New York Rangers must make Kreider decision with their head, not their hearts

All eyes are now on the upcoming Trade Deadline and the New York Rangers, and Chris Kreider will be at the heart of the buzz that comes with this time of year.

We’re approaching crunch time for the New York Rangers now who will have a plethora of key decisions to make before Feb. 24 comes around.

Who will stay and who will go?

How will the front office resolve the three-headed goalie situation?

Can the Rangers somehow, someway claw their way out of salary cap trouble?

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All of those answers will be answered in the coming weeks and one of the most intriguing situations to keep an eye on will be the one involving Chris Kreider.

In the final year of his current four-year, $18,500,000 contract, Kreider is due to become a UFA in the summer.

It is widely expected that the Rangers will pull the trigger and trade Kreider at the Trade Deadline, and that has been the train of thought for months now.

However, Kreider is a polarizing figure among Blueshirts fans and I feel that will be the case for the front office the closer we get to the Deadline.

First and foremost, Kreider has morphed into one of the most well-respected voices in the Ranger locker room and that leadership is vital as this team continues to go through this rebuild.

The power forward also boasts an abundance of talent but, as has been the case for the entirety of his eight-year career in the NHL, there is an alarming lack of consistency.

So much so that, at age 28, you begin to wonder if the version of Chris Kreider we know now is going to be the version we are stuck with.

That thought alone is incredibly frustrating given what we know Kreider is capable of, as perfectly demonstrated by his exploits before the All-Star Break.

In 20 games, the wing has tallied 11 goals and eight assists for 19 points as opposed to 13 points in  his first 28 outings, coming up clutch for his team when needed and combining the deadly weapons he has in his arsenal.

From his blistering speed to his considerable upper-body strength, Kreider can be one of the most effective power forwards in the National Hockey League when he’s in his groove.

However, the problem is that excellence isn’t on show nearly enough and you don’t want to shell out $6-$7 million a year for a player that blows hot and cold.

And that’s why the front office tandem of President John Davidson and General Manager Jeff Gorton must use their heads and not their hearts when it comes to Chris Kreider.

As already mentioned, Kreider has developed into a real leader in that locker room and he’s become a real mentor for some of the franchise’s promising prospects.

Plus, given the plethora of older heads this team has already shed over the last couple of years, the Blueshirts need some veteran presence on this roster as they continue to go through the rebuild.

Couple that with what Kreider has shown over the last month or so, then you can make a compelling case for why the Rangers should try to re-sign the forward to a new deal.

And, if reports are to be believed, then Kreider is said to be very keen on remaining in The Big Apple so maybe a hometown discount could be thrashed out.

On the flip side of all of that, however, given Kreider’s strengths as a player and his experience in the postseason, he will be one of the most attractive assets on the market.

The St. Louis Blues, the Boston Bruins and the Colorado Avalanche are teams that stand out as obvious candidates in the Chris Kreider sweepstakes, with all three teams immediately better if they add the 28-year-old to their roster.

Given the demand and the overall nature of the market, Kreider could fetch the Rangers yet another coveted first round pick plus prospects or an NHL-ready young talent.

As such, and this goes without saying, the New York Rangers will need to approach the Trade Deadline with a clear head.

They can not let this franchise’s feelings about Chris Kreider the player or the person cloud their judgement, and they must make the best decision for the long-term future of this team.

Granted, I would personally be in the camp of keeping Kreider if all parties can thrash out a team-friendly deal, but there is a lot at stake for the Blueshirts.

Because, after all, Kreider isn’t the only pending free agent the Rangers need to worry about with the futures of the likes of Ryan Strome, Tony DeAngelo and Jesper Fast all up in the air.

This is going to be a defining few weeks for Jeff Gorton and company, and Chris Kreider is the piece that is going to start this game of dominoes.

Stay or go, Kreider’s future with this franchise will impact everything else they do leading up to and on the Trade Deadline.

As a result, the New York Rangers must resolve the Chris Kreider situation using their heads and not their hearts, otherwise it could lead to more tough decisions later down the road.