No excuses: Chris Kreider needs to step up

Marc-Olivier Cook
No excuses: Chris Kreider needs to step up
Credit: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Following the acquisition of Chris Kreider, people in Montreal felt that Kent Hughes had pulled off a good move.

It was thought that the veteran would bring a different dynamic to the team's top six, and that was a need because the Canadiens' second line needed to be improved.

But so far…

But so far, we can't say the Kreider experiment has been a success. The veteran isn't producing offensively, he's less solid in his battles along the boards, and he's no longer driving to the net… which explains the results we're seeing today.

Gilbert Delorme said this morning (BPM Sports) that the guy needs to step up, and he's right. I don't care if he's only making $2 million for the season: Kreider can't be invisible on the ice like he's been for (far) too long. 

Some will say: Yeah, but he doesn't cost much and he's 35…

OK, so what? 

He knew exactly what he was getting into before signing his contract with the Canadiens. He knew there would be expectations of him, and right now, he's not meeting those expectations.

Kreider, playing on the second line (and also getting ice time on the power play), has been held scoreless in his last eight games. He's found the back of the net just once since the start of the season… and that happened in the Canadiens' second game.

You can't play on a second line and look like a guy who doesn't know what he's doing on the ice.

Maybe Kreider is having trouble understanding Martin St-Louis's system, and maybe he needs even more time to adjust to this level… but still. Ultimately, he'll have to find a way to help the Canadiens because Kent Hughes didn't draft him just for his good looks or his white beard.

I don't know what the solution is… but at 35, Kreider has enough experience to figure one out.


In a Nutshell

– Note:

– Hehe.

– Oh!

– Crazy.

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