Although the New York Rangers had a decent offseason, it started on a sour note. That was because on June 12th, the Rangers sent Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-round pick, which the Rangers used to select Artyom Gonchar. Both of these players are young players who could become decent NHL players, but will need a few years of development first.
However, it'll take a lot for these players to make this trade seem like a win for the Rangers. While many fans agree it was time for the Rangers to move on from Kreider, it didn't make the news any easier. Kreider was the longest tenured Ranger, having made his debut in Game 3 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Ottawa Senators. He had many great moments over his career, but none were bigger than his heroics in Game 6 of the 2024 second round against the Carolina Hurricanes.
The game that turned Chris Kreider into a Rangers legend
Heading into that game, there was a growing panic among Rangers fans. After taking a 3-0 series lead, the Rangers had lost back-to-back games. This includes a 4-1 loss in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden, which saw the Rangers surrender four unanswered goals in the third period. These concerns were only made worse as the Rangers looked sloppy in Game 6, prompting the Hurricanes to take a 3-1 lead.
That's when Kreider decided to put the team on his back and will them to a victory. At 6:43 of the third, he snuck the puck past Frederik Andersen's pad to cut the Hurricanes' lead to one. Then at 11:54, Kreider took advantage of a Hurricanes penalty, tipping in a shot from Artemi Panarin to tie the game at three. Just 3:47 later, Ryan Lindgren fed the puck to Kreider in front of the crease, and he put it into the back of the net to secure the hat trick and give the Rangers a 4-3 lead. It took Kreider just 8:58 of game time to get the hat trick.
The Rangers would go on to win Game 6 by a score of 5-3, clinch the series, and punch their ticket to their second conference finals in three years. While the Rangers would fall just short again, this Game 6 victory became the highlight of the season. When you think of the 2023-24 Rangers, the first thing that comes to mind is that game and comeback.
It also gave Kreider his signature moment. As mentioned before, Kreider had spent more than a decade with the Blueshirts. During that time, he was a part of many great teams, broke several Rangers records, and ranks high on most franchise lists. While that alone gave him an argument for one of the greatest Rangers of all time, the one thing he was missing was that signature moment. Many questioned could be considered an all-time great if he had that clutch moment.
But with this hat trick, Kreider did more than send the Rangers to the conference finals. He secured his spot as a Rangers legend and ended any potential debate surrounding his legacy. When he returns to the Garden on December 15th, you can guarantee the highlights of this game will be played.