It's the end of an era, but not a friendship.
New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad shared a heartfelt goodbye to his longtime teammate, Chris Kreider, on social media Friday. Kreider was traded to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday for forward prospect Carey Terrance and a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Kreider has completed 13 NHL seasons, all with the Rangers. Zibanejad has been his teammate in New York for the past nine.
"I’m incredibly lucky to have had the pleasure of playing with you for almost 10 years, but that’s nothing compared to the pleasure of getting to know you and becoming best friends," Zibanajed wrote on Instagram. "You took me in from DAY 1. You’ve taught me everything in what it means to be a Ranger. You’ve always had my back no matter what. From being kids to having kids of our own. It’s a journey that doesn’t end here. This is a friendship for a lifetime, teammates or not. Me and my family will always be grateful for you and your family. Lastly, I just wanna wish you all the best in Anaheim. They’re lucky to have such an amazing player, person and teammate."
The post was accompanied by a motion capture video of a famous moment the two had together, where Kreider ripped a tablet out of Zibanajed's hands and tossed it away before Zibanajed could rewatch a missed scoring chance during the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"He was looking at the breakaway and I heard him start second-guessing his move and didn't really like that," Kreider said. "He beat him (then-Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Louis Domingue who would later play for the Rangers) clean, hit the post. Don't need to second guess."
Zibanejad ended his post with the Swedish phrase "Alltid oavsett" which translates to "always regardless," meaning a loyalty that persists no matter any circumstance.
