Rangers sign Chris Kreider to 4-year, $18.5M contract
NEW YORK (AP) The New York Rangers signed forward Chris Kreider to a four-year contract worth $18.5 million through the 2020 season on Friday.
General manager Jeff Gorton announced the deal, which will pay him an average of $4.6 million, on the day the two sides were to go to arbitration.
The 25-year-old Kreider was a restricted free agent.
Kreider had 21 goals and 22 assists in 79 games for New York and a plus-10 rating. He established career-highs in even-strength goals (16) and hits (177), and he tied his career-high in goals, set the previous season.
Kreider was one of six NHL players who registered at least 20 goals, 40 points, a plus-10 rating, and 50 penalty minutes this past season. Alex Ovechkin, Jonathan Toews, Milan Lucic, Brad Marchand, and James Neal were the others.
He ranked third on the team in power play goals (five), fourth in even strength goals, fifth in goals and even strength points (35), and tied for fifth in points. Kreider also led the Rangers in goals (15) and ranked second on the team in points (26) on the road this past season.
The 6-3, 226-pounder had two goals in five playoff games.
Kreider has skated in 248 career NHL games with the Rangers, registering 61 goals and 68 assists, along with a plus-47 rating. He is the only Ranger who has recorded at least 20 goals in each of the last two seasons.
In 65 career NHL playoff games, Kreider has 20 goals and 13 assists.
The native of Boxford, Massachusetts, was selected by the Rangers in the first round, 19th overall, of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
