For years, Chris Kreider has been known to produce when the stakes are at their highest, particularly in the playoffs. But for months, there’s been speculation as to whether this will be his last season with the New York Rangers. Related: Rangers’ Structural & Cultural Problems Might Be Unrepairable It’s been quite the ride for the 33-year-old, who ranks third all-time amongst Rangers in goals with 326 and will almost certainly have his No. 20 raised in the Madison Square Garden rafters forever. The franchise winger has scored plenty of big goals in his Blueshirts tenure. We rank the five most memorable ones below. The Rangers Live to Fight Another Day Game 4 at Madison Square Garden on 5/23/13 In Kreider’s second postseason run with the Rangers, it was a struggle for him to find playing time under head coach John Tortorella at the time. However, he got that opportunity against the Boston Bruins, as the desperate Rangers were down 3-0 in the series. With the game tied in overtime, of all players, Kreider was on the opposite side of Rick Nash on a line. Just several minutes into overtime, the two were down the ice on a two-on-two rush – Kreider wound up using his blazing speed to split the two defensemen, while Nash sent over the perfect pass that Kreider tipped perfectly into the top left portion of the net, giving goaltender Tuukka Rask no chance. Unfortunately, the goal didn’t have much meaning because the Rangers lost Game 5. However, it was a big moment for the youngster to show that he can stick around in this league, and it did allow the Blueshirts to prolong their season for at least another day. Kreider Scores 50 Regular Season Game 80 At Madison Square Garden on 4/12/22 The 2021-22 season was a special one for Kreider. As we got closer to the conclusion, it was evident that he would have a legitimate shot at becoming one of four Rangers in their nearly 100-year history to register 50 goals in a season. Kreider did just that in the final minute of Game 80 against the Metro Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes. The Rangers didn’t win the game, but that doesn’t take away from the accomplishment. The 2009 first-round pick, with his 52 goals during 2021-22, ranks second all-time in Rangers history in a single season, only trailing Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr‘s 54 posted in 2005-06. Helping the Rangers Force Game 7 Playoffs Game 6 at Scotiabank Place on 4/23/12 When Kreider originally signed with the Rangers out of college to join the team’s postseason run in 2011-12, it was unclear if he would get much playing time. But the opportunity arose after Carl Hagelin, the team’s fastest skater, was suspended for three games for an illegal check to the head. The rookie was able to make an impression right away with his size and speed and earned the right to stay in the lineup as the Rangers faced elimination on the road in Game 6 against the Ottawa Senators. At the end of the second period, right after the Blueshirts took a 2-1 lead, countryman Derek Stepan retrieved a puck off the forecheck in the offensive zone, and waiting for a potential slot line pass was Kreider. Stepan made a beautiful tape-to-tape pass that Kreider was just able to squeak by a laterally moving Craig Anderson. While not an official first NHL goal because it wasn’t recorded in the regular season, it was Kreider’s first one in the pros. The tally also turned out to be the critical game-winner that forced a Game 7 at Madison Square Garden, which the Rangers won and avoided getting upset by the eighth-seeded Senators. Dead in the Water to Epic Comeback Playoffs Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on 5/8/15 In the 2014-15 season, the Rangers decided to go all-in ahead of the trade deadline, which was headlined by the Keith Yandle acquisition. But the Blueshirts found themselves one loss away from elimination in Game 5 against the Washington Capitals. It was looking like the Rangers were dead in the water after they could not find a way to solve Braden Holtby. With just under two minutes to go, the Rangers were on perhaps their last rush down the ice and were in the process of pulling Henrik Lundqvist out of desperation. The Capitals appeared to be ready and had everybody in good position to defend. Watching it back, it may have made sense to set up a cycle or work the puck in the offensive zone. That might have been Stepan’s intention when circling back to hit a trailing Kreider at the top of the circle. But the youngster at the time decided to one-time the puck in what looked like a harmless shot that would get blocked or smothered up by Holtby. Miraculously, the puck made its way into the net. But how? Did it deflect off a body? Did it fool Holtby? We may never find out, but what we do know is Kreider saved the Rangers from epic disaster and a roster that, in all likelihood, would have looked very different the next season. The team not only rallied to win Game 5 in overtime but also completed the epic 3-1 series comeback and won the series in seven games. However, the Stanley Cup dreams ended in the Eastern Conference Final after falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Kreider’s Third-Period Hat Trick in Raleigh Playoffs Game 6 at Lenovo Center on 5/16/24 Is there any doubt about this one? The Rangers were a period away from coming dangerously close to blowing a 3-0 series lead against the Hurricanes in the 2023-24 postseason. Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers celebrates after a goal during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Six of the Second Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images) The pressure was mounting, then came Kreider out of nowhere, who scored a bit of a fluky poke-in goal at the goal-line to make the score 3-2 Carolina. Then, the Hurricanes made the mistake of putting the Rangers’ lethal power play to the test. After their skill players from Adam Fox to Artemi Panarin slung the puck around in the offensive zone, it was enough to make the Hurricanes forget about Kreider, who was left wide open in front of the net for a tip-in goal for his second of the game to tie the score at three apiece. If that wasn’t enough, Kreider picked up his third of the period and what was the game-winning goal after tapping in a shot in the crease following a dominating shift with a few minutes left in the game. While it doesn’t exceed Mark Messier’s 1994 hat trick in Game 6 in a must-win against the New Jersey Devils following the captain’s guarantee, the moment is definitely up there for one of the greatest individual performances in franchise history. It’s also a moment that should cement Kreider’s number to the rafters one day. Kreider’s third-period hat trick sent the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Final, where they fell in six games to the Florida Panthers. From when Kreider first entered the league, he’s been immensely clutch for the Rangers. He’s been a part of multiple different eras of Blueshirts hockey, helping lead the team to a Stanley Cup Final, five Eastern Conference Finals, and two Presidents’ Trophies. His identity has altered from a young, powerful speedster to one of the best, if not the best, power-play and net-front presences in the league. As the offseason continues, it’s unclear what the future will hold for Kreider, but it’s been quite the journey.