The Canadiens surprised some when they signed forward Chris Kreider to a one-year deal yesterday, worth $2.15MM in base salary with performance bonuses attached. Those details have now become apparent, according to PuckPedia.
Most notably, the pact includes a no-movement clause, as the Massachusetts native sought security closer to home after the sudden ending on the West Coast. Kreider will net another $2 million at just ten games played, as well as $250k at 10/20/30 goal milestones.
If somehow the veteran goes nuclear and reaches 40 goals, a level only seen once with his 52 tallies five years ago he’d, rightfully, earn another $500k.
Finding his way to Quebec as his second Original Six franchise seemed impossible years ago, as a player not much endeared by the Canadiens faithful after crashing into goaltender Carey Price during the 2014 Eastern Conference finals, ending the star’s postseason in a play Montreal thought was reckless at the time. Of course time to move over a decade later, the past history is still one many fans haven’t forgotten.
Adding another winger, especially the former Ranger himself, wasn’t thought to be much of an urgent need in Montreal at this point. However, since he suddenly became an unrestricted free agent after being mutually let go by Anaheim three days ago, one can make sense of what he brings to the table.
The 35-year-old is now the oldest and most experienced Hab by a considerable margin over players like Phillip Danault, Josh Anderson, and Mike Matheson. The fact that those three had made up the team’s seniority group speaks to the youth on the roster.
Kreider’s 135 playoff games of experience is far and away the most out of the group, and assuming the durable forward gets into at least 42 games this upcoming season he’ll reach the 1,000 game mark, which could happen as soon as New Year’s. It’ll be a unique situation for Kreider to play under Martin St. Louis, his own teammate from early in his New York career.
Elsewhere across the league:
Vegas top prospect Trevor Connelly went down yesterday after a brutal hit in a scrimmage versus Utah prospects but thankfully it sounds like he’s avoided a serious injury. According to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, the 2024 first-rounder should return before the end of camp.
Mammoth prospect Gabe Smith, a 2024 fourth-round selection known for his physicality out of the QMJHL at 6’4″, earned a major penalty after aggressively hitting Connelly into the boards which led to a dropping of the gloves as Connelly stayed down. A team hardly able to round up high-end prospects as a result of their aggressive title pursuit from Day 1, the Golden Knights have high hopes for the winger, 20, who PHR’s Gabriel Foley believes could be their next breakout forward.
Looking the part with 49 points in 46 games during his first full AHL season, Connelly is unanimously ranked as Vegas’ #1 prospect and he should debut at some point in 2026-27.
Retired NHL winger Alex Chiasson has joined the Washington Capitals as a full-time scout, per Tarik El-Bashir of Monumental Sports Network. A member of the team’s beloved 2018 Stanley Cup winning roster, the 35-year-old has gotten right to work at the team’s rookie camp this weekend, having served as a consultant last year.
A Montreal native, Chiasson was selected in the second round by Dallas in 2009 and went on to play in 651 games, a highlight obviously lifting the cup during his one-and-only year in D.C. which impressively started only on a professional try-out agreement.
A player who accepted PTOs at multiple stops across his career, only to catch on thanks to his work ethic and net-front abilities, he’s naturally a great fit to help scout and mentor the next generation of youth. Calling it a career in January 2025, last playing in the NHL with the Red Wings in 2022-23, Chiasson remains with his former team which has put together an excellent prospect pool all while keeping their window open for Alexander Ovechkin in the twilight of his career.