History of Chris Kreider in Timeline

Chris Kreider is an American professional ice hockey player currently serving as an alternate captain for the New York Rangers in the NHL. As a winger, he is known for his speed and scoring ability. Kreider has played his entire NHL career with the Rangers, becoming a key player and leader for the team.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

February 10, 1973: Rangers' best 14-game stretch

Through December 2014, the Rangers maintained a 13–1–0 record, their best 14-game stretch since January 7 to February 10, 1973.

1981: First Rangers rookie to register two game-winning goals

Kreider subsequently set numerous franchise records with his third-period goal as he became the youngest Rangers player to record two points in a playoff game since 1996 and the first rookie to register a multi-point game in the postseason since 2008. He also became the first Rangers rookie to register two game-winning goals in the postseason since Mike Allison in 1981.

1990: Comparison to Bernie Nicholls

In the 2016 NHL season, on October 17, Chris Kreider became the first Rangers player since Bernie Nicholls in the 1990-91 NHL season to have three multi-point games in the first three games of the season.

April 30, 1991: Chris Kreider Born

On April 30, 1991, Christopher James Kreider was born. He is now a professional ice hockey winger and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the NHL.

Others born on this day/year

1992: Reference to Rangers' multi-goal game

In 1992, A Rangers skater recorded a multi-goal game.

1992: Comparison to Brian Leetch

In the 2016 NHL season, on October 17, Chris Kreider became the first Rangers player since Brian Leetch in the 1992-93 season to have at least six points in the first three games.

1996: Youngest Rangers player to record two points

In Game 1 of the series, Kreider tallied his second NHL goal to give the Rangers a 2–1 lead seven minutes into the third period. He subsequently set numerous franchise records with his third-period goal as he became the youngest Rangers player to record two points in a playoff game since 1996.

2004: Valley Jr. Warriors

In 2004, Chris Kreider began playing with the Valley Jr. Warriors.

2005: Reference to Jaromír Jágr's season

In 2005, Jaromír Jágr had a notable season.

2008: Valley Jr. Warriors

In 2008, Chris Kreider ended his time playing with the Valley Jr. Warriors.

2008: First rookie to register a multi-point game

In Game 1 of the series, Kreider tallied his second NHL goal to give the Rangers a 2–1 lead seven minutes into the third period. He finished the game playing 15:35 of ice time and adding an assist as the Rangers won 3–1. Kreider subsequently set numerous franchise records with his third-period goal as he became the first rookie to register a multi-point game in the postseason since 2008.

2009: Drafted by the New York Rangers

In 2009, Chris Kreider was drafted in the first round, 19th overall, by the New York Rangers, marking a significant milestone in his early career.

August 2010: U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp

In August 2010, following the NCAA title, Chris Kreider was selected to take part in the 2010 U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp before returning to Boston College for his sophomore season.

2010: Represented United States in international tournaments

In 2010, Chris Kreider represented the United States at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and the IIHF World Championship, winning a gold medal at the former. He scored his first goal of the tournament in the second game to help Team USA shutout Team Switzerland 3–0. He also recorded a hat-trick in Team USA's 12–1 win over Team Latvia on December 29.

2010: World Junior Ice Hockey Championships Gold Medal

In 2010, Chris Kreider represented the United States at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he won a gold medal, marking his first international achievement.

2010: World Junior Championship and NCAA Title

In 2010, Chris Kreider won a World Junior Championship gold medal and an NCAA title with Boston College, becoming the second American to achieve this feat in the same year.

December 4, 2011: First Collegiate Short-Handed Goal

On December 4, 2011, Chris Kreider scored his first collegiate short-handed goal against Boston University while playing for Boston College.

2011: Beanpot Tournament and Injury

In 2011, Chris Kreider led the Eagles through the Beanpot Tournament and tallied two goals and an assist, being named MVP. His momentum was cut short in March after he suffered a broken jaw.

2011: Representing the United States at the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and IIHF World Championship

In 2011, Chris Kreider represented the United States at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, contributing significantly to Team USA's success. He scored four goals and two assists, helping the team win a gold medal. Later in 2011, Kreider also competed in the IIHF World Championship, scoring three points in seven games.

April 10, 2012: Signs with the Rangers

On April 10, 2012, Chris Kreider officially concluded his collegiate career by signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the New York Rangers.

April 2012: Turning Professional

In April 2012, after winning his second NCAA championship with Boston College, Chris Kreider turned professional, marking a significant step in his hockey career.

April 16, 2012: NHL Debut

On April 16, 2012, Chris Kreider made his NHL debut in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Ottawa Senators after Carl Hagelin was suspended.

October 12, 2012: AHL Debut

On October 12, 2012, Chris Kreider made his debut for the Connecticut Whale, the Rangers' AHL affiliate, in a 6–4 loss to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

2012: Second NCAA Title with Boston College

In 2012, Chris Kreider led Boston College to a second NCAA title, scoring 23 goals and 45 points in 44 games, marking a successful end to his collegiate career.

2012: NHL Debut and Playoff Record

In 2012, Chris Kreider made his NHL debut during the Stanley Cup playoffs, setting a new NHL record for most playoff goals before playing in a regular season game.

July 23, 2014: Contract Extension with the Rangers

On July 23, 2014, Chris Kreider and the Rangers agreed to a two-year contract extension worth $4.95 million.

2014: NHL Stats since 2014-15 season

By December 16, 2016, Chris Kreider was one of only two NHL players who had registered at least 50 goals, 100 points, a plus-30 rating, and 150 penalty minutes since the start of the 2014–15 season.

2014: Alexander Ovechkin's power play milestone

In 2014, Alexander Ovechkin reached the milestone of most power play goals in a single season.

2014: NHL Roster Mainstay

In the 2014–15 season, Chris Kreider became a mainstay on the New York Rangers' NHL roster.

2015: Rangers Reach Eastern Conference Final

In 2015, Chris Kreider helped lift the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 2015 after scoring two goals in Game 7.

2015: Summer Reading List

In 2015, during an interview with CNBC, Chris Kreider shared that his summer reading list included "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway, citing Hemingway as one of his favorite writers.

The Old Man and The Sea, Book Cover May Vary

Check it on Amazon

April 4, 2016: 20th Goal of the Season

On April 4, 2016, Chris Kreider scored his 20th goal of the season, contributing to the Rangers qualifying for the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs.

July 22, 2016: Signed contract extension with the Rangers

On July 22, 2016, Chris Kreider signed a four-year, $18.5 million contract extension with the New York Rangers, thereby avoiding arbitration.

2016: Regular season performance in 2016-17

Chris Kreider finished the month of January 2017 with 22 points over the last 26 games, including 14 points in the last 15 contests, to rank second on the team in goals during the 2016-17 NHL season.

2016: Earning a Degree in Communications

In 2016, Chris Kreider earned his degree in communications from Boston College by taking courses online and during the offseason, completing his education despite leaving the college early for his hockey career.

January 18, 2017: Fined for hitting Cody Eakin

On January 18, 2017, Chris Kreider received his first supplemental discipline from the league when he was fined $5,000 for hitting Dallas Stars forward Cody Eakin with his helmet.

November 28, 2017: Debut with Desharnais and Buchnevich

On November 28, 2017, Chris Kreider, Pavel Buchnevich, and David Desharnais debuted as a line against the Florida Panthers, combining for three goals with just over six minutes left to play.

February 24, 2018: Returned to Rangers lineup

On February 24, 2018, Chris Kreider returned to the Rangers lineup after missing 24 games due to a blood clot and subsequent surgery.

November 15, 2018: 400th career NHL game

On November 15, 2018, Chris Kreider scored two power-play goals in his 400th career NHL game, although the Rangers lost 7–5 to the Islanders.

2018: Representing the United States at the 2018 IIHF World Championship

In 2018, Chris Kreider was selected to represent the United States at the IIHF World Championship, along with teammate Neal Pionk. During the tournament, Kreider was named the USA Player of the Game twice and scored two goals against Team Canada, helping the United States win a bronze medal.

February 24, 2019: Scored two goals in 21 seconds

On February 24, 2019, Chris Kreider and Jimmy Vesey combined to score two goals in the first 21 seconds into a period, marking only the second time this has occurred in Rangers franchise history.

April 19, 2019: Selected for Team USA at 2019 IIHF World Championship

On April 19, 2019, Chris Kreider was selected to represent Team USA at the 2019 IIHF World Championship in Bratislava and Kosice, Slovakia. He recorded three goals and one assist in eight games, but the United States did not qualify for a medal.

November 4, 2019: Point streak snapped

On November 4, 2019, Chris Kreider's three-game point streak was snapped after he gained Filip Chytil as his new linemate due to an injury to Mika Zibanejad.

February 1, 2020: Suffered head injury

On February 1, 2020, Chris Kreider suffered a head injury after taking a knee to the head during a game against the Detroit Red Wings.

2020: Trained with Rangers players and became alternative captain

In 2020, prior to the COVID-shortened season, Chris Kreider trained with several Rangers players, including Alexis Lafrenière, in Connecticut. He also returned as an alternative captain for the team alongside Artemi Panarin, Jacob Trouba, and Mika Zibanejad.

February 1, 2021: Scored 161st NHL career goal

On February 1, 2021, Chris Kreider scored his 161st NHL career goal during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, becoming the second American-born player on the Rangers' all-time goal-scoring list behind Brian Leetch.

2021: Rangers add new players and hire new head coach

During the 2021 off-season, the Rangers added Barclay Goodrow, Patrik Nemeth, Ryan Reaves, Sammy Blais, and Jarred Tinordi to their lineup. They also hired former Vegas Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant to replace David Quinn as their new head coach.

January 22, 2022: Scored Fifth Career Hat-Trick

On January 22, 2022, Chris Kreider scored his fifth career NHL hat-trick to lift the Rangers to a 7–3 win over the Arizona Coyotes. With this hat-trick, Kreider tied for the NHL lead in goals with Alexander Ovechkin and tied Messier for eighth in Rangers franchise history for power-play goals.

November 1, 2022: Tied for eighth most game-winning goals in franchise history

On November 1, 2022, Chris Kreider scored his 35th career game-winning goal, tying Steve Vickers for the eighth most game-winning goals in franchise history.

2022: Sets franchise records, wins award

In 2022, Chris Kreider set several franchise records, including most power-play goals in a single season. On April 5th, he broke the record previously held by Jaromír Jágr and became the first NHL player to reach this milestone since Alexander Ovechkin in 2014-15. Kreider also received the Steven MacDonald Extra Effort Award and was nominated for the Bill Masterton Trophy.

January 10, 2023: Surpassed Vickers for eighth most goals in Rangers history

On January 10, 2023, Chris Kreider surpassed Steve Vickers for the eighth most goals in Rangers history with 247. He also tied with Adam Graves for the seventh most game-winning goals in franchise history.

2023: Marriage to Francesca

In 2023, Chris Kreider married his wife Francesca, marking a significant event in his personal life.

2023: Opened the season strong

In 2023, Chris Kreider opened the season strong by tallying seven goals in his first 10 games.

January 2, 2024: Secured record for most goals scored at Madison Square Garden

On January 2, 2024, Chris Kreider scored his 166th goal at Madison Square Garden, securing the record for most goals scored in that arena.

May 16, 2024: Scored a natural hat-trick against the Hurricanes

On May 16, 2024, Chris Kreider scored a natural hat-trick in the third period to lead the Rangers to a Game 6 win over the Carolina Hurricanes and advance to the Conference finals. This was the first postseason hat-trick of his career and the 16th hat trick in Rangers playoff history.

2024: Rangers' All-Time Playoff Leader

During the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, Chris Kreider became the Rangers' all-time leader in playoff goals, playoff power-play goals, and playoff game-winning goals, marking a significant milestone in his career.

2024: Rangers acquire Reilly Smith

In the 2024 offseason, the Rangers acquired Reilly Smith with the plan of playing him on a line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. Kreider began the 2024–25 season scoring six goals over his first nine games. He also tied Jean Ratelle for the second most game-winning goals in franchise history.