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Ducks Place Kreider on Waivers for Contract Termination
Confirmed
In Short: The Anaheim Ducks are expected to place forward Chris Kreider on waivers to terminate his contract, freeing up $6.5 million in cap space.
The Anaheim Ducks are expected to place forward Chris Kreider on waivers for the purpose of contract termination, according to reports from Daily Faceoff and NHL Trade Talk. Kreider, who signed a seven-year extension with the New York Rangers in February 2020, has one year remaining on his deal.
If Kreider clears waivers, he would become an unrestricted free agent, a move that would certainly make him a sought-after commodity, as noted by NHL Trade Talk. Kreider, who joined the Ducks in June 2025, contributed two goals and seven points in the postseason, helping the Ducks clinch their first playoff series win in nine years.
Kreider is reportedly signing off on the move and walking away from $4 million in guaranteed money, while the Ducks will gain $6.5 million in cap space. Marco D’Amico confirmed that the contract will only be terminated if none of the other 31 teams claim him on waivers. This move gives the Ducks more than enough flexibility to finalize a deal for Cutter Gauthier.
What's confirmed
- The Anaheim Ducks are expected to place forward Chris Kreider on waivers for the purpose of contract termination.
What's still developing
- Kreider came to the Ducks in June 2025, as he was traded by the Rangers, along with a fourth-round pick, for Carey Terrance and a third-round selection.
- The Anaheim Ducks backed themselves into a brutal cap corner after matching Leo Carlsson’s $18M AAV offersheet.
- Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn, or Troy Terry — someone was going to be the casualty.
- What the Ducks didn’t expect was a veteran doing them a massive favor.
- For Anaheim, the impact is immediate: $6.5 million comes off the books, giving the Ducks a sudden surge of flexibility to get Gauthier’s deal finalized.
- Players of that calibre almost never voluntarily walk away from guaranteed money, but Kreider want to go play in the East and clearly believes he can cash in elsewhere — and Anaheim gets the breathing room it desperately needed.
- Everyone might just wait, and sign him to the deal they want after the contract is terminated, but a team could still snag him now.