Instant Canadiens Analysis: Former Villain Kreider A Smart Addition
The Montreal Canadiens shocked many fans on Saturday, announcing the signature of a relatively unlikely target, forward Chris Kreider.
Kreider, 35, was available in free agency due to a mutual contract termination with the Anaheim Ducks. He signed a one-year contract with the Canadiens, carrying a $2.15M annual average value. With performance bonuses, Kreider could end up making $5.15 million during the 2026-27 season.
Chris Kreider : 1 X $2.15M + bonuses @CanadiensMTL @TVASports
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) September 12, 2026
The longtime New York Rangers forward is known as a villain in Montreal, stemming from the incident that led to an injury for fan favourite Carey Price in 2014. Canadiens fans will need a little time to adjust to the news, though if emotions are set aside, this should be considered a very smart addition to the lineup by Jeff Gorton and company.
Kreider scored 22 goals and 28 assists in 72 games for the Ducks last season, while producing some very solid underlying numbers. He’s certainly closer to the end of his career than the beginning, but there’s no doubt he can still move the needle for the Canadiens, while adding necessary firepower to the left wing.
Simply put, Kreider should still provide good value to the Habs, despite his age.
The Canadiens are short on depth when evaluating their wingers, especially if we consider injuries are bound to take hold at one point in the season.
There’s also a certain amount of familiarity in play, as head coach Martin St-Louis played with Kreider for several years, and Gorton was an executive throughout the majority of Kreider’s tenure with the Rangers, where he served as their captain.
All things considered, this was a great-value decision by the team, despite the criticism that may occur given Kreider’s history. The Habs are one of the youngest teams in the league, and they have a fantastic leader in place, Nick Suzuki, making Kreider’s addition a logical step forward for a roster hoping to maintain its upward trajectory without mortgaging the future.
