite frustrations, the Rangers never shipped out Chris Kreider, and he rewarded the Blueshirts' fans. Kreider scored the 6th most goals in the NHL (124) and represented the Rangers at the 2022 All-Star Game in Las Vegas. That season, he threatened Jaromir Jagr's single-season goal record (54) when he deposited 53 pucks into the net.
However, Kreider's real success was in the playoffs - hell, from his FIRST playoff game. IN 2012, Kreider took the first of many Derek Stepan passes that he'd wrist into the net for a 3-1 and the eventual game-winner. Kreider would do it again in Game 1 vs the Capitals. In that post-season, Kreider would tie the record for most playoff goals (6) before playing his first regular season game. Those moments would be the beginning of a LONG list of Chris Kreider heroics in the playoffs. From Kreider's OT winner in his embattled 2013 season to his return in 2014 that sparked the Rangers' 3-1 comeback over the Penguins or his game-tying goal in Game 5 vs. Washington to stave off elimination and his two-goal 1st period in Game 6... AND THE LIST GOES ON!!! In the last playoff, Kreider scored his 40th goal, passing the great Rod Gilbert for most in playoff history. If you looked at the Rangers' best playoff moments for the last decade, CK20 was undoubtedly part of it. In the last decade, only Joe Pavelski has more playoff goals (53) than Chris Kreider (40) for players that have yet to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup.
So, where does Kreider go from here? He stands at 281 goals in Rangers' history, placing him 3rd behind Jean Ratelle (336) and Rod Gilbert (406). At Kreider's current pace since 2021 (104 goals in 189 games | 45 goal pace), he could pass Ratelle by the All-Star Break next season. He would need to continue that pace for 2 more seasons to have a shot at Rod Gilbert. A wrinkle is Kreider's contract. He is paid $6.5m until the end of the 2026-27 season, but his No Trade Clause goes from full to limited at the end of this season. Will the Rangers look to move him before his contract ends? Can the power forward continue this pace while aging? Graves' back led to his production sliding, but Kreider is very healthy from the new NHL rules on cross-checking to his movement away from the front of the net. Those have led to the longest-tenured Ranger playing 239 games in the last 4 seasons. If Kreider finishes his contract and passes Rod Gilbert, does Kreider find more accolades coming from the Rangers? Does this translate to a banner raising even without a Stanley Cup? It's an intriguing swing for a player who frustrated Alain Vigneault and John Tortorella to flourish under David Quinn and Gerard Gallant. Unlike Alexei Kovalev, Kreider achieved fans' lofty expectations for him even while frustrating fans now. Like the man I've been comparing to him, Kreider won the First Rod "Mr. Ranger" Gilbert Award in 2022 for his charity work. This proves that Kreider's work isn't just his on-ice contributions. His contributions to his community matter much more after his jersey is removed for the last time.
The previous Boston College alum Brian Leetch coveted one record; Harry Howell's games played record. Sadly Glen Sather traded the only Rangers Conn Smythe Trophy winner before he could play 32 more games to break it. The future of Chris Kreider's career is still being written, and how close he'll get to any of those moments remains to be seen. The legacy Chris Kreider leaves behind isn't the most enormous shadow like the one that Mark Messier cast, but it's growing the more you look at it.
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