Chris Kreider: from Carey Price to his hat trick… or how to transform yourself in 10 years

Last night, the New York Rangers finally eliminated the Carolina Hurricanes in six games.

They needed three games to win the final game of the series, as the Hurricanes didn’t go down easily after trailing 3-0 in the series.

But in the end, no matter how it was done, we finally have our first member of the Final Four. The Rangers will face the winners of the series between Florida and Boston.

(Credit: NHL.com)

If the Rangers won yesterday’s game, it was really thanks to Chris Kreider. The Rangers forward scored a hat trick to erase a two-goal deficit and put his club in the driver’s seat.

Losing 3-1 or leading 4-3 isn’t exactly the same game, let’s face it.

The irony is that Chris Kreider did it on May 16, 2024. But (almost) 10 years to the day, on May 17, 2014, Chris Kreider was also making a name for himself in the playoffs… but not for the same reasons.

We remember this, don’t we?

On this day 10 years ago, this happened.

The biggest “what if” in Carey’s career in my opinion.pic.twitter.com/tkWlP2iq52

– Alex Jodoin (@colegoalfield) May 17, 2024

Carey Price must surely remember this. Canadiens fans remember it. So does Michel Therrien. And according to him, Kreider did nothing to avoid the Habs goalie back in the day.

Basically, the Rangers player, who was already a good field hockey player (better than Louis Leblanc, in any case…), simply applied what everyone not named Brad Marchand refuses to say: in the playoffs, you want to hurt your opponent.

He’s also saying that those who don’t like it have no place in the playoffs pic.twitter.com/nXXXUXUOtm

– DansLesCoulisses (@DLCoulisses) May 16, 2024

But even if Kreider is forever known as the guy who injured Carey Price (who is now on the sidelines because his body failed him), the fact remains that he also developed into one hell of a hockey player.

He’s capable of putting a club on his back and taking the Rangers to the next level.

If the Rangers make it all the way to top honors, should Chris Kreider be considered for the Conn Smythe #kreider #Rangers #playoffs #connsmythe pic.twitter.com/2iMSLlqO2b

– BPM Sports (@BPMSportsRadio) May 17, 2024

Habs fans mainly remember the hit on Price, who changed the last 10 years in town quite a bit in many ways, but Kreider especially became quite a playoff player.

47 playoff goals for the Rangers is a franchise record, far ahead of Rod Gilbert’s 34 or Mark Messier’s 29. The Rangers are happy to have him, we agree.