The weeks long disappearing act is who he is. Guys here pointed it out during his BC days, and I saw it often during his AHL stint back in the day. I thought he was fantastic for a 25 game stretch last year, and a good part of this year.
IMO, he's not a keeper, but I wouldn't trade him in a pure futures deal... which is what he would go for if you moved him next season. I think he would be best served being moved in a hockey trade, but for a maybe a player whose a bit younger, but one that is consistent. Not to suggest that Kreider will decline. He's too gifted of an athlete where I fail to see the skating legs just go away. Not to suggest that Vegas or SJ would do make the deal, but if the return was an Alex Tuch or Timo Meier for Kreider, then would you not make that trade?
But realistically, he's on par with Tomas Hertl. He's SJ's Kreider. I think in a pure 1:1.... Ondrej Palat is a better player. Those two aren't the players that guys on here would move Kreider for. There's always been an attachment to this player by guys on here that's lingered past age 24 for Chris... which is really saying something.... cause if you go back through the years, there has never been an affinity for a draft pick that was homegrown that lingered this long. Usually people jump ship a few months before the bridge deal. But with Chris... that never happened.
If folks were to remove that attachment, and see thing objectively, he's a very nice piece whose shown glimpses that might get someone thinking he can do more. But those days are past by, and the team trading for him would need to bank on Chris showing full effort during the playoffs for a long run.
This is just my opinion, but realistically, you can get a Brayden Schenn for him if you wanted a guy that is going to produce more offense, and be able to fill a top 6 role. Whose not a bad player at all.... but one that doesn't fit what the Rangers are looking for.
