The beauty of writing about a team as good as the New York Rangers is that we’re at liberty to analyze the minor things that other teams dream of having as their number one problem. Half of our fanbase is currently at war with the other half because they’re mean to our 12th forward. Our franchise player has been out for roughly two months and yet the team is still thriving. It’s great to be a Rangers fan right now.
Something that’s been nagging at me like a shin splint lately has been the physical beast that is Chris Kreider. We’ve all seen the pool video. Listed at 6’3, 226 lbs, and only 23 years old (and such an absolutely beautiful skater), he’s exactly what every team wants. One day when he learns how to control himself, I’m gonna kick myself for wasting time writing this post, but til then, I digress…
The situation in the first game of the Montreal series last spring isn’t even part of this, so this’ll be the only mention of it. That was a clear takedown on Emelin’s part, and when you’re charging full force at the net (read: what you SHOULD do with all that glorious size), you can’t really fall gracefully. The only thing to take from that is that apparently, Kreider already had a nasty reputation at that point during only his second full season. “Goalie running” is what Habs supporters cried, but it’s moreso the reckless behavior that Kreider had consistently shown on the ice.
Last week against the Panthers, Kreider awkwardly hit Erik Gudbranson just after the Florida defenseman had passed the puck. Gudbranson was tripped up and a little shaken on the play, and no penalty was called. Having been at the game, it just looked like a regular hit; when I got home, though, there was chatter of the hit and so I watched. I used the gift/curse that is social media to ask both Rangers and overall hockey fans their feelings about the hit. Sadly, video of this has been taken down (damn you, interwebs), so I can’t share it with you guys anymore.
No one response was quite overwhelming. A lot of Rangers fans obviously found no fault in it, short of a possible trip. Some people were appalled that this got any attention. Some people said the same term I mentioned that is so maddening about Kreider: reckless. One person brought up the Scottie Upshall hit from last year which, upon re-watching, grosses me out. I believe the Gudbranson hit was reckless as well, that Kreider could’ve pulled up and to the side instead of tripping him up into the boards.
A super fun argument that often comes up with Kreider is that he “can’t” hockey stop. It’s laughable that people even think this is a legitimate excuse. He’s played the game for almost his entire life. He’s a beautiful, skilled skater. If he is terrible at stopping – something he’s joked about in the most obnoxious thing I’ve seen in a while – then he should work his professional butt off on perfecting it. Poking fun at it is really just distasteful, especially if/when a player gets really hurt on a play that’s caused only by Kreider, and not when he’s tripped or hooked into another player.
It’s easy for Rangers fans to defend Kreider because he is so endearing at times. His celebrations are camera worthy and get fans so excited. His offensive production is consistent, even if his goals come in waves and the droughts could be irritating, and with last night’s game, he’s having a career year. Oh, and have I mentioned how beautiful of a skater he is? But ask yourself this: if Zuccarello was taken down by a huge player and then mocked afterwards, would you be happy, or would you be livid? Would the fact that he “can’t stop” make up for it? I think if you have a rational bone in your body, we know the answer to that. We consistently excuse this because we say that Kreider’s intentions are pure, which I think they are. Unfortunately, hockey isn’t ONLY a physical game. Some of the best players are those with great vision, great hockey IQ, those who use their brains. Kreider needs to start thinking about how he uses his body instead of acting like a giant puppy who isn’t used to his body and tumbles into a stack of toilet paper (I’m convinced this happens in real life and not only in commercials, ok, thanks).
Brian Boyle was able to learn how to skate in one offseason, so I beg of the coaching staff to spend time with Kreider and teach him how to use his body. He was screening Fredrick Andersen last night on the Stepan PPG (good use of size), he was right in front of the net to stuff in the first goal of the game… imagine he only used his size for good and could rid himself of a nasty reputation before he becomes an elite player. At the end of the day, my friend Blair had my favorite response to the question of the hit: he has to stop this [trash] before someone takes him out or he’s suspended. He’s too valuable to be unavailable to play for our team.
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