It’s not every day that a former 50-goal scorer hits the open market. But in the case of forward Chris Kreider, he could become an intriguing option for the Colorado Avalanche.
The 35-year-old is set to become a free agent after news broke that the Anaheim Ducks and Kreider will be mutually terminating his contract.
🚨 BREAKING: Anaheim Ducks to place Chris Kreider on waivers for a mutual contract termination, per @FriedgeHNIC.
— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) September 9, 2026
Player wants to return East, will not report if claimed somewhere he does not want to play. Final year of $6.5M cap hit. Ducks clear cap roomhttps://t.co/U3DgObXulp
The most is a practical one as the Ducks need to clear cap space to sign RFA Cutter Gauthier. There had been speculation about the Ducks trading Kreider, but it seems his $6.5 million cap hit was too rich for the teams out there.
As a free agent, Kreider can sign with whatever team he chooses. And that’s why the Avalanche should at least kick the tires on him.
I mean, why not?
Yes, there’s the fact that he’s 35. If anything, we’ve been talking about the Avs getting younger. But when considering that the Avalanche are in win-now mode, someone like Kreider, a bona fide goal scorer, could make sense.
Kreider could slide into the third line with, say, Nic Roy and Jaden Schwartz. He could even move up if and when injuries hit.
But the biggest question of all would be: How does Kreider fit under the Avalanche’s cap situation?
Kreider and Avalanche would need to find a way around tight cap situation
As mentioned earlier, Kreider is coming off a $6.5 million cap hit. That’s his cap hit on the books, as he’s actually owed $5 million in real money this season. Now, he’s already collected a $1 million signing bonus this summer.
So, the 35-year-old would actually be leaving $4 million on the table with his contract termination.
That’s something the Avalanche could afford if they signed him to a contract similar to the one they have with Brent Burns.
Because Kreider is 35, he could sign an incentive-laden deal. That would work just fine if the former New York Rangers scorer took a league-minimum deal. The incentives could account for the rest of the $4 million he would leave on the table in Anaheim.
It should be noted that Kreider has said he prefers an East Coast team. But if there’s a real chance to win a Stanley Cup with a team like Colorado, he would be remiss if he didn’t at least consider the possibility.
For Joe Sakic and the Avalanche, a guy like Chris Kreider could be a low-risk move that could pay off big time.
Of course, that depends on there being a willingness on both sides. It would also mean potentially pushing someone out of the lineup. But when looking at the bigger picture, the Avs can’t afford not to at least explore every possible opportunity out there.
Sometimes, the best chances are the ones that just land on your lap. And in Sakic’s case, Kreider may just be that.
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