Kreider's Departure from Anaheim

The Anaheim Ducks placed veteran forward Chris Kreider on unconditional waivers on Wednesday with the intention of terminating his contract, a move that cleared $6.5 million in salary cap space. Kreider, 35, went unclaimed and became an unrestricted free agent on Thursday, and the Ducks officially terminated his contract by mutual consent.

General manager Pat Verbeek explained the rationale in a statement, saying, "I want to thank Chris for his efforts last year and recognize the professionalism he and his representatives demonstrated throughout this process. Our rationale here is straightforward: We needed to create salary cap flexibility, and this accomplishes that."

Kreider was entering the final season of a seven-year, $45.5 million contract that carried a $6.5 million average annual value against the cap. He was due $4 million in actual salary for the 2026-27 season after receiving a signing bonus on July 1.

The decision came as the Ducks faced a salary cap crunch after matching the Philadelphia Flyers' five-year, $90 million offer sheet for center Leo Carlsson in July, which gave Carlsson an $18 million annual cap hit. The team also re-signed defenseman Pavel Mintyukov to a five-year contract in July, and forward Cutter Gauthier, a restricted free agent who led the team with 41 goals and 69 points last season, remained unsigned. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Ducks explored trade options for Kreider but teams reportedly asked Anaheim to attach a first- or second-round pick to move his contract, a price Verbeek was unwilling to pay.

Kreider's Move to Montreal

On Saturday, the Montreal Canadiens announced the signing of Kreider to a one-year contract. TSN's Chris Johnston reported the deal is worth $2.15 million guaranteed with up to $3.25 million in potential bonuses.

Kreider, a Massachusetts native, had expressed a desire to return to the Eastern Conference to be closer to family. According to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, Kreider's decision came down to three teams, and his comfort level with Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis and his history with president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton helped guide his choice. St. Louis and Kreider were teammates with the New York Rangers, and Gorton was the Rangers' general manager during Kreider's time there.

The signing reunites Kreider with a franchise that has long considered him a rival. Kreider has been booed in Montreal since colliding with goaltender Carey Price during the 2014 Eastern Conference Final, an injury that knocked Price out for the remainder of that postseason. Canadiens fans have viewed the play as a controversial moment in the team's recent history, with some outlets describing Kreider as "public enemy number one" in Montreal.

Kreider's Career and Last Season

Kreider joined the Ducks in June 2025 after being traded by the Rangers for forward prospect Carey Terrance and a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. He played 75 games for Anaheim last season, recording 22 goals and 28 assists for 50 points. He added seven points (two goals, five assists) in 12 playoff games as the Ducks made their first postseason appearance in eight years and upset the Edmonton Oilers in the first round before being eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights.

In 14 NHL seasons with New York and Anaheim, Kreider has 348 goals and 284 assists for 632 points in 958 regular-season games, along with 83 points in 135 playoff games. He has scored at least 20 goals 11 times in his career, including a career-best 52 goals in 2021-22 — a mark tied with Adam Graves for second-most in a single season in Rangers history. He was selected by the Rangers with the 19th overall pick in the 2009 NHL Draft.

Lions Carlsson and Gauthier Context

Leo Carlsson acknowledged that his contract played a role in Kreider's departure. Speaking to reporters in Las Vegas at the NHL/NHLPA preseason player media tour, Carlsson said, "I'll miss him of course. I love him. So it sucks. That's the hard part. He's leaving, but he's also really happy for me as well when I talked to him. It's a hard business. It's weird."

Meanwhile, the Ducks continued working toward a new contract for Gauthier. On Tuesday, the team announced they had signed Gauthier to a six-year contract, with sources telling ESPN the deal carries an annual value of $13.5 million. Gauthier, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, became a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract. In a team statement, Gauthier said, "This is a very exciting day for my family and I. I'm so pleased to be able to sign long term with the Ducks and be part of what I believe is a great future."

The Gauthier signing came on the final day of the NHL's old Collective Bargaining Agreement, which allowed for contracts of up to eight years. Under the new CBA, players can sign for a maximum of seven years with their team.