Chris Kreider - Looking Back Five Years

Just as the Rangers did on December 27 in 2017, they will host the Washington Capitals in a game at Madison Square Garden on December 27 in 2022.
The meeting between the Rangers and Capitals five years ago likely does not bring back a special memory. In fact, it is the last time to date that the Rangers played a game in which neither team scored a goal through regulation and the five-minute overtime period, as the Rangers won the contest, 1-0, in a shootout behind goals from Mats Zuccarello and Mika Zibanejad.
For Chris Kreider, one of three Rangers who were on the team's roster on Dec. 27 five years ago and are also on the team's roster today (along with Zibanejad and Jimmy Vesey), that game is significant for a different reason.

That night, Kreider had to leave the game following the first period and be rushed to the hospital. As Kreider said in numerous interviews, his arm had swelled up prior to the start of the game, and when he returned to the Rangers' locker room following the first period, the arm had swelled up even more. At that point, team doctors determined it was best to have Kreider examined at the hospital.
The diagnosis was that Kreider had a blood clot in his right arm that needed to be addressed. Ultimately, he underwent rib resection surgery on Jan. 7, 2018, as it was determined that a malformed rib had been causing the issue.
At the time, it appeared Kreider's 2017-18 season would be over; getting back to 100% health was the priority. However, as the weeks passed and Kreider continued to progress, it became more likely that Kreider would be able to return to hockey and rejoin the team. On Feb. 23, 2018, he returned to the Rangers' lineup at MSG.
Kreider not only returned to the lineup, he thrived. While the team began to transition in the days immediately following his return, he displayed a new sense of happiness and gratitude, as he felt fortunate to be able to come to the rink and play. Kreider finished the season with 15 points in 21 games after returning to the lineup, and he also wore an "A" as an alternate captain for several games, which was the first time in his career that he wore a letter for the Blueshirts. In addition, he was selected as the Rangers' nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy, which is awarded annually to the NHL player who "best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey", in 2017-18.
Kreider has played in nearly as many NHL games following his ordeal as he did beforehand. Tuesday's game will be Kreider's 330th regular season game following Dec. 27, 2017 and the 690th regular season game of his NHL career. Over the last five years, he has achieved several milestones and has climbed several of the franchise's all-time lists. Last season, he became just the fourth player in Rangers history to score at least 50 goals in a season, established single-season franchise records with 26 power play goals and 11 game-winning goals, and was also the inaugural recipient of the Rod Gilbert "Mr. Ranger" Award.
Five years after experiencing something that could have altered his career, Kreider has become a leader on and off the ice for the Rangers and continues to be grateful for each game he's able to play.