Former New York Rangers forward is set to return to Madison Square Garden, though he’ll be in a new uniform after 13 seasons with the Blueshirts. His trade this past summer marked a fresh chapter for the 34-year-old, who had been a consistent contributor in New York, highlighted by his 52-goal season. While he hasn’t matched that career-high since, Kreider has maintained his scoring touch.
Returning to MSG, Kreider will be met with fans who remember both his talent and charismatic personality, which helped him form strong connections with the team and its supporters. Despite last season’s struggles that ultimately led to his trade, Kreider remains focused on hockey rather than dwelling on the past.
Speaking with Andrew Knoll of RG Media, Kreider shared his thoughts on returning:
“I don’t know how it’s gonna feel. I’ll let you know, I guess. I’m looking forward to seeing my parents, they’ll be in town. I look forward to seeing some former teammates, Mika [Zibanejad] in particular, I played for such a long time with him. I look forward to seeing a lot of the staff, too, some of the medical staff, and equipment managers. Even some of the management. Everyone, if you’re there long enough, you develop relationships.”
While he values those personal connections, Kreider is equally focused on the game:
“We have to remember that it’s an important game for us and an important two points. So, once the dog-and-pony show is done, hopefully we can get down to playing a little hockey.”
Kreider has also credited former Rangers goalie Stephen Valiquette for helping him refine his scoring approach. By studying how goalies read the game, Kreider learned to play the percentages, get more quick shots off, and improve his chances of scoring—an approach that helped him set the team record with 52 goals in the 2021-22 season.
This season with the Anaheim Ducks, Kreider has continued to be a key contributor. The Ducks sit second in the Pacific Division, just two points behind the Vegas Golden Knights. Kreider has 13 goals in 28 games, on pace for 38, which would be his highest total since scoring 39 for the Rangers two seasons ago. Anaheim will rely on him to keep up his production as they push for a playoff spot this year.