The New York Rangers made a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins at the beginning of NHL Free Agency. New York acquired veteran winger Reilly Smith from the Penguins in exchange for two draft picks. Smith brings a lot to the Rangers that could help them win a Stanley Cup. And star winger Chris Kreider is excited about the move his team made.
Kreider spoke with the media on Thursday when he was asked about the move. The Rangers forward had nothing but positive things to say about his new teammate. He shared his thoughts about Smith as a player when speaking with the media.
“Incredibly smart,” Kreider said of Reilly Smith, via NHL.com. “Playing against him for a long time and watching him in Vegas, he can do everything. He can play anywhere on your power play. Very effective penalty killer. He's very intelligent, very crafty, a strong skater, a ton of skill, dynamic. He's a really good player.”
Chris Kreider aims to win Stanley Cup with Rangers
Kreider has done a lot in his career with New York. This especially rings true in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In fact, he holds the Rangers' all-time record for playoff goals. Furthermore, he ranks third in franchise history in playoff points. Only Brian Leetch and Mark Messier have more points in the Stanley Cup Playoffs than Kreider.
The veteran winger has had some deep playoff runs with New York, as well. He made the 2014 Stanley Cup Final with the Rangers in a losing effort to the Los Angeles Kings. He went to the Eastern Conference Finals the following year, as well. In more recent times, Kreider has returned to the East Final with New York in 2022 and 2024.
Coming so close so often has left Kreider hungry for more. He believed this year was their year before they were eliminated. The Rangers lost to the Florida Panthers in the East Final as Florida went on to win the Stanley Cup. Kreider said he watched the Stanley Cup Final this year. And the overall postseason run has left his team wanting to get back on the ice for the year ahead.
“It's a super-close group, obviously not a lot of turnover, so I think everyone is in the same frame of mind,” Chris Kreider said, via NHL.com, “just champing at the bit, ready to go.”
The Rangers hope to make the playoffs for the fourth season in a row in 2025. They begin their 2024-25 campaign against Reilly Smith's former team. They travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Penguins on October 9. It'll certainly be interesting to see if Smith and Kreider can help New York win its first Stanley Cup since 1994.
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