The New York Rangers failed to make the playoffs this season as they had one of the more disappointing seasons.
With that, the Rangers will likely look to shake up their roster. The website PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Rangers dealing Chris Kreider to the Edmonton Oilers in a blockbuster deal.
Rangers acquire:
- Darnell Nurse ($1.8 million retained)
Oilers acquire:
- Chris Kreider
- Braden Schneider
- 2025 fourth-round pick (Anaheim’s)
The proposed deal would be a blockbuster and one that does make sense for both teams. New York gets an offensive defenseman while getting off of Kreider’s deal. Edmonton, meanwhile, gets off Nurse’s deal, while also getting a draft pick and a young defenseman.
New York would acquire Nurse, who has five years left on his eight-year, $74 million deal. Nurse would be a top-four defenseman with the Rangers and add some offense to the backend. With the Oilers this season, he recorded 5 goals and 28 assists for 33 points in 76 games.
In return, the Rangers would deal a draft pick and Kreider. Kreider has two years left on his seven-year, $45.5 million deal. He struggled with the Rangers this season and has been mentioned in trade rumors. He recorded 21 goals and 7 assists for 28 points in 67 games.
Edmonton would also acquire Schneider, who’s a young defenseman who could replace Nurse. Schneider is a physical player who recorded 6 goals and 15 assists for 21 points in 80 games.
Insider Expects Rangers to Move on From Kreider
As the Rangers struggled during the season, Kreider’s name was mentioned in trade rumors, but he wasn’t moved.
Now, after New York failed to make the playoffs, Rangers insider Vincent Z. Mercogliano of Lohud expects Kreider to be dealt this summer.
“My sense is that the Rangers are heading toward an eventual split with their longest-tenured player, Chris Kreider,” Mercogliano wrote. “He’s been on the trade block since Drury included his name in that memo, and while the rumors have quieted down in the months since, two people with knowledge of the situation told lohud.com that New York remains motivated to move him.”
Kreider has spent his entire NHL career with the Rangers after being drafted 19th overall in 2009. He’s a two-time NHL All-Star.
Kreider Didn’t Pay Attention to Trade Rumors
Kreider was the subject of trade rumors this season, but he says he didn’t pay attention to them.
With the Rangers struggling at the deadline, Kreider’s name came up in trade rumors. Yet, Kreider says he was just focused on the season.
“I’m not privy to that information. I worry about what’s right in front of me and right now it’s Winnipeg. Happy to be here, enjoyed my time here and I’ll continue to try to help this team win hockey games,” Kreider said back on March 11.
Kreider and the Rangers ended up failing to make the playoffs a year after winning the Presidents’ Trophy for the best record in the NHL.
“We had opportunities in the last 20 games to make our own noise and make our own way, and we didn’t do that,” coach Peter Laviolette said about missing the playoffs. “It’s on us. We needed to be better… I think every year this team has gone in expecting to be successful, expecting to win a Stanley Cup. This disappointment is real. From everybody’s standpoint.”
The Rangers failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
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