Chris Kreider’s path out of Anaheim could open a door the Bruins have been eyeing for years.
The veteran winger and the Ducks have mutually agreed to place him on waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract, according to Elliotte Friedman. That move gives Anaheim some added cap flexibility after what was described as a tumultuous offseason, while also setting Kreider up for the East Coast destination he reportedly prefers.
Boston fits the picture neatly. The Bruins have been connected to Kreider for most of his career, and the Massachusetts native now finds himself available after one season with the Ducks. Friedman also reported that Kreider has made it clear he will not report to a team he does not want to play for, a stance that could narrow the field if another club puts in a claim.
Even at 35, Kreider still brings real value. The 6-foot-3, 232-pound winger scored 22 goals and 50 points in 75 games last season, and he has hit the 20-goal mark in 11 different seasons, including each of the last eight. He is not the same player who once powered the Rangers’ offense to seasons of 35-plus goals and even 52 in 2021-22, but he remains the kind of size-and-scoring winger teams can use.
That’s where Boston comes in. The Bruins got back to the postseason last season after missing out the year before, and they could offer Kreider a chance to finish his career back in the state where he grew up and not far from the city he spent well over a decade playing for.
There’s also a roster fit here that makes sense. Boston added J.J.
Peterka this offseason, a clear sign the team wanted more offense. At the same time, Viktor Arvidsson’s 25 goals went to the Detroit Red Wings in free agency, which left the Bruins essentially swapping one scorer for another without actually raising their total production.
A claim on Kreider and his $6.5 million cap hit does not seem likely, but Boston should have interest if he can be signed at a lower price on the open market. At the right number, he would give the Bruins another proven finisher without forcing them to give up assets.
The depth chart also leaves room for the conversation to get interesting. David Pastrnak, Morgan Geekie, Peterka and Pavel Zacha look locked into top-six roles.
Elias Lindholm and Casey Mittelstadt should also be in that mix heading into training camp, but there are other names to consider too, including James Hagens, newly extended Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov. Having too many players capable of handling top-six minutes is hardly a bad problem.
Boston’s versatility only adds to the appeal. Zacha, Mittelstadt and Hagens are all natural centers who can also move to the wing, which gives the Bruins plenty of lineup flexibility if Kreider arrives. In that scenario, at least one of those players would likely stay down the middle while the rest of the forward group gets shuffled to find the best fit.
For now, the idea of Kreider in black and gold feels like a strong match. Whether it actually happens will come down to Boston’s interest, Kreider’s willingness to come to Boston, whether another team claims him, or whether he finds a better fit elsewhere based on geography, money or a clearer path to contention.
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Don Sweeney has already pointed to Mintens development and his importance to the roster, and the organization has now backed that up in a big way. The timing of the deal gives Boston plenty of runway before it kicks in, but it also raises the obvious question of what Minten can become by then and how quickly he can turn this into one of the Bruins defining core contracts. [Read more 🡒]