On Monday, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported the New York Rangers made it clear they are ready to shake up their roster.
Friedman named left winger Chris Kreider as one of the players available, and he should generate a ton of interest.
Kreider is a consistent 30-goal threat who also plays a very heavy game. His points pace is a bit down from past seasons, with nine goals and no assists in 19 games, but he’s proven to be a difference-maker with four game-winning goals.
Let’s go over three specific clubs that could look to acquire him.
It is no secret the Buffalo Sabres are looking to bring in a proven top-six winger. The Sabres would make a lot of sense as a potential suitor for the Boxford, Mass., native.
If the Sabres acquired Kreider, he could be a perfect addition for either of their top two lines and power play. The Sabres also have the cap space to take on his $6.5-million cap hit until the end of the 2026-27 season.
Kreider would be an excellent target for a rising Sabres club looking to break their 13-year playoff drought. However, Kreider has a 15-team no-trade list, so if the Sabres are on it, they need to prove they can be competitive enough for Kreider to leave a promising Rangers squad for an Atlantic Division rival.
Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Detroit Red Wings were expected to take the next step and compete for a playoff spot.
So far, things have gone poorly for the Red Wings, as they have a 9-10-2 record and have won four out of their last 10 games. They could use a significant move right now.
It is fair to argue the Red Wings would benefit from adding another top-six winger. Only Dylan Larkin has more goals than Kreider does, and only four forwards have at least 10 points. Acquiring a scoring winger with term, such as Kreider, could be incredible for the Original Six club.
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After a big off-season of spending, the Utah Hockey Club has an 8-10-3 record. They have also been trending in the wrong direction, winning just three out of their last 10 games. Perhaps these struggles could spark GM Bill Armstrong to try to make a splash and acquire Kreider.
Kreider would give Utah a significant upgrade for the second-line left-wing spot, which is currently Jack McBain. Having Clayton Keller, Chris Kreider, Mattias Maccelli and McBain down the left side would be fantastic depth.
Utah has about $7.78 million in cap space and trade assets, including three second-round picks in 2026, to pull off a potential Kreider trade. While the goal is to compete without sacrificing too much of the future for the now, Kreider’s shown he can still be effective in the long run. They should be a team to watch in the sweepstakes.
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