Kreider joins Canadiens, hopes to win over ‘passionate’ fans
So the Price play isn’t the only history Kreider has with Montreal. His relationships with St. Louis and Gorton played a big role in him signing with the Canadiens after he had his contract terminated by the Anaheim Ducks on Sept. 10.
“Yeah, Montreal was pretty aggressive right out of the gate. Obviously, there are several connections to my time spent in New York so there’s a familiarity there. So I think that certainly helped as well,” Kreider said. “And I think just everything that they’re doing here and have been doing for a few years, the culture that they’ve built, the group that they have. Obviously it’s a pretty big hockey city. The passion, I mean, I tried to explain it to some of my friends, that it’s not just a sport here, it’s a religion. So it’s a pretty amazing place to get the opportunity to play and I’m really excited to play at the Bell Centre.”
Kreider has experience being coached by St. Louis as well. He reached out to him for individual coaching help before St. Louis was hired by Montreal in February 2022.
“Yeah, that’s a massive draw for me having been lucky enough to play with him towards the end there in New York,” Kreider said. “Even back then he was almost like a player-coach. I mean the intensity, the tenacity and just the things that he brought to the rink every day. I don’t think that I can say that I’ve learned more from any one individual than the time that I spent playing with him on his line. Super-wise, incredibly smart, even back then you knew he’d be a great coach.”
Kreider, 35, had 50 points (22 goals, 28 assists) in 75 regular-season games and seven points (two goals, five assists) in 12 Stanley Cup Playoff games last season, his first with the Ducks after being traded by the Rangers for forward prospect Carey Terrance and a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on June 11, 2025.
“I think the most important thing whenever you join a new team is to win the trust of your teammates,” Kreider said. “Do the right things, play the right way, show up and work hard every single day. And having played on teams with passionate fanbases before, you show up and you work, that’s all you can do.”
In 14 NHL seasons with New York and Anaheim, Kreider has 632 points (348 goals, 284 assists) in 958 regular-season games and 83 points (50 goals, 33 assists) in 135 playoff games. Since joining the NHL in 2012-13, he has 124 power-play goals, which is 10th most in that time span.
“I’ll do whatever I can, whatever role they need me to play,” Kreider said. “Power play, penalty kill. Obviously, there’s a terrific power play here so maybe it means more penalty killing. Regardless, if I’m in the lineup, I’m working hard and doing whatever they ask.”
St. Louis noted that the addition of Kreider checks a number of boxes on the Canadiens’ wish list, particularly experience, sandpaper and net-front presence.
“All these boxes wouldn’t matter unless he was a quality human being,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “And to me it starts with that for Chris, so we’re really looking forward to getting him with our group and get going.”
