ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JANUARY 25: Chris Kreider #20 of the New York Rangers skates on to the ice prior to the 2020 Honda NHL All-Star Game at Enterprise Center on January 25, 2020 in St Louis, Missouri.
(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

The New York Rangers and Chris Kreider aren’t giving up on a potential contract extension, but they’ll have to make a decision soon.

The New York Rangers are running out of time but are still in talks with Chris Kreider regarding a contract extension. According to The Athletic’s Rick Carpiniello, the Rangers are still talking to Kreider’s agent, Matt Keator, but no one knows where those talks have gone. The trade deadline is Monday, so the two parties are going to have to figure something out quickly.

After starting the season as cold as can be, Kreider has been incredible. He had a miserable 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in his first 28 games, but has been better than a point-per-game player since. In the following 30 games, Kreider has notched 32 points (18 goals, 14 assists) while showing no signs of slowing down.

He has been as clutch as can be and is a huge reason why the Rangers’ top line is one of the best and most productive lines in hockey, at the moment. Kreider deserves a great deal of credit in helping the Rangers make a push for the playoffs.

Kreider was drafted by the Rangers in 2009, made his NHL debut during the 2012 playoffs, and has been a cornerstone piece of the Rangers since. He’s one of the fastest skaters in the league and there’s no one better than him at tipping pucks into the net.

Kreider loves being a Ranger and is a fan favorite, but the best option for his future may lie elsewhere. He may be able to sign a huge deal with another team, but that wouldn’t be in the best interest of the Rangers, especially since they can trade him for a considerable package.

But who knows? He may be comfortable enough to sign a team-friendly deal and stick around in New York for years to come.

Leen has written about the MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, and international soccer. She is currently the primary NHL writer for ESNY. Leen's work has been featured on Bleacher Report and she was formerly a contributor for FanSided's New York Mets blog, Rising Apple. She is a co-host of the Yankees-Mets Express podcast.