Smoke is getting thicker around Chris Kreider and the Boston Bruins.
With training camps around the NHL set to open next week and the 2026-27 regular season only 19 days away, the Bruins are already working through what looks like a nearly complete roster. But the chatter in the last 24 hours has pushed the Kreider-Boston speculation from loose rumor to something that feels awfully close to a finish line.
That momentum got a boost Thursday morning when Elliotte Friedman weighed in on his podcast.
"He wants to go back by his family East," Friedman said. "I know there's a lot of speculation about Boston.
It makes a lot of sense. We'll see on Thursday.
I heard there was interest in him."
Kreider’s game may not be what it once was, but the production has stayed remarkably steady. He remains a reliable 20-goal player, and his track record bears that out: since his rookie season, he has never played at a pace below 20 goals per year, with injuries in 2017-18 and 2013-14 the only times he didn’t get there.
That kind of scoring touch, along with his ability to help on both special teams units, would give Boston a veteran presence the Bruins could use with their younger forwards. He also looks like a natural fit next to Fraser Minten, and he would be a clear upgrade over the role Tanner Jeannot filled last season.
Of course, adding Kreider would not come without consequences. Boston’s forward group is already crowded, and bringing him in would likely push Matthew Poitras out of the picture. The unsigned RFA is still without a deal heading into camp.
And the ripple effect would not stop there. At least two more regulars from last season’s roster would have to be squeezed out as well.
James Hagens would have a tougher path to making the team out of camp, while players such as Mikey Eyssimont and Alex Steeves would see yet another lineup spot disappear before training camp even begins. That would make for an even tighter battle once camp opens.
Kreider is set to clear waivers at 2 p.m. on Thursday, and his next stop is expected to surface soon after. Right now, the prevailing logic keeps pointing back to Boston.
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For Boston, the appeal is obvious. The Bruins could always use another experienced finisher if the fit and price make sense, and this is the kind of situation worth monitoring closely as the market takes shape. Reports suggest the player in question may have a preference for the East Coast, but nothing has been settled yet, which leaves the door open and the speculation very much alive. [Read more 🡒]
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Bruins Linked To Veteran Scorer In Complicated Waiver Twist
The latest waiver wrinkle around Chris Kreider adds another layer to a Bruins offseason that already has more than a few moving parts. Anaheim placed the veteran forward on waivers for contract termination, and the situation has drawn attention around the league because Kreider still brings a proven scoring track record and would instantly become one of the more recognizable names available if the process keeps moving.
There is also a broader front-office backdrop worth watching, with Sportsnets Elliotte Friedman reporting that Detroit requested permission to interview general manager candidates but never followed through after getting the green light. That kind of uncertainty can ripple beyond one organization, especially with restricted free agents like Simon Edvinsson waiting on a new GM in Detroit, and it leaves the Bruins in the middle of a complicated market where a player of Kreiders stature could still wind up in an unexpected place. [Read more 🡒]