10:05pm: Exhale, Rangers fans. Dan Rosen of NHL.com reports that it is an upper-body injury for Kreider, and that there will be an update tomorrow on his status.
8:36pm: The rumor mill is in full swing as we near the end of the holiday roster freeze, and it centers on New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider. After playing the first period tonight against the Washington Capitals, the team announced that he would not return to the game. No injury was listed for Kreider, and there was nothing apparent during the game. The trade freeze is lifted at 12:00am ET tonight, though it obviously could still be an injury or illness that’s keeping him out.
Kreider, 26, doesn’t seem like a prime trade candidate after another successful start to his season. After setting career highs with 28 goals and 53 points last season, Kreider has 22 points through 36 games and is logging nearly 16 minutes a night.
Still under contract for two more seasons at a cap hit of $4.625MM, he’s an affordable piece that interestingly does not have any trade protection. Whether it is due to injury or a transaction, losing Kreider for any length of time would put a lot of stress on a Rangers team that is stuck in the middle of the competitive Metropolitan Division.
Trading him is the last thing the Rangers need to do at this time.