Chris Kreider Bio
Christopher James Kreider, known professionally as Chris Kreider, is an American professional ice hockey winger who currently plays for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 232 pounds, Kreider is recognized for his scoring touch, physical play, and standout performances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Over more than a decade in the league, he has set numerous franchise records and built a reputation as one of the most consistent American-born forwards of his generation.
Selected 19th overall by the New York Rangers in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Kreider developed into a top-six forward and alternate captain during his long tenure in New York. After being traded to the Anaheim Ducks in June 2025, he has continued to produce offensively while helping a young Ducks team return to the postseason.
Early Life and Background
Chris Kreider was born on April 30, 1991, in Boxford, Massachusetts, to parents David and Kathy Kreider. He grew up alongside his younger sister, Katie, in a family that valued athletics and education. As a child, Kreider split his summers between New York and Massachusetts, an experience that exposed him to varied sporting cultures from an early age.
Kreider began his organized hockey career with the Valley Jr. Warriors, playing for the program from 2004 to 2008. He was accepted into Pingree and St. John’s Prep following middle school, but he and his family chose to enroll him in Masconomet Regional High School, where he played on the public-school team. As a sophomore, he was named an All-League player and helped the Masconomet Chieftains capture the Cape Ann League championship. He later transferred to Phillips Andover for his junior year, repeating his sophomore year academically but accelerating his studies through a summer program to graduate on time.
Beyond hockey, Kreider developed a lifelong love of reading. In a 2015 interview with CNBC, he shared his summer reading list, which included The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, whom he has called a favorite writer.
Path to Hockey
During his breakout season at Masconomet, Kreider tallied 28 goals and 13 assists through 23 games and was named Salem News Player of the Year. At Phillips Andover, he continued to dominate, finishing his final year with 56 points in 26 games and leading the team to the New England Prep semifinals, where he was named New England Prep Player of the Year.
Following high school, Kreider enrolled at Boston College, where he majored in communications and played for the Boston College Eagles from 2009 to 2012. Prior to his freshman year, he was rated 14th among North American skaters and first among high school players by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. At Boston College, he was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team in 2009-10 and later to the All-Hockey East Second Team, while helping the Eagles capture two NCAA championships before turning professional in April 2012.
Chris Kreider Career
Early Career (2012-2014)
Kreider signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the New York Rangers on April 10, 2012, immediately after his junior season at Boston College. He made his NHL debut on April 16, 2012, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Ottawa Senators. In his fourth career playoff game, he scored his first NHL goal, the game-winning goal that staved off elimination. He finished the 2012 playoffs by setting an NHL record for most playoff goals before playing in a regular-season game.
The 2012-13 NHL lockout pushed Kreider to the Rangers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Connecticut Whale, where he posted strong offensive numbers. He went on to record his first career NHL regular-season goal on February 5, 2013, against the New Jersey Devils. In the 2013-14 season, he settled into a top-line role under new head coach Alain Vigneault, recording his first career NHL hat-trick on November 30, 2013, in a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks, and emerging as a Calder Memorial Trophy contender.
New York Rangers Breakthrough (2014-2020)
On July 23, 2014, Kreider agreed to a two-year, $4.95 million contract extension. He responded with a 21-goal, 46-point season in 2014-15, helping the Rangers capture the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s top regular-season team. In the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, he played a key role in the run to the Stanley Cup Final against the Los Angeles Kings, finishing the postseason with seven goals and two assists in 19 games.
In 2016, Kreider signed a four-year, $18.5 million extension. The 2016-17 season was his finest to that point, as he set career highs with 28 goals and 53 points, recorded his second career hat-trick, and was named the NHL’s Second Star of the Week in December 2016. In December 2017, he was named the Rangers’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy after returning from a blood clot and a malformed rib that had sidelined him for 24 games.
On February 24, 2020, the Rangers signed Kreider to a seven-year, $45.5 million contract extension, locking him in as a long-term core piece. He finished 2019-20 with 24 goals and 45 points in 63 games before the season was paused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Career-Best 2021-22 Season (2020-2022)
After a shortened 2020-21 campaign in which he recorded two hat-tricks, Kreider delivered a historic 2021-22 season. He scored 52 goals and added 25 assists for 77 points in 81 games, becoming the fourth player in Rangers history to reach the 50-goal milestone. He set franchise records with 25 power-play goals and 10 game-winning goals in a single season, and was named a finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
Kreider’s postseason was equally historic. He set a Rangers record for most career playoff game-winning goals, tied Rod Gilbert for the most career playoff goals in franchise history, and played in his 100th career playoff game with the team. In 2022, he was named the winner of the inaugural Mr. Ranger Award and the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award.
Anaheim Ducks Era (2025-Present)
Kreider began the 2024-25 season strong with the Rangers, finishing his final New York campaign with 22 goals and 8 assists in 68 games. On June 12, 2025, the Rangers traded him, alongside a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for prospect Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-round pick.
In his first season with Anaheim, Kreider returned to form typically seen during his prime years with the Rangers, scoring 50 points and helping the Ducks qualify for the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kreider is widely regarded as a power forward who combines size, speed, and a heavy shot. He is most effective when driving to the net on the power play and using his physical strength along the boards. Throughout his career, he has thrived when paired with skilled playmakers such as Mika Zibanejad, Mats Zuccarello, and Pavel Buchnevich, and he is known for his willingness to block shots and deliver big hits in playoff hockey.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his career highlights, Kreider recorded the 2012 NHL record for most playoff goals before playing a regular-season game, scored a natural hat-trick in the third period of Game 6 of the 2024 second-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes, and became the Rangers’ all-time leader in playoff goals, playoff power-play goals, and playoff game-winning goals during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He also surpassed Brian Leetch in 2022 to become the all-time leading goal scorer among American-born Rangers players.
Chris Kreider Career Wins
Chris Kreider has accumulated an extensive list of milestones and team records over more than a decade in the NHL. His regular-season and playoff totals place him among the most accomplished American-born players in New York Rangers history, and he has continued to add to that resume since joining Anaheim.
Regular Season Highlights
Kreider has recorded five career NHL hat-tricks, the first coming on November 30, 2013, against the Vancouver Canucks, and the most recent on January 22, 2022, against the Arizona Coyotes. He scored his 50th career NHL goal on December 15, 2017, and went on to become only the fourth player in Rangers history to reach 50 goals in a single season, doing so in 2021-22. He has been selected to two NHL All-Star Games in 2020 and 2022.
Playoff Highlights
Kreider is the Rangers’ all-time leader in playoff goals, playoff power-play goals, and playoff game-winning goals. He tied Rod Gilbert for the most career playoff goals in franchise history during the 2022 playoffs and surpassed him the following year to take sole possession of the record. In 2022, he became the fourth Rangers skater to record a multi-goal game in a Game 7 and finished that postseason having played in 100 career playoff games for New York.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NHL Regular Season (NYR) | 335+ | 550+ | N/A |
| NHL Playoffs (NYR) | 50+ | 80+ | N/A |
Other Performances
Internationally, Kreider helped the United States win a gold medal at the 2010 World Junior Championships, recording a hat-trick against Latvia along the way. He later added two bronze medals with the senior U.S. team at the 2018 and 2024 IIHF World Championships and represented the United States at four senior tournaments in total.
Chris Kreider Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Chris Kreider was raised by his parents, David and Kathy Kreider, alongside his younger sister, Katie. Although his parents are not professional athletes, the family’s strong support played a significant role in his hockey development, including the decision to enroll him in Masconomet Regional High School before his eventual transfer to Phillips Andover.
Personal Life
Kreider married his wife, Francesca, in 2023. Despite leaving Boston College after his junior year to begin his professional career, he returned to his studies and completed his communications degree in 2016 by taking online and off-season courses. He is conversational in Spanish and Russian, in addition to English.
2025 Season Performance
Chris Kreider’s 2024-25 season was defined by transition and resurgence. He opened the campaign with the New York Rangers, scoring six goals in his first nine games and finishing his final New York appearance with 22 goals and 8 assists in 68 games. His role with the Rangers shifted throughout the year as the team retooled its roster.
On June 12, 2025, the Rangers traded Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks, where he quickly returned to his prime form. He finished his first season in Anaheim with 50 points, providing veteran leadership and offensive production for a young Ducks lineup that secured a playoff berth for the first time since 2018.
Looking ahead, Kreider’s fit on a Ducks team on the rise offers a strong outlook for continued production. With several productive years still expected from the veteran winger, he is well positioned to add to his franchise record totals while mentoring Anaheim’s emerging core of young forwards.
