CH: 14 Things to Know About Chris Kreider, the Montreal Canadiens’ Newest Addition

Chris Kreider grew up in Boxford, Massachusetts, with his parents, Kathy and David, and his younger sister, Katie. Born on April 30, 1991, he initially played several sports, including soccer and lacrosse, before hockey took center stage. At Masconomet Regional High School, his potential shone through with 28 goals and 41 points in the 2006–2007 season.

He then continued his development at the prestigious Phillips Academy, where he dominated the 2008–2009 season with 33 goals and 56 points in just 26 games, while also excelling academically. His rise ultimately led him to Boston College, where he played for three seasons, from 2009 to 2012, and won two NCAA national championships, in 2010 and 2012, before turning professional.

Chris Kreider’s history with Montreal began long before he joined the Canadiens. On June 26, 2009, at just 18 years old, the American forward was selected 19th overall by the New York Rangers in the draft held at the Bell Centre. One particularly interesting detail today involves Jeff Gorton, who was already working for the New York organization at that time in the player personnel department.

He was therefore part of the Rangers’ staff when Kreider officially became a member of the organization. For the young forward from Massachusetts, that evening marked the true starting point of his NHL journey. And the fact that it all began in Montreal now lends a special significance to this pivotal moment in his career.

Even before making his NHL debut, Chris Kreider had already developed a winning habit. In three seasons with Boston College, the forward won two NCAA national championships—a major accomplishment in his career. The first came during his freshman season in 2010, when the Eagles defeated Wisconsin 5-0 in the final. Kreider also scored in that decisive game.

Two years later, in 2012, he lifted the national trophy for a second time after a 4-1 victory over Ferris State in the final. Kreider finished that final college season with 23 goals and 45 points in 44 games. A two-time champion in just three years, he then left Boston College at the top of his game to join the Rangers directly in the playoffs, without going through the minor leagues.

Alongside his successes with Boston College, Chris Kreider quickly made a name for himself on the international stage. At the 2010 World Junior Championship, the forward represented the United States and played a key role in the team’s gold-medal victory. Kreider finished the tournament with six goals and one assist in seven games, including a goal in the spectacular 6-5 overtime victory over Canada in the final.

He returned to the tournament the following year and remained an offensive threat with four goals in six games. This time, the Americans finished third after defeating Sweden 4-2 in the bronze-medal game. Kreider thus concluded his first two appearances at the World Junior Championship with two medals in as many tournaments.

Chris Kreider had a particularly unusual start to his NHL career. Just a few days after winning his second national championship with Boston College, he joined the New York Rangers directly for the 2012 playoffs, without having played a single regular-season game in the NHL or spent any time in the minor leagues. Kreider played his first game on April 16 against Ottawa, then scored his first goal in just his third game.

He ultimately finished the series with five goals in 18 games, helping the Rangers reach the Eastern Conference Finals. Even more astonishingly, Kreider set the NHL record for the most playoff goals scored before playing his first regular-season game. It was a professional debut that would be hard to replicate.

On May 17, 2014, Chris Kreider unwittingly became one of the most hated players in Montreal. During the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Rangers and the Canadiens, the forward skated at full speed toward Carey Price’s net. After making contact with defenseman Alexei Emelin, Kreider lost his balance and collided violently with the Montreal goaltender.

Price finished the first game, but a knee injury prevented him from returning to the game for the rest of the series. Dustin Tokarski then took over in net. The Rangers ultimately eliminated Montreal in six games. The incident remains deeply etched in the memories of Canadiens fans and would haunt Kreider for much of his career.

The spring of 2014 also marked Chris Kreider’s deepest playoff run. After eliminating the Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Finals, Kreider and Martin St-Louis’s New York Rangers advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Los Angeles Kings. To this day, that remains Kreider’s only appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals. New York ultimately lost the series in five games, but Kreider refused to give up.

In the fifth and final game, played in Los Angeles, he scored on a power play to tie the game at 1-1. The Rangers then pushed the Kings to double overtime before falling 3-2. Kreider finished the series with 13 points, including five goals, in 15 games.

The 2021–2022 season remains undeniably the most spectacular of Chris Kreider’s career. At age 30, the Rangers forward set a personal best with 52 goals in 81 games, adding 25 assists to finish with 77 points. Kreider ranked third in the entire NHL in goals, behind Auston Matthews and Leon Draisaitl.

His dominance in front of the net was particularly impressive on the power play: he scored 26 power-play goals, the highest total in the league that season. Kreider also became only the fourth player in Rangers history to reach the 50-goal mark in a single season. This campaign cemented his reputation as one of the most dangerous forwards of his generation around the net.

Chris Kreider also left a significant mark on Rangers history thanks to his performances when the pressure was at its peak. On May 16, 2024, in Game 6 against the Carolina Hurricanes, he scored a hat trick in the third period to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 5-3 victory.

His third goal of the night was his 40th in the playoffs with the Rangers, allowing him to surpass Rod Gilbert’s 34 goals and become the franchise’s all-time leading playoff scorer. Kreider would go on to extend that record, finishing his time in New York with 48 goals in 123 playoff games in a Rangers uniform. A tally that perfectly sums up his effectiveness in clutch moments.

After 13 seasons in New York, Chris Kreider’s time with the Rangers will come to an end on June 12, 2025. The organization has just missed the playoffs with a 39-36-7 record and is undertaking a major roster overhaul, having already traded away its captain, Jacob Trouba, a few months earlier.

Eager to free up space under the salary cap and reshape the roster, Chris Drury trades Kreider and a fourth-round pick to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for prospect Carey Terrance and a third-round pick. Kreider, who held a no-trade clause, accepted the trade. His departure truly symbolized the end of an era in New York, as he was then the Rangers’ longest-tenured player.

Chris Kreider’s arrival in Montreal marks a particularly interesting reunion with Martin St-Louis. The two men were teammates with the Rangers in 2014 and 2014–2015, even playing together on the same line. Their relationship continued after St-Louis retired. Before the 2021–2022 season, Kreider had actually reached out to him for one-on-one coaching sessions, both on video and on the ice.

This collaboration speaks to the respect he has for his former teammate, whom he considers a true mentor. Kreider says he learned a great deal from him. Their story is now taking on a new dimension: St-Louis will be coaching a former teammate for the first time in his coaching career. And the Montreal native is thrilled about it—he says he’s happy that this first time is with Kreider.

After just one season with the Anaheim Ducks, Chris Kreider’s contract was terminated by mutual agreement in September 2026, allowing him to become a free agent. His arrival in Montreal, however, was no coincidence. According to Jeff Gorton, Kreider himself reached out to the Canadiens first, expressing his interest in the organization.

The veteran was reunited with several people with whom he had already forged strong bonds in New York. Martin St-Louis, his former teammate and mentor, is now the head coach, while Gorton was part of the Rangers’ front office for much of Kreider’s time there. Kreider also maintains a close relationship with Jim Ramsay, who is now with the Canadiens. All of these connections naturally helped bring Kreider closer to Montreal.

Chris Kreider arrives in Montreal with an impressive track record after 14 seasons in the NHL. The 35-year-old veteran has played 958 regular-season games, racking up 632 points on 348 goals and 284 assists. Notably, he has reached the 20-goal mark 11 times, with a career-high of 52 in 2021–2022. Kreider has also built a solid reputation on the power play, scoring 124 goals in that situation since his debut.

His experience extends to the playoffs as well: he has tallied 50 goals and 83 points in 135 games. With the Canadiens, Kreider could now reach a symbolic milestone in his career, as he needs only 42 more games to reach the prestigious 1,000-game mark in the NHL.

At 35, Chris Kreider isn’t coming to Montreal just to score goals. A power forward known for his work around the net, his intensity, and his preparation, he brings, above all, a significant dose of leadership and experience to a still-young team. With nearly 1,000 regular-season games and 135 playoff games under his belt, Kreider knows what it takes to win in the NHL.

His influence could particularly benefit Juraj Slafkovsky, who also possesses an imposing frame and is constantly looking to better utilize his strength near the net. Kreider will be able to share with him some of the nuances that have been his strength for over a decade. For the young players on the Canadiens, his presence therefore represents an opportunity to learn from a respected veteran.