The Real Reason Chris Kreider Chose the Anaheim Ducks Leaks Publicly

The New York Rangers came into the 2025 off-season looking to make some changes to their lineup, and before the NHL Draft they've already done just that, shipping out a beloved mainstay of the team.

On Thursday, it became official that Chris Kreider was set to join Jacob Trouba as a member of the Anaheim Ducks, officially waiving his no-trade clause to move to the West Coast after it became clear he was likely not in the Rangers plans following a disappointing 2024/25 campaign.

Now, it's been reported that Kreider had his choice of several teams to waive his no-trade clause for, but according to Rangers reporter Arthur Staple, he chose the Ducks for several reasons.

Those reasons were ex-teammates (Trouba, Ryan Strome, Frank Vatrano), this team having a good young core where he could become a leader, and perhaps most intriguingly of all, the chance to play for a multi-time Stanley Cup winning Head Coach in Joel Quenneville.

It's unclear at this point in time who the other teams were that were pushing hard to land the veteran Ranger, but with the Ducks presenting many positives for now and the future, this one makes great sense for Kreider.

Kreider currently has two years left on his deal, meaning he'll play those two years out with the Ducks and assess his future from there, but if this team can spend big in free agency like they're expecting too, it could be a very exciting two years for Kreider and the organization.