The New York Rangers announced via Twitter they have come to terms with young forward Chris Kreider on a new contract Friday morning. Kreider, 25, filed for salary arbitration for the second time in his career. Back in 2014, the two sides agreed on a two-year “bridge contract” that expired this past season, and now they found themselves in the same exact place.
Kreider was seeking a long-term deal, and while the Rangers wanted to lock him up with one, their precarious salary situation was their cause for hesitation. It wasn’t until the very end the two sides came up with an agreement: 4 years for $4.625 million per year.
While Kreider has not yet reached his full potential, there is a lot to be excited for. The forward is perhaps the strongest in the NHL. He can stand toe to toe with anyone in the league, as well being able to skate past anyone with blazing speed. He has the potential of being a perennial 30 goal-scorer, but his highest goal total in a season sits at 21, which he has achieved each of the past two years.
The 2015-2016 season was an inconsistent one for the young forward. His speed and strength were there, but there were many nights when he was invisible on the ice. The scoring touch that was projected for 30 goals a year wasn’t consistent, either, until the last two and a half months of the season, where he scored 13 in the final stretch.
This contract allows the Rangers to see what type of player Kreider really is. His value will remain high as long as he has his wheels and size, and if he can prove to be the consistent goal scorer he is expected to be, then the Rangers will be happy. But it has to be expected if he cannot find that consistency, his contract might be completed with him wearing a different jersey.
But in the present moment, the Rangers retain their youth. They signed forward J.T Miller and defenseman Dylan McIlrath who were in similar situations as Kreider was. Now, only Kevin Hayes remains unsigned. Those four were the most important goals the Rangers needed to focus on in the offseason–that, and bringing top prospect Pavel Buchnevich over from Russia–and so far they are three-quarters of the way there. While not all of their problems are solved, the Rangers have retained their young core that can lead them to success (recall the Zibanejad trade earlier in the week). There’s a lot of work to be done, still. Only time will tell what general manager Jeff Gorton has up his sleeve.
