Chris Kreider
Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images

Rumors are going around like crazy surrounding the New York Rangers and the most recent one has to do with Chris Kreider and the Maple Leafs.

Dom Renna

The madness that is the NHL trade deadline continues for the New York Rangers and their fan base.

While many believe Mats Zuccarello, Kevin Hayes, and Adam McQuaid will be goners come Monday’s deadline, there is a new name receiving some interest on the trade front.

According to a report from Larry Brooks of the New York Post, the Toronto Maple Leafs have checked on the availability of Chris Kreider.

Brooks notes how Toronto is just one of three teams who are showing interest in the 27-year-old winger. Along with the Leafs, the Boston Bruins and Nashville Predators have contacted Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton about the possibility of a trade.

Even with the interest, Gorton is making it clear that he needs to be blown away in order to trade Kreider.

Kreider is having a career year. He’s just four points shy of a career-high 28 goals, and is two points away from matching a new career-high in points. He, along with Zuccarello and Mika Zibanejad have formed one of the most lethal lines in all of hockey. The three of them have scored nine goals in their last 10 games.

While the Rangers should be taking calls on just about anyone not named Zibanejad this year, they have to be careful. They can’t just make a trade for the sake of making one. No one can argue the assets that a guy like Kreider can bring, but like Gorton is telling teams: it must be a package he cannot say “no” to.

For now, the expectation is that Kreider will remain a Blueshirt after the Feb. 25 league-wide trade deadline. But just like last year when the Rangers traded Ryan McDonagh, anything can happen in the blink of an eye.

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Dominick is a graduate of Canisius College. He has covered the Rangers for the last seven seasons and the Yankees for the last four.