Canadiens sign Chris Kreider to one-year contract after veteran scorer waived by Ducks
Chris Kreider has found his new home.
The 35-year-old winger signed a one-year contract Saturday with the Montreal Canadiens.
Per TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun, Kreider’s cap hit will be $2.15 million, and bonuses can push the deal to as much as $5.4 million.
LeBrun added that Kreider chose Montreal in part because of his comfort level with head coach Martin St. Louis and his history with Canadiens president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton, who was Rangers GM for part of Kreider’s tenure in New York.
Kreider was available as an unrestricted free agent after being placed on waivers by the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday for the purpose of contract termination. The Ducks were forced to move on after the Philadelphia Flyers signed Leo Carlsson to an offer sheet over the summer, and the young star’s cap hit swelled to $18 million per season.
“I want to thank Chris for his efforts last year and recognize the professionalism he and his representatives demonstrated throughout this process,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said. “Our rationale here is straightforward: We needed to create salary cap flexibility, and this accomplishes that.”
Kreider appears likely to now make back most of the $4 million in salary he lost — if not more — after having the final year of his contract axed by Anaheim. He joins a young Canadiens team that advanced to the Eastern Conference Final in the spring and is a Stanley Cup contender this season.
A proven scorer, Kreider recorded 50 points (22g, 28a) and notched 8 power-play goals in 75 games last season. The veteran forward has lit the lamp 20-or-more times in eight consecutive seasons.
Kreider arrives in Montreal with plenty of history with the historic franchise — and not the good kind. He became one of the Canadiens’ most reviled opponents after “accidentally on purpose” colliding with Carey Price during Game 1 of the 2014 Eastern Conference Final, injuring the goaltender’s knee and knocking him out for the remainder of the series.
Kreider has been booed in Montreal in the years since, making his decision to sign with the Canadiens a fun, and perhaps at times, awkward turn.
Overall, Kreider has spent 14 seasons in the NHL, playing the first 13 with the New York Rangers before joining the Ducks last season. He’s posted 632 points (284g, 348a) in 958 career NHL games. He could reach the 1,000-game milestone next season.
