Christopher James Kreider (born April 30, 1991) is an American ice hockey forward with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League who played college hockey at Boston College. He was drafted in the first round, 19th overall, by the Rangers in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Competitor for  USA |
||
| Ice hockey | ||
| World Junior Championships | ||
| Gold | 2010 USA | |
| Bronze | 2011 USA | |
Kreider played for Masconomet Regional High School, and later Phillips Academy, a prep school in Andover, Massachusetts. Kreider scored a goal in the 2010NCAA title game in which Boston College defeated the University of Wisconsin to win the national title and was named to the 2010 Hockey East All-Rookie Team.[1][2] He also scored six goals for the gold medal winning United States World Junior Championship team in 2010.[3][4][5] Kreider was chosen to represent the United States once again at the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, and led the team with four goals in six games as the USA won the bronze medal.[6][7] Two of his goals were scored in the bronze medal game, and he was named the USA’s best player for that game.[8][9][10]Kreider’s ten goals in WJC play ties him with John LeClair and Mike Modano for third all time among USA players, behind just Jeremy Roenick‘s 13 andBrian Gionta‘s 11.[10]
Kreider was named Most Valuable Player of the 2011 Beanpot Tournament, as Boston College won the tournament for the second straight time.[11][12]Kreider was also selected to the United States National team to compete in the 2011 IIHF World Men’s Ice Hockey Championship held in Slovakia.[13] In 2011-12, he won a second NCAA title with Boston College, and led the team in scoring with 23 goals and 45 points in 44 games.[14][15][16] Kreider’s 23 goals were 2nd overall in Hockey East and tied for 8th in the NCAA and his 45 points were 5th in Hockey East and tied for 19th in the NCAA.[17][18] He also tied for the Hockey East lead in game winning goals, with 5, short handed goals with 3 and short handed points with 5.[17] He also finished in the top 10 in Hockey East with 7 power play goals and 17 power play points.[17]
[edit]Professional career
On April 10, 2012, Kreider signed a 3 year entry level contract with the Rangers.[19][20][21] Kreider joined the Rangers the following day for practice, and was eligible to participate in the 2012 Stanley Cupplayoffs.[22][23] He made his NHL debut for the Rangers in a playoff game against the Ottawa Senators on April 16, 2012.[24] He scored his first NHL goal in game 6 against the Ottawa Senators on April 23, 2012 on an assist from former WJC gold medal teammate Derek Stepan, which proved to be the game winning goal.[25][26] His second NHL goal was also a playoff game winning goal, against theWashington Capitals on April 28, 2012, making him the first player in NHL history whose first two goals were playoff game winners.[27][28] He ended the 2012 playoffs with five goals, an NHL record for most playoff goals before playing his first regular season game.[29] The prior record of four such goals was held by Eddie Mazur, and the prior record of three goals in a single postseason prior to playing a regular season game was held by George McPhee and Ray Cote[30]