Chris Kreider Signs Contract with New York Rangers

Boston College junior forward Chris Kreider led the Eagles to a 4-1 win over Ferris State in Saturday night's NCAA championship game in Tampa, Fla. Now the Boxford, Mass., native has moved on to the next step of his career and has allegedly signed an entry-level contract with the New York Rangers, who drafted him in the first round in 2009.

Kreider, who took part in BC's victory parade today on campus, is expected to practice with the Rangers tomorrow and will be eligible for the Stanley Cup playoffs that New York begins on Thursday at Madison Square Garden against the Ottawa Senators. By reporting, he shaves one year off his three-year entry level contract, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie.

The 21-year-old Kreider, a 6’3”, 225-pound left-shooting winger who prepped at both Phillips Andover Academy and Masconomet Regional High School, led BC in scoring this past season with 24 goals and 22 assists for 46 points, all career highs.

In the NCAA tournament this spring, he scored both of BC’s goals in a 2-0 win over Air Force in a regional semifinal, and contributed another goal and an assist in a 6-1 victory over Minnesota in a national semifinal.

All told, Kreider tallied 50-43—93 points in 114 career college games, while also accumulating 137 penalty minutes. A fast skater with a quick and accurate wrist shot, he also recorded 10 power-play goals, 10 game-winning goals and four short-handed goals in all.

He helped BC to a national title as a freshman in 2009-10, scoring a goal in the 5-0 national title game win over Wisconsin in Detroit, and was a member of three consecutive Hockey East tournament championship teams and three straight Beanpot tournament titlists.

Kreider has already had experience playing with and against NHL players, as he skated for the U.S. in the past two IIHF World Championships in Germany (2010) and Slovakia (2011). He also helped the U.S. to the gold medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship in Saskatchewan.