At The Record, Andrew Gross writes that when the Rangers look to make improvements during the offseason, they should continue their stance of refusing to include Chris Kreider in any trade talk.
Gross says, “he can be a special NHL player. It would be a shame to see him become one elsewhere.”
Kreider is an RFA after next season. He turned 22 years old at the end of April
During the playoffs, John Tortorella said of Kreider, “Chris is still in the middle of the process. He has major assets and he is going through the process. This is a really good thing for him, to get an opportunity to play some games.”
Kreider told the NY Times on break up day that he felt this season was very encouraging and loved the feeling of getting better everyday.
Adam Rotter: As far as I have heard, the Rangers still hold Kreider in extremely high regard and view him as an important piece for the future. Ryan Callahan had struggles, Michael Del Zotto had struggles and Kreider struggled, but made big strides, during his first pro season. So much was expected of Kreider but he didn’t get to have the same kind of regular season that a rookie should. With the schedule compressed and the Rangers needing to find ways to get points, John Tortorella didn’t feel comfortable putting Kreider on the ice. When he played in Hartford he scored and each time he came back he looked better.
He has a full season under his belt along with a full season of playing and learning how the Rangers want to play. During the playoffs in 2012 he played on instinct with very little coaching. That led to some really good moments and some really bad moments. Kreider ended the playoffs this year in a top six role and looked like a player who wants to hang onto that role for next season.
In the playoffs, Chris Kreider has played in 7 games and is averaging 8:40 per night.
His lowest ice time in the playoffs was 4:05 in the Washington series and his highest was 13:50 in game four.
He has one goal and one assist with 16 hits and seven shots.
Kreider told the Daily News earlier in the playoffs that he tries not to think about what it means to be placed on which line and that he is just happy to have an opportunity to try and help the team win.
He added that he is much more focused on the result of the game than his own performance and doesn’t want to create a problem by over-analyzing himself.
Kreider told ESPN NY that no matter what people think or say about his season, he feels that he learned a lot, had a very positive experience and told SI.com, that he isn’t and has never doubted himself.
Larry Brooks writes in the NY Post that so far, Kreider has shown to be a clutch playoff performer.
John Tortorella said the day before game five that he wanted to give Kreider another chance to play on a higher line after he thought that Kreider played well in that spot before he got hurt in game three.
“It is so surreal. It’s not something that can really be explained. It is something that just has to be felt, but it was awesome. I’m just excited to give these guys an opportunity to play another game.”
It’s possible that Chris Kreider will enter the Rangers lineup today for the injured Ryane Clowe and play for the first time since game one.
Kreider told the NY Times that he thinks, if given the opportunity, he can help a lot more than he did last year because he feels he is now able to be a much more consistent player.
He said that his skating and skills are better than where they were and that mentally he has gotten much stronger when it comes to being a professional hockey player and handling the ups and downs that come with that.
Kreider told Newsday that no matter what happens, Kreider wants to have a positive attitude and help the team in any way that he can.
11:19AM: Pat Leonard tweets that the the expectation is that Ryane Clowe will play tonight for Arron Asham.
Clowe told reporters that he was a game time decision.
11:05AM: According to a tweet from Larry Brooks, Chris Kreider is among a few players who are skating with the group of players the Rangers called up from Hartford.
Matt Gilroy, Kris Newbury, Michael Haley and Roman Hamrlik are also skating with the Hartford players.
In the Daily News and in the NY Post, both Pat Leonard and Larry Brooks wonder why Chris Kreider isn’t getting a chance to play and potentially spark the Rangers offense like he did in situations during last year’s run.
Brooks says that dressing Kreider and at least putting him on the second power play option could open up some options for the Rangers, “maybe the, ah, uh, specialty team could use a specialist who can fire the puck from the circles even if pulling the trigger appears to be a fireable offense under the Blueshirts’ power play work rules.”
Leonard spoke with Kreider and Kreider said that while he had some chances in game one, he didn’t execute or help the team. Kreider, who had two shots on goal, one that was blocked and three that missed the net, said that the shots that missed the net were his best chances and the ones he really had some power behind.
Kreider was scratched in game two but played 8:23 in game one, 3:40 of which came in the third period.
Adam Rotter: The Rangers have enough players who can/should score in their top nine, Rick Nash, Ryan Callahan, Brad Richards, Derek Stepan, Derick Brassard, Mats Zuccarello and Ryane Clowe if he plays, where Kreider shouldn’t have to be put in a position to be a difference maker. Those players, some who have played well, have not been able to register on the score sheet yet so maybe it’s a good idea to put Kreider in tonight since putting him into the lineup. He would at least bring some more speed and skill into the lineup. It’s up to John Tortorella though to make this decision. If he thinks that Kreider can help the Rangers win tonight’s game, he will be in the lineup. If Tortorella thinks that having other players in the lineup as opposed to Kreider will help them win, then they will play and Kreider will sit.
At The Record, Andrew Gross writes that when the Rangers look to make improvements during the offseason, they should continue their stance of refusing to include Chris Kreider in any trade talk.
