Chris Kreider hopes he isnt next moving piece as injury-filled season ends with a Rangers pitch
Join Post Sports+ for exciting member-only features, including real-time texting with Mollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers.To say this season was a challenge for Chris Kreider would be an understatement.Between a laundry list of injuries, being the center of a league-wide trade memo early in the year and the impact it all had on his on-ice contributions, the physical and emotional toll it took on the longest-tenured Ranger was evident as he fielded questions in front of his stall inside the locker room at MSG Training Center on breakup day on Monday.The fact that it might’ve been one of his last times in there as a Blueshirt only made the air heavier.“I mean, this is home for me,” said Kreider, who still has two years remaining on his contract with a 15-team no-trade list.
“This is the organization that gave me an opportunity to live out my dream.I’ve developed so many incredible relationships and grown up and spent so much time in this area.
So, obviously, this is where I want to be and this is the group I want to help in whatever fashion and win hockey games.”Given the way this season unfolded for the Rangers, there is an expectation that big changes will be made.Kreider was just one of several marquee players to underperform this season, finishing with his lowest point total since the 56-game 2020-21 season (22-8-30).The 33-year-old gave some insight as to why on Monday.After spending the first half of the year trying to figure out his back problem, which he detailed in November as back spasms, Kreider came down with a “weird illness” that went to the inner part of his ear and caused vertigo coming out of the Christmas break.Once he finally felt like he was back in a rhythm, Kreider suffered an injury to his left hand in the first game back from the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off on Feb.
22.He has to convene with a hand doctor to see how to move forward, but it may require surgery.“Third period, against Buffalo, late power ...