On September 9, the Anaheim Ducks put Chris Kreider on waivers for the purpose of a mutual termination.

I had a feeling.

Last year, we had a mutual termination with Alexandre Texier and the St. Louis Blues. St. Louis couldn’t find a taker for Texier’s $2.10 million per season and he seemed against playing in the American Hockey League. The two sides instead agreed to a mutual termination. Texier would sign a one year $1 million deal with the Montreal Canadiens the same day of his contract termination. It took less than two months for him to impress the Habs enough to re-sign him for two more years at $2.5 million per year, an upgrade from his previous deal that somehow couldn’t be traded or picked up on waivers.

Chris Kreider is a bit of a different situation. Kreider wasn’t being sent onto waivers because the Ducks didn’t want him on the main roster. The Anaheim Ducks were in a cap crunch after the offer sheet by Daniel Briere of the Philadelphia Flyers on Leo Carlsson which Anaheim matched and then the signing of Pavel Mintyukov. I talked about it in 2026 Off Season.

Anaheim did a lot to try and get out of their cap issues. They traded both Mason McTavish and Olen Zellweger. They did sign A.J. Greer which certainly didn’t help the cap issues. They also signed one Cruz Lucius. Who is Cruz Lucious? No clue but I love his name. All these trades and signings meant Anaheim couldn’t afford to re-sign Cutter Gauthier who was looking to get $15 million per year. I’m sure that’ll come soon. I’m not sure if Lukas Dostal is in or out at start of the season to give them extra room to add a few more forwards. If not? Anaheim still has to make another move.

But this is all why Kreider had to go. Apparently, Anaheim couldn’t make a trade because everyone knew they were in a cap crunch and didn’t want to help them. It was going to cost a lot to trade Kreider’s deal, and that’s if it was a team Chris wanted to play for. Kreider was on the last year of a seven year contract for $6.5 million with a 15 team no trade clause.

Kreider would agree to a mutual termination and his agents Matt & Ryan Keator told teams if he didn’t want to play for them he wouldn’t accept being picked up on waivers. Kreider’s contract was officially waived and terminated on the 10th of September.

The Feeling

The rumour was that Chris Kreider wanted to go back to the Eastern Conference and he was thinking about three to four teams. I didn’t know the teams but my guess is that the Boston Bruins were involved as he’s a Massachusetts boy. But I had a feeling.

The first contract Chris Kreider ever signed was with Glen Sather back in 2014 for the New York Rangers. His second contract? Jeff Gorton, the current President of the Montreal Canadiens. The seven year deal just terminated? Also signed by Gorton. Kreider also used to play with Martin St. Louis who is now the head coach of the Montreal Canadiens.

There’s also a personal connection with the Canadiens current trainer Jim Ramsay.

Quick story that may help explain why Chris Kreider is now in Montreal:

— Feb. 15, 2024. Jim Ramsay returns to MSG as the MTL trainer after 30 years with the #NYR and a dismissal the previous summer that left several Rangers very, very unhappy.

There was no acknowledgment in…

— Arthur Staple (@StapeNHL) September 12, 2026

Chris Kreider was also considered a big snub by Team USA for the 2026 Winter Olympics, even though they did win the Gold. Who else was snubbed from that team? Lane Hutson and Cole Caufield on the Habs.

To me this was a perfect fit. Well, would be perfect. There’s just one tiny problem.

Some Montreal Canadiens fans just can’t get over shit.

Dropkicking Carey Price to death

As I’m sure you’ve seen a thousand times now, Chris Kreider once ran skates first into Carey Price back in 2014 and injured him out of the playoffs when he was the Montreal Canadiens best player. Did Kreider mean to injure Price? No. Did he run a lot of goalies back then? You bet!

He basically ran every starting goalie in every series. Including the Cup final. We will get to that.

Was Carey Price playing lights out when he got hurt? No, actually he was terrible that game. Did he leave the game immediately? No, he actually stayed in for two more goals. Did Montreal get swept after? No, because Dustin Tokarski, a third string goalie, ended up playing well enough for the Habs to get to game six. Was Price not the same after the injury? Well, funny enough, he won the Hart and Vezina trophies the next year.

But for a lot of Habs fans this was a perfect storm year where they could have won the Stanley Cup. It’s nice to think of, but the Los Angeles Kings were likely whipping Montreal even if Carey Price was healthy. Because Montreal was a fake contender. Those mid 2010s teams were propped up by four stars and then a bunch of junk. They also had terrible coaching and a bad GM. We know this. Sometimes the miracle of a few stars and a couple junk veterans can get you places. Montreal also knows this, thanks to 2021.

But Kreider didn’t stop the Habs from winning the Cup. He also didn’t win the Cup, even after Chris ran into Jonathan Quick in the Cup final. Why? The Kings were better.

But there are Habs fans screaming bloody murder at Chris Kreider being signed because he clearly murdered Carey Price in 2014 and should be hated forever for it. Even when Carey Price himself last year did an interview saying he doesn’t hold a grudge against Chris Kreider.

Chris Kreider plays the game on the edge. We know that from when he hit Leon Draisaitl in the playoffs in the spring. You know what’s pretty good to have? Players who play on the edge and don’t get called for it. You know what isn’t good to have? Those players playing against you when they could have played for you.

Chris Kreider knows the heat he had with Habs fans. And yet, as an unrestricted free agent for the very first time in his 958 regular season games and 135 playoff games, he decided to come to Montreal. On a bonus heavy contract that gave Montreal the room to lock up Zachary Bolduc and hopefully Arber Xhekaj soon after. He chose Montreal.

He chose the Montreal Canadiens because he wants a Stanley Cup.

The Fit

So where does Kreider fit? In a couple places actually.

Fit 1: Top Line

Chris Kreider played last season next to Leo Carlsson all year. So why not do that with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki? That allows Juraj Slafkovsky to play again with Ivan Demidov (and whomever they put at centre. Oliver Kapanen, Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, Jake Evans, take your pick until Michael Hage comes in) and spread the offence.

Kreider is an elite garbage goal scorer. It’ll be a lot like when Erik Cole came to the Canadiens to play next to Max Pacioretty. Caufield can still get in his office and snipe. Suzuki can distribute the puck. Kreider can get the rebounds and pressure the goalie.

The only problem with this is that Kreider’s stats definitely took a dive in the second half of the year. He is 35 afterall. It might not be best for his legs to always be playing 18 minutes a game.

Fit 2: Demidov

If we keep Slafkovsky on the top line that allows Chris Kreider to play with Demidov. Demidov can distribute the puck and that allows Kreider to get his heavy wristers in. He likely plays the PP2 and helps bring size to the line.

This still creates a similar issue to the first fit. He’s going to play a lot of minutes. However, this allows him to really mentor whoever is on the line with him.

Fit 3: Middle Six Wrecker

Let’s imagine the Habs do this:

Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Zachary Bolduc
Juraj Slafkovsky – Alex Newhook – Ivan Demidov

Alex Texier – Philip Danault – Jake Evans/Oliver Kapanen

Who does that leave? That leaves Kirby Dach at centre, Chris Kreider, and Josh Anderson.

That’s a 678lb third line.

This keeps Kreider from playing way too much on even strength and can still work the PP2. Fourth line will likely be Danault and Evans being defensively aware with a skill guy (Kapanen or Texier) while Newhook centres Slafkovsky and Demidov. Bolduc will get his shot again on the first line to prove he can be a banger/crasher and contribute some goals.

This also ensures snarl in the top nine, and a big body third line to give Montreal a dynamic they really haven’t had in a long time. It would also be Kirby Dach’s last shot to show he can be a top nine centre on this team before Hage and Alex Zharovsky arrive.

I’m sure the team will think of other fits. It’s hard to say until we know who ends up the 2C. Will Montreal try Oliver Kapanen again, or will there be a trade? I really feel like there will be a trade. Kapanen and Dach really feel like the odd men out on this club once Hage and Zharovsky arrive. Might as well make some room now.

Anyway. It doesn’t matter. We are way too ahead of things. This is just about Chris Kreider and not a Habs season preview. That’s later. Whenever Arber Xhekaj re-signs.

Shaking Hands with The Enemy

So is this shaking hands with THE ENEMY?

No.

Kreider wasn’t angry at Max Pacioretty for showing him up and throwing him into a stanchion.

He isn’t Michel Therrien. He isn’t Marc Bergevin.

There’s people who were in the organization who did far more damage than Chris Kreider.

Chris Kreider isn’t the enemy. Chris Kreider should have been drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 2009 instead of Louis Leblanc. This is fixing a 17 year mistake. He wouldn’t have become “The Enemy” had we drafted him.

It’s time for Montreal Canadiens fans to get over themselves. Price is over it. Kreider clearly fine. The Habs organization is accepting him. Nick Suzuki, the captain, clearly fine with him coming into that locker room.

Habs fans who can’t get over this don’t deserve to be at the parade. https://t.co/CMttKOVfJw

— Aaron Wrotkowski (@AaronWrotkowski) September 13, 2026

Do you want to win a Stanley Cup in 26-27 or live in the past?

It’s clear Montreal wants to win a Cup. Chris Kreider wants to win a Cup in Montreal. What’s your problem?

Yes, the Montreal Canadiens are a team that remembers their history. The greatest organization in hockey history. But with no Cups since 1993, you’re not imprisoned to its decades of failure. Stop holding them up as something to be revered. It’s time to let go of the failed eras and celebrate this era. Hopefully they win a ring to make it worth it.

And even if they don’t? It doesn’t change this being a great signing.

Welcome to the Habs Chris.

Photo of Chris Kreider from Wikipedia by Jenn G
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