Ode to Chris Kreider: The Fourth Ranger to Score 50 Goals, Franchise Ranks

Chris Kreider reached the 50-Goal Club by scoring number 50 versus the Hurricanes on Tuesday, April 12, 2022. He’s the fourth Blueshirt to score 50.

On Tuesday night, history was made at Madison Square Garden. Chris Kreider scored his 50th goal of the 2021-22 season against the Hurricanes.

Although it came in a 4-2 loss, the big goal allowed Kreider to become only the fourth Ranger to score 50 goals in a season. With Igor Shesterkin off for an extra attacker, the team’s leading goal scorer was able to put in a rebound of an Adam Fox shot that both Ryan Strome and Andrew Copp got a piece of to get number 50 with 1:38 remaining.

In scoring his 50th, the 30-year old forward joined Vic Hadfield, Adam Graves and Jaromir Jagr as the only Blueshirts who are part of the 50-Goal Club. A great achievement for the former 2009 first round pick whose previous career high was 28 goals. Something he reached twice in ’16-17 and ’18-19.

Not only has he attained new personal bests in goals, but also in points (71), power play goals (25), shorthanded goals (3), game-winners (10), shots (235) and power play points (32). The 25 power play goals are also a new team record with Kreider passing Jagr, who had 24 in ’05-06. The 25 PPG’s lead the league.

With seven games remaining, he still can match Jagr’s single season franchise record in goals. Sixteen years ago, Jagr set a new mark for most goals by a New York Ranger in a season. He scored 54 to break Graves’ record of 52 that was achieved in ’93-94. That same season, Jagr also broke Hadfield’s record with 24 power play goals. One better than Hadfield’s 23 in ’71-72.

That same year, Hadfield became the first Blueshirt to score 50 over a season. His 50 goals and 56 assists for a total of 106 points with a plus-60 rating came during the Golden Era when he teamed with Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle as part of the famed GAG (Goal-A-Game) Line.

Photo by NYR courtesy MSG Network

For Kreider, it’s already been a banner year. He has new season marks by a Ranger in power play goals with 25 and game-winning goals with 10. Previously, six different Rangers shared that record with nine. That included former captains Don Maloney, Mark Messier, Jaromir Jagr and Ryan Callahan. The other two were Brad Richards and Rick Nash.

In fact, the next goal Kreider gets would tie him with Rangers legend Bill Cook for 10th on the all-time franchise list. Cook was a prominent goal scorer when the franchise was established in 1926.

Despite playing in fewer games due to the schedule and number of teams, Cook scored 228 goals in 11 seasons. He scored 30 or more three times and was a four-time All-Star who finished second for the Hart twice. All while playing with brother Bun and Frank Boucher on the famed Bread Line. The trio are all Hall Of Famers who aren’t discussed enough by the franchise.

Cook won two Stanley Cups in ’27-28 and ’32-33 with the Rangers. That included arguably the biggest goal in franchise history. He scored the overtime winner on the power play at 7:33 of sudden death to beat the Maple Leafs in Game Four to win the Cup. The 89th anniversary just passed on Wednesday, April 13.

For Kreider to be mentioned in the same sentence as a Hockey Hall Of Famer who is one of the all-time greatest Rangers, it speaks volumes about the kind of season he’s had. Here’s hoping there are a few more goals left on that stick to tie and pass Jagr.

A poster from ’05-06 commemorating Jaromir Jagr new record with 54 goals. Number 68 became the third member of the 50-Goal Club as a Blueshirt joining Vic Hadfield and Adam Graves. Chris Kreider is the newest member.

NEW YORK RANGERS 50-GOAL CLUB

+1. Jaromir Jagr 54 goals ’05-06

2. Adam Graves 52 goals ’93-94

2. Chris Kreider 52 goals ’21-22

4. Vic Hadfield 50 goals ’71-72

+franchise record holder

Jaromir Jagr still holds the record for most points in a season by a Ranger with 123 which were also set in ’05-06.

NEW YORK RANGERS MOST PPG IN SEASON

1. Chris Kreider 26 ’21-22

2. Jaromir Jagr 24 ’05-06

3. Vic Hadfield 23 ’71-72

4. Marcel Dionne 22 ’87-88

5. Mike Gartner 22 ’90-91

Hockey legend Jaromir Jagr had a memorable run with the Rangers that was highlighted by a 54 goal, 123 point season with 24 power play goals and 9 game-winners during 2005-06. No. 68 deserves to take his place in Toronto despite not being officially retired.

NEW YORK RANGERS GWG IN SINGLE SEASON

1. Chris Kreider 11 ’21-22

2. Six tied with 9 including Don Maloney, Mark Messier, Jaromir Jagr, Ryan Callahan, Brad Richards and Rick Nash

Watch all 50 of Kreider’s goals.

Update: Kreider concluded the 2021-22 season with 52 goals – tying Graves for the second highest total by a New York Ranger. That included adding to his record with a 26th power-play goal against the New York Islanders on Apr. 21, 2022. With a goal and assist against the Carolina Hurricanes on Apr. 26, he finished with a career best 77 points.

For his effort, Kreider was the recipient of the Steven McDonald Award, recognizing the Rangers player who goes above and beyond the call of duty. A tremendous player for the Blueshirts, he posted 10 goals and six assists for 16 points in the team’s run to the Conference Finals. That included six even-strength tallies, three on the power play, and one shorthanded. An area he excelled at later in his career.

Kreider Dealt to Ducks

Following another big year that saw him rank second on the Blueshirts with 39 goals while setting a career-high with 36 assists for a total of 77 points in 2023-24, Kreider battled through an injury riddled 2024-25. The upper-body issues limited his effectiveness throughout a disappointing season that saw the Rangers fail to qualify for the postseason. In 68 contests, he had 22 goals and eight assists for 30 points.

Due to an unnecessary off ice distraction that was created by Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury, it signaled the end of an era. Kreider was the biggest core piece to go. Fittingly, he scored the final goal of his brilliant career as a Blueshirt against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Apr. 17, 2025. He also set up close buddy and linemate Mika Zibanejad in the 4-0 win. Even following a bitter ending to a forgettable season, it was appropriate that Kreider went out on a brighter note.

On Jun. 25, 2025, the Rangers dealt Kreider with a 2025 fourth round pick (Elijah Neuenschwander) to the Ducks in exchange for a 2025 third round pick (Artyom Gonchar) and Carey Terrance.

Following scoring five goals when he debuted during the 2011-12 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Kreider became a fixture for the Broadway Blueshirts. The 2009 first round pick (ninth overall) went on to become a consistent finisher for the Blueshirts. A key part of five teams that advanced to the Conference Finals, including 2012 as a 21-year-old who won a national championship with Boston College, the Boxford, Massachusetts native scored at least 20 or more goals in 10 seasons.

In three consecutive seasons between 2021-22 and 2023-24, Kreider scored 30 or better, totaling a combined 127 goals over that span. That also included notching 24 goals in the postseason. During a run to the Eastern Conference Finals, Kreider delivered in the clutch for the Rangers against the Hurricanes. After they led the hotly contested Metropolitan Division Final three games to none, the Hurricanes won the next two to pull within a game of forcing a deciding seventh game. In fact, they were a period away from tying the series. However, a determined Kreider wouldn’t allow it to happen. In a memorable performance, his third period natural hat trick helped the Rangers overcome a 3-1 deficit to come back and eliminate the Hurricanes 5-3 in Game 6 to advance to the Conference Finals.

No stranger to delivering in the clutch, Kreider’s natural hat trick invoked memories of Mark Messier’s natural hat trick against the New Jersey Devils in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals in 1994. As it turned out, that moment was the most memorable of his career. As a New York Ranger, he totaled a franchise record 48 postseason goals. Fourteen better than Rangers legend and Hall of Famer Rod Gilbert (34). Messier is third on the franchise list with 29, followed by Graves, Brian Leetch, and Ron Duguay (tied with 28).

Zibanejad Passes Kreider and Camille Henry for Rangers’ Record in Power-Play Goals

During the 2025-26 season, Zibanejad passed Kreider and Camille Henry for the most power-play goals in franchise history. He entered the year trailing both Kreider and Henry by eight. They each were at the top with 116 power-play goals.

However, Zibanejad had a bounce back season, pacing the Rangers in scoring with 78 points. That included a team best 34 goals with 16 on the power play. His eighth power-play goal came against the Florida Panthers on Jan. 2, 2026.

Just over two weeks later, Zibanejad passed both Henry and Kreider for the record by scoring his 117th power-play goal against the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 17. He recorded seven more to catapult atop the Rangers franchise list with 124.

Kreider’s Franchise Ranks

Highlighted by the 326 goals he scored, which still ranks third on the Rangers all-time goal scoring list, Kreider ranks fourth in even-strength goals (197), tied for second in power-play goals (116), tied for fourth with Zibanejad in shorthanded goals (13), second in game-winning goals (50), fifth in total shots (2,160), and eighth in games played (883).

His six hat tricks are tied for the fourth most in franchise history.