"Mika next as they clear the deck for McDavid" - NHL fans react as Rangers' Chris Kreider signs off on Anaheim Ducks trade

After days of waiting for the deal to be finalized, Chris Kreider is officially headed to the Anaheim Ducks.

The longtime New York Ranger is being traded to Anaheim for a return package including prospect Carey Terrance and a mid-round draft pick.

NHL insider Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff originally reported that the trade was close on Tuesday night; however, both sides had to wait for Chris Kreider to waive his no-trade clause. After 36 hours or so of patiently waiting, Kreider signed off, and the deal is a go.

NHL fans started reacting to the news on Thursday morning on X (formerly Twitter).

"Mika's next as they clear the deck for McDavid next offseason," one fan wrote.

"Can he unsign off on the trade," another fan wrote.

"Chris Kreider shall be remembered as a NYR legend. Nothing less. I hope he puts up 40 for Anaheim," added another fan.

More fan reaction has poured in on X.

"What would the Rangers do without Anaheim to constantly bail them out?" one fan wrote on X.

"The team won’t be great but ending your career in sunny orange county. Could be worse," wrote another fan.

"Farewell kreids. It’s been real, it’s been fun, it’s been real fun. Kreider was the first prospect I followed as a new fan of the team and sport in 2011. This needed to happen but still sucks all the same," added one last fan.

Kreider has two years remaining on the seven-year, $45,500,000 contract extension he signed with the Rangers in 2020.

Chris Kreider has been a major contributor in recent years for the Rangers

While the 2024-25 season was a struggle, Chris Kreider has been one of the best goal scorers in the world over the last four years.

Not many have put the puck in the back of the net more than the 34-year-old, and Big Head Hockey shared a post with an impressive stat referencing his production on X.

"Since 2021/22, Chris Kreider has more goals than Jake Guentzel, Sidney Crosby, Adrian Kempe, Mark Scheifele, Sebastian Aho, and Brady Tkachuk. One injury-riddled season and now he's useless?" Big Head Hockey wrote.

It wouldn't be all that surprising to see Kreider find his game again in Anaheim. He'll join plenty of familiar faces in Jacob Trouba, Frank Vatrano, and Ryan Strome, whom he played with for various lengths of time in New York.