Kreider has played with a jagged edge since rejoining the Rangers in Philadelphia on Oct. 24 after opening the season in Hartford. The combination of his speed, size, strength and skill has turned him into a menacing figure on the ice. There’s a ferocity to his game that has played a significant role in his team’s transformation.
He is so strong that he takes a pound of flesh whenever he finishes a check. Opponents on the receiving end — and otherwise—have taken exception. Wednesday at the Garden, Sidney Crosby responded to a check with angry words. Thursday in Columbus, it was James Wisniewski and Fedor Tyutin. Sunday, after Kreider was assessed a bogus charging penalty in the first period for taking out 18-year-old Aleksander Barkov, Florida’s Sean Bergenheim yapped at Kreider on his way to the box.
“I guess he was just trying to stick up for a young player,†said Kreider. “I would do the same thing.â€
(Uh, like he kind of did on Sunday.)