Being only the fourth team in NHL history to miss the playoffs in the same year after winning the Presidents’ Trophy isn’t a good thing to have on your resume. But it is what it is, and the New York Rangers now need to find a way to get back to their former glory. But the fans don’t think the way things are unfolding is the path to walk on if the Big Apple team wishes to reinstate itself as a major player in the League.

“In my mind, something broke during the season and went the other way, and we couldn’t handle it,” Igor Shesterkin said after the New York Rangers failed to qualify for the postseason. And now, it seems like, in order to find the root cause of what “broke”, the team is looking to shake up its roster. But the fans aren’t on board with the plans.

A post on the Subreddit r/hockey from June 10 claimed that the New York Rangers winger, Chris Kreider, could be on his way out of the team before the 2025-26 season. Sharing the original X post by Frank Seravalli, the recent Reddit post wrote, “Sources say the New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks are in advanced discussions on a deal that would send Chris Kreider to Orange County.”

However, there is no confirmation on the matter as of yet. Sports Illustrated notes that the New York Rangers and the Anaheim Ducks are in “advanced discussions” on the matter regarding Kreider, who has played 13 seasons with the New York squad. A player with considerable postseason experience, Kreider also missed the playoffs due to an injury.

Kreider has two years of his $6.5 million contract still remaining. The 34-year-old was ranked No. 2 on the recent Trade Targets board by the Daily Faceoff. In exchange for Chris, the New York Rangers could get their hands on the 2023 second-round pick, Carey Terrance, from Orange County.

While the 2024-25 season wasn’t the best by the New York Rangers’ winger (22 goals and 8 assists in 68 games), his past records undoubtedly make him a lucrative prospect for the Ducks, who have now missed the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons. On the other hand, Kreider boasts consistent 20+ goal seasons for seven years in a row. Justifiably, Anaheim loyalists would look forward with glee to see the Rangers star joining their ranks. The New York Ranger fans? Not so much.

Fans slam the New York Rangers for their relentless, impulsive decisions

In December, 31-year-old defenseman Jacob Trouba was also traded to the Ducks by the New York Rangers. And now, with the team pondering the chances of parting ways with Kreider, fans are seeing this as Chris Drury’s way of dealing with aged stars on the Rangers’ roster. “Chris Drury sure loves banishing his tired vets to Anaheim,” one fan wrote what many fans were thinking. For another fan, the New York GM is walking on thin ice. “if chris drury finds his jersey on his lawn it’s because i threw it there,” the fan made it clear that the time to stop calling themselves a Rangers fan might be near.

On the other hand, the Ducks are currently rebuilding their entire squad from the ground up. After firing former coach Greg Cronin on April 19, the new coach, the legendary Joel Quenneville, is looking for a team that can back up his plans. And he has the top brass’ backing. With that in mind, one Anaheim fan was, unlike the Rangers’ ones, happy. “Not a bad move for Anaheim, gets some more veteran presence in the room as a mentor for the forwards,” wrote the fan.

For the New York Rangers followers, it feels like Kreider could do wonders, if the trade goes through, as a way to get back at Drury. “Watch Kreider end up scoring 30+ for Anaheim,” one fan is already seeing the bad days coming. “I liked it better when there was no rangers rumors,” another just wants the constant speculations to stop.

How about you? Do you think the New York Rangers will really decide to go ahead with the plans? Tell us in a comment!