EAST MEADOW, N.Y. — Chris Kreider took the ice at Northwell Health Ice Center just before the clock struck noon Wednesday and soon found himself skating alongside Anaheim Ducks coach Joel Quenneville. There was an exchange that lasted a minute or so, followed by a firm head nod from Kreider before he peeled off.
The Ducks escaped Pittsburgh with a 4-3 shootout win over the Penguins the night prior, but neither Kreider nor Quenneville was particularly pleased with the performance. “We shouldn’t have won that hockey game,” the former later remarked.
The abrupt three-hour shift from Pacific Time to the East Coast is something Kreider admitted he’s still getting used to after spending the previous 13 seasons with the New York Rangers, but it didn’t prevent him from getting his work in. As practice ended and the Ducks trickled off the ice, the 34-year-old winger was among the last to leave.
Some might look at Kreider’s extra effort as evidence that he’s playing with added motivation this season. Last season was marred by injuries, resulting in the worst production on a point-per-game basis since his 2012-13 rookie year. It led the Rangers to accept an underwhelming package last June just to rid themselves of the final two years of a contract carrying a $6.5 million average annual value. But Kreider pushed back on that notion of a perceived chip on his shoulder.
“It’s not useful,” he told The Athletic from a visiting dressing room that had mostly cleared out. Then he took a long pause to choose his next words carefully.
“I don’t think that’s something that you can use consistently,” he added. “I think that ends up being more of an energy sap. I’m intrinsically motivated. I don’t need anyone else to push me. That daily process, that daily mission — I know what I want to work on, what I want to accomplish. I think all the other stuff is just noise.”
On multiple occasions throughout practice, Kreider found his way to Jacob Trouba. They’d hip-bump or exchange a laugh before darting off to the next drill.
An unforeseen set of circumstances reunited the former Rangers in Anaheim. Both initially resisted the idea of change, but it didn’t take either long to embrace the challenge and see the benefits of playing away from the New York spotlight.
“It definitely was kind of a wild ride for the last year, but now I feel settled there,” said Trouba, who just passed his first anniversary with the Ducks on Monday. “We’re happy. I love the team, love the organization, love everything about it out there.”
The 31-year-old defenseman has been open about his reasons for exercising his no-trade power when the Rangers first attempted to deal him in the summer of 2024. His wife, Dr. Kelly Tyson-Trouba, had one year remaining on her New York City residency and intended to stick around long enough to see it through. But tension with Rangers management grew untenable over time, with Trouba eventually accepting the Dec. 8 trade to Anaheim under the threat of being waived.
He spent the final months of the 2024-25 season on the opposite coast from his wife and their young son, but they’ve since joined Trouba in southern California and are preparing for the birth of their second child, who’s due next month. They’ve also welcomed new neighbors.
“Kreids lives four houses down from us and has a little boy about the same age,” Trouba said. “They play all the time and watch all the games together. That’s been fun.”
Kreider and Trouba commute to practices and home games together, with the latter joking, “It’s nice to get a little break from him on the road.”
With the Ducks beginning a five-game road trip, including three straight games in the New York/New Jersey region against the Islanders, Devils and Rangers, Trouba is relishing the chance to visit his old stomping grounds. He took a car into Manhattan following Wednesday’s practice to attend The V Foundation Gala, where he auctioned off his paintings — a hobby he formed during his five-plus years in New York — in support of cancer research. He said he’s excited to see friends and neighbors throughout the week, including plans to meet up with former teammate Mika Zibanejad.
The messy divorce with the Rangers didn’t diminish Trouba’s passion for the city. He went so far as to share his family’s plans to move back to New York when his playing days are through.
“I’m lucky and fortunate to have been able to play here and call this place home,” he said. “My wife loved working here and loves the hospital system here. You can’t really replace New York City.”
Trouba is hoping that day won’t come for a while.
He established himself as one of the NHL’s most-feared checkers during his time with the Rangers and consistently shouldered the toughest defensive assignments, but the results were largely uneven. Since arriving in Anaheim, there’s been marked improvement.
The former Blueshirts captain entered Thursday boasting a 2.7 net rating, according to Hockey Stat Cards, with a plus-13 rating and 49.99 percent expected goals-for rate that exceeds any xGF he posted in New York, according to Natural Stat Trick. He’s also registered 14 points (five goals and nine assists) through 30 games, putting him on pace for his highest total since 2021-22. This has come while playing on the Ducks’ top defensive pairing and ranking second on the team with 22:01 average time on ice.
“I’m still continuing along the same path, but it’s obviously a different environment and different situation,” Trouba said. “I don’t have to worry about a million other things that come along with being the captain of the Rangers. I’m just kind of going out and playing hockey. I’m still being a leader and doing my normal stuff, but it’s been refreshing to focus on my game, playing good hockey for this team and helping the team win.”
Kreider seems refreshed, too.
The 6-foot-3, 232-pounder opened the season on a tear with nine goals in his first nine games. He sat at 13 goals (plus eight assists) for the season entering Thursday. He’s back to being a handful around the opposing team’s net, particularly on the power play, where he’s contributed a team-high six goals, and his speed remains menacing in open ice.
He looks a lot closer to the player who scored 52 goals for the Rangers during the 2021-22 season than the one who stumbled to only 30 points (22 goals and eight assists) in 2024-25. Kreider attributes the resurgence to an offseason of healing and intense training.
“I learned a lot from last year and some of the stuff that went on with my body,” he said. “Obviously, I had an extended offseason, missing the playoffs and not going to (the World Championships) for the first time in my pro career. It was weird going into the preseason. It’s like, ‘I’m starting to play hockey games again!’ It really felt like you had a long time off. I just thought it was a learning experience, and I spent the summer trying to set myself up to go into the season healthy — and stay healthy.”
Both veterans also appear reinvigorated by their new surroundings. They’re cherishing the opportunity to play under Quenneville and with a couple of other former Rangers in forwards Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano. Kreider called that “a big part of why I decided to waive my no-trade (clause).”
Then there’s the young talent that oozes from Anaheim’s up-and-coming roster. Center Leo Carlsson has emerged as a star, with dynamic winger Cutter Gauthier and 19-year-old rookie Beckett Sennecke right behind him. Add in another promising center in Mason McTavish, budding defensemen Jackson LaCombe and Olen Zellweger, and 25-year-old goalie Lukáš Dostál, and the Ducks are very much on the rise.
The mix of new-age skill and savvy vets has resulted in the second-highest scoring lineup in the league and a surprising perch atop the Pacific Division.
“There are obviously areas where we can get better, but the effort and the energy and the enthusiasm covers a lot of the mistakes,” Trouba said. “We have some guys that can put the puck in the net and score goals. A lot of skilled, offensive defensemen, and obviously, the young forwards that everybody knows about. We’re all kind of growing and evolving together.”
With so much to look forward to, Kreider and Trouba didn’t want to spend much time looking back.
At the time of their conversations with The Athletic, their first trip back to Madison Square Garden as visiting players was still five days away. Kreider not-so-subtly pointed out, “We still have two games before we play (the Rangers).”
He’s doing his best to fend off those emotions, but when Monday night arrives, he’s sure to receive a warm reception from appreciative New York fans. Their relationship with Trouba is slightly more complicated. It got rocky at the end, but many will recognize the thrilling journey, which included two trips to the Eastern Conference Final in 2022 and 2024, as the lasting memories.
“I think anybody who’s been captain of the New York Rangers would tell you it’s not always sunshine and rainbows,” Trouba said. “There are hard days. There’s a lot that goes into it, but there’s also only a handful of people who ever get that opportunity. I’m definitely forever grateful for that. I gave it all I had while I had that position. I was lucky enough to play in New York and get the experience and learn by looking back on everything — good and bad. I think even some of the bad times I look back on and say, ‘Wow. Not many people get to experience that in their late 20s and take that for the rest of your life and learn from it and move forward.’”
Kreider was less inclined to cogitate.
Asked about his Rangers legacy, which includes sitting third on the franchise’s career goal-scoring list and first among its playoff goal scorers, he deflected. It was fitting. That hyper-focus on the task at hand and intense aversion to distractions is precisely what made him who he is.
“You’re not going to like my answer,” he said, grinning. “I don’t have time for the big picture. I’ll reflect and whatever when it is the right time to do so. Right now, we have the Islanders tomorrow. We didn’t play well (Tuesday) night. We somehow won a hockey game. We’ve got to play better tomorrow. West-to-east travel is pretty crazy, so what I’m thinking about right now is not reflecting. It’s going and getting a nap.”
