Who's the Rangers Backbone? Why Chris Kreider Can't be Discarded

For 13 years, Chris Kreider has been a cornerstone of the New York Rangers.

A veteran of over 700 games, he's seen the highs and lows of Broadway hockey. From his electrifying playoff debut in 2012 to his 52-goal campaign in 2021-22 and his series-clinching natural hat trick against the Carolina Hurricanes last spring, he's one of the greatest Blueshirts ever. He deserves to have his number in the MSG rafters when he retires.

The 33-year-old has three years and $6.5 million AAV left and is one of the best special teams and netfront players in the world. He's 6'3", 230 pounds, and has been the one constant through thick and thin over the last decade in the franchise. He was on the 2014 team that reached the Stanley Cup Final and remained around through the 2018 rebuild letter.

So, it's why these trade rumors don't make sense, especially for an organization that believes it can still be a Stanley Cup contender. They still deploy the icon who remains at the peak of his powers, even if his slow start to the season has seen his chances to make USA's Four Nations Cup roster dissipate. The 33-year-old's struggles aren't individual but systemic, rooted in the team's overall dysfunction.

A key reason for Kreider's slow start lies in his best friend, Mika Zibanejad. His inconsistent play has dragged down everyone around him. The left winger has also had to adjust to new faces, like Reilly Smith, whose addition has yet to provide the spark New York hoped for. Sure, trading Kreider would bring a significant return, but he's the type of player you build around. He's the Blueshirts' emotional leader. His work ethic, experience, and connection to the fan base are irreplaceable.

The Rangers' problems are more profound than any one player.

The 18-game defensive daze and 1-6 skid are a team-wide issue, and losing Kreider would create a hole unlikely to be filled by whoever comes from the other side. He's still putting up goals—10 in 23 games this season.

While he has no assists yet, he's finding the back of the net on a team ranked 12th in goals scored league-wide. Since signing his extension, he's been playing the best hockey of his career, and there's no reason to think he won't keep delivering offensively. In a league where every dollar counts, the factor fueling the trade rumors is not a lack of production, rather cap-crunhing reasons which is blasphemy when you conisder the budget is rising this Summer.

Kreider is the backbone of this team and needs to remain a Blueshirt for life, mainly while he's still producing at a modest rate.