The Anaheim Ducks completed a trade for veteran forward Chris Kreider on Thursday. This ended his 13-year tenure with the New York Rangers. New York needed cap space, and the Ducks were willing to absorb Kreider’s contract. As a result, he is taking his talents to Orange County for the foreseeable future.
The newest Ducks star did not waste time introducing himself to his new fan base. He spoke with Alexis Downie on an episode of Light The Lamp for Anaheim’s on-demand audio service, Ducks Stream. During this episode, the veteran forward discussed his side of the process and how aware he was of a deal coming together.
“It’s something we kind of talked about, going back and forth for the last couple of weeks, so I guess it wasn’t actually a surprise or a shock, but I think more surprised just with the number of people that reached out,” Kreider said of the trade.
“Whether it be from earlier in my hockey career, my time with the Rangers … just how welcoming everyone’s been within the Anaheim organization, the players and some of the staff, it’s hard not be super excited to be joining that group.”
Ducks’ Chris Kreider reunites with familiar faces
Kreider heads to an unfamiliar situation playing for a team other than the Rangers. However, his transition to playing for the Ducks could be somewhat streamlined. The veteran forward is reuniting with defenseman Jacob Trouba, who spent parts of six seasons on Broadway together with the Blueshirts.
“Jacob … has to be one of the best teammates I’ve ever played with,” Kreider told Downie. “Everything that he brings as a player and a leader. That’s a guy that you want on your team … and he’s a terrific friend, too, so that’s certainly a massive plus. Super easy guy to talk to. He’s been such a good friend, such a good teammate to me for such a long time, so being able to play with him again, it’s amazing.”
Trouba is not the only former Ranger on the roster, either. Forwards Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome both crossed paths with Kreider in New York. This familiarity could certainly help the 34-year-old settle into his new team and city before the 2025-26 season begins.
“I think obviously there’s some familiarity with some of the players on the roster having played with a bunch of those guys in New York,” Kreider said. “I mean, everyone just has such glowing things to say about not only the organization, but the staff, the living situation, and the direction the team’s going in.
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