2/25/20 | Kreider has a no-move clause for the first four-years of the deal and then a modified no-trade clause for the remaining three-years. He also has a no-move clause in the last three-years that likely prevents the Rangers from putting him on waivers without his approval. (CapFriendly)

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11:21AM: John Davidson met with the media on MSG Monday morning and announced that Chris Kreider would be signing a seven-year contract extension with the Rangers.

His cap hit is $6.5 million. (Kreider AAV on seven year deal is $6.5M.)

Davidson said, “Chris Kreider and our hockey club have come to terms on a seven-year deal. Both sides worked hard at this, Jeff Gorton and Matt Keator, along with Chris and the rest of us. There was a lot of dialogue, it has gone on for a few days. Both sides are very happy with the deal we have been able to put together. We are very happy that Chris has signed a seven-year extension.”

On TSN, Jeff O’Neil quoted Ray Ferraro as saying that if the Rangers traded Chris Kreider they would be spending the next 10-years looking to replace him.

O’Neil added, “What he brings to the table, his passion for the game, he’s a pain in the rear end to play against. He has goal scoring ability, his ability to skate and just to show that young core group in New York that it is about the now right now, not just selling everybody totally off. I love the move for the Rangers.”

Craig Button said on TSN, “I love Chris Kreider. I think that if they traded him for prospects and draft picks it would have been cutting the legs out from under the team. I love that Jeff Gorton kept him because he’s a unique player, you don’t find guys like this.

Ferraro said, “you’ve got a terrific player, you can’t keep giving these players away if you have them. He’s at the right age, in the peak of his career, great partnership with Mika Zibanejad, who has turned into a legit #1 center. They have something going in New York, I like this a lot.”

Adam Rotter: The Rangers bent on years and Kreider bent on the cap and the deal gets done. Ultimately it’s the right move for the Rangers and a pretty fair deal that not only reinforces the good feeling that this team has had lately but keeps a key piece next to Mika Zibanejad. Kreider didn’t want to leave and the Rangers didn’t want to move him unless they had to. Now Kreider can officially be the bridge between the past and the future for the Rangers. I still think that Mika Zibanejad ultimately is named Captain but Kreider will wear an “A” and be an enormous part of the Rangers leadership group.

11:14AM: Darren Dreger tweets that the expectation is that Kreider will sign an extension with the Rangers.

9:30AM: Kevin Weekes said on the NHL Network “they are trying to find some common ground on being able to get to a place called fair but as time continues on that becomes less and less likely…he is the type of player you miss when he’s not in your lineup, a different dimension….I think he’s a quintessential Ranger, this would be a tough move. If we look at the landscape, the best potential fit for him would be one of two teams: St. Louis and Boston.”

Brian Lawton then suggested Colorado.

8:15AM: On Sportsnet, Elliotte Friedman said “As it stands this morning, it doesn’t look at this point in time that he will sign with the New York Rangers. He is available. One of the reports out there is that the issue is term, the Rangers don’t want to go farther than six, Kreider wants seven. We will see if they can bridge it, or if they go in a different direction.”

On TSN, Darren Dreger said “over the course of the weekend there was a lot of back and forth between the agent that represents Chris Kreider, Matt Keator, and Jeff Gorton. Our information as of yesterday was that they weren’t able to close the gap but you still have to allow for the possibilty that the palyer and agent reconsider and they try to get something done in the hours ahead. What we know is that Kreider loves playing for the Rangers and he has been an excellent fit there for a number of years but there has to be a breaking point and that is within hours. If the Rangers do trade Kreider there is no shortage of interest there, at least 4-5 teams. They have a first-round pick on the table as part of a package and it will be that usual package, the first round pick, prospect and maybe something else. It could be up to Kreider to step in and say ‘here is what I’m willing to stay for.”

6:55PM: On TSN’s Insider Trading on Sunday night, Darren Dreger said:

• “Contract talks did not bridge the gap and more and more the hops is fading that Chris Kreider will extend and stay there. The possibility does exist until 3PM on Monday, but the possibility of trade is more significant at this point. 4-5 teams remain strongly in the mix.
• “I believe the New York Rangers know they have at least a first-round pick on the table from a team that has a considerable amount of interest. The expectation would be a first round pick, a prospect or a first-round pick and a player.

Larry Brooks writes in the NY Post that as of Sunday the two sides have been “unable” to reach an agreement on an extension with the major issue being the Rangers offering six-years and Kreider’s desire for seven.

Brooks adds that there is also believed to be a difference on cap hit, with the Rangers offering under $7 million per season. (NY Post)

He says that Colorado, Boston, even after acquiring Ondrej Kase and St. Louis are believed to be interested with Tampa and Vegas possibly as well. (NY Post)

Adam Rotter: This could all be posturing and one side using the media to try and pressure the other into folding a bit, or it could be that there is a big enough difference between what the Rangers are offering and what Kreider wants and that this could be the end. All it takes is one phone call from either side to get the extension talks back on track, but the hope that was once there seems to be dwindling.

St. Louis and Colorado are the teams with the assets that match best with what the Rangers want, unless the Bruins are going to trade someone like Jake DeBrusk, which would be counterproductive to acquiring Kreider. Tyson Jost from Colorado has always made sense and Colorado also has their picks and other recent picks/young players. St. Louis has their first, young players like Jordan Kyrou and Sammy Blais that would fit. Vegas would be interesting because they have a number of prospects and are in a battle for the top of the Pacific.

3:54PM: Darren Dreger tweets that hopes for a contract extension between the Rangers and Kreider are “fading” and that he remains at #1 on TSN’ trade bait board.

8:05AM: Larry Brooks writes in the NY Post that the Rangers “preference” is to keep and sign Chris Kreider rather than trade him.

He notes that while people around the league believe Kreider won’t be traded, there was still a “significant” “gulf” between the two sides as of Friday. (NY Post)

Brooks writes that if there isn’t a contract extension in place by the deadline then the Rangers would have “no other choice” than to trade Kreider. (NY Post)

Rick Carpiniello writes at The Athletic writes that it sounds as if there is a “stalemate” between the two sides and it likely revolves around term for the contract.

He writes that the Rangers are likely unwilling to go to seven-years for Kreider at this time. (The Athletic)

On Hockey Night in Canada, Elliotte Friedman said on Saturday “the Rangers are right there and some teams were wondering that if the Rangers are right in the race, does that mean they hold onto Kreider and go for it? I don’t think that is necessarily the plan, I think it comes down to if they think they can re-sign Kreider or not, if no I think they are still going to try to move him, if yes, they keep him and go with him.”

Adam Rotter: We are a little more than 24-hours until the deadline and by 3PM tomorrow, if not a lot sooner, we will have an answer. The feeling around the league is that it still remains close to 50/50 on what happens with Kreider with a slight edge towards him getting his contract and being the bridge from the last time the Rangers were good to the next time. The last time the Rangers were in this situation they came close to signing Ryan Callahan but ended up sending him to Tampa for Marty St. Louis. This is a bit different as Callahan’s style of play made him more susceptible to breaking down, which happened, but the issue of term and no-move protection were the breaking point that saw the Rangers trading their captain.

It would be a big loss for the Rangers short and long-term if they trade Kreider but they are still in a position where they can’t let valuable pieces become free agents. There is desire from both sides to make this work and it’s why many around the league feel it will ultimately happen, but Jeff Gorton will continue going down that path and the trade path until he gets close to 3PM and has to make a decision.

2/22/20 | On Hockey Night in Canada, Elliotte Friedman said “the Rangers are right there and some teams were wondering that if the Rangers are right in the race, does that mean they hold onto Kreider and go for it? I don’t think that is necessarily the plan, I think it comes down to if they think they can re-sign Kreider or not, if no I think they are still going to try to move him, if yes, they keep him and go with him.”

2/21/20 | 12:48PM: Larry Brooks tweets that the Ranger priority is to sign Chris Kreider to an extension but notes that “there is still work” to be done to close the gap between the two sides.

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12:39PM: Boston has acquired 24-year old winger Ondrej Kase from Anaheim for a 1st round pick, David Backes and prospect Axel Andersson. (Seravalli)

The Bruins are retaining 25% of Backes’ salary.

Adam Rotter: This makes sense for the Bruins as they didn’t want to trade their first rounder unless it was for someone with term and Kase is that. He’s signed, he’s young and helps the Bruins clear at least part of David Backes’ salary. Why did they make this deal over continuing their pursuit of Kreider, probably because 1) the Rangers are focused on signing Kreider and rather than wait to see if they do or don’t, they go out and get their forward, 2) Boston felt the price for Kreider is too high as a rental, 3) the Rangers couldn’t/wouldn’t take Backes’ contract, 4) they wanted their guy today and the Rangers likely wouldn’t or won’t trade Kreider until Monday. It removes a key team from the Rangers potential auction for Kreider but if the plan, hope and intention is to keep him, it doesn’t matter.

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10:20AM: Darren Dreger was speaking about the Bruins, on TSN 1050 on Friday morning, and said “they are one of the teams that feel pretty eager on Chris Kreider. Rangers sources still think there is a 50/50 chance that he stays and signs with the Rangers. I feel that may be why Boston is taking it’s time and looking for the right fit.”

Kevin Weekes tweeted on Thursday night that his “inkling” is that if the Rangers can’t sign Chris Kreider to a contract extension, then the teams battling to acquire him via trade are Boston and Colorado.

• TSN wrote earlier in the week that Colorado and Boston were considered to be the front-runners for Kreider.

It was said on Wednesday that in addition to Colorado and Boston, other teams with interest include the Islanders, Capitals and Blues.

On TSN 1200, Pierre McGuire was asked on Friday if Kreider could still sign with the Rangers and said, “I think there is a chance but I don’t think it’s a lead pipe, that means a player like him is still very much available.”

Pierre added:

• “They have a huge game tonight because they still fancy themselves a playoff contender, which I think, legitimately after their win in Chicago the other night you have to say, yes, they are. They go into Carolina and win tonight, I don’t know what happens with their group. They might just keep it together because I will just say this, as much as everyone has been beating up the Rangers over the course of the last year and a half, they have done a masterful job with their rebuild.”
• “They are trending so well in the right direction. They have assets beyond belief, whether they be in Europe, US college, major junior, Hartford, the Rangers are poised to be unbelievably good. Tonight, if they win against Carolina in Carolina, that sets up an opportunity to get Kreider signed and keep this going. Behind the scenes he is a really important part of their leadership core, he really is.”

He was then asked about Colorado and Boston as possible landing spots if Kreider is traded and said, “Colorado has mucho assets, they are a lot like the Rangers, they really do. The Bruins have assets, not as many good ones as Colorado does, but they do. It depends what the Rangers appetite is if they trade Kreider, what is their appetite for established players, appetite for high-end prospects or draft picks and not taking on any money so they can be players in free agency. I don’t know what the answer is because so far, what Jeff Gorton, John Davidson and Chris Drury have done has been masterful. They have a really good three-headed monster going in the management suite and it’s causing problems for a lot of teams in the East, in a good way for the Rangers and a bad way for some teams.”

Former GM Brian Burke said on Sportsnet, “the price tag that the Rangers are looking for for Chris Kreider…they want a first, a top prospect, another pick which will be no lower than a second and a conditional pick if you re-sign him. That price isn’t going to drop before Sunday night.”

Dreger said Thursday on TSN that former Ranger Vlad Namestnikov would be potential “Plan B” for Colorado “if they don’t land New York’s Chris Kreider.”

At ESPN, Dimitri Filipovic connected the Rangers and Avs with a deal that would send the Rangers a 1st round pick in 2020, a 2nd round pick in 2021, 23-year old forward Vladislav Kamenev and 19-year old RW prospect Sampo Ranta (78th overall in 2018).