Tarrytown NY: Rangers prospects show skills at development camp
NY Rangers prospects skate during a development camp at the MSG Training Center in Tarrytown July 1, 2025.
STAMFORD, Conn. − There were 2,000 people on hand for the third annual Shoulder Check Showcase, which sold out the intimate Terry Conners Rink and has quickly become a cause that’s united NHL players from several teams.
At heart of the July 24 event was Chris Kreider, who never likes to be the center of attention but seemed more at ease than he has in quite some time.
Even though his colors have changed this summer, the parking lot was flooded with red, white and blue jerseys donning the No. 20 Kreider wore for 13 seasons with the New York Rangers.
“I saw a lot of Ducks’ fans,” he said with a sly smile.
Kreider is now a Duck following a June 12 trade to Anaheim, but it’s clear his Blueshirts’ legacy will live on as he prepares to change coasts.
This year’s Shoulder Check Showcase, which was born from the 2022 tragedy of Darien, Connecticut native Hayden Thorsen’s suicide at the age of 16 and encourages “young men and women to commit to supporting one another through small acts that have a big impact,” offered a chance for many fans to deliver that message personally.
“A lot of kindness,” Kreider said when asked to describe the autograph line he had just made his way through. “A lot of appreciation and a lot gratitude – and that goes both ways. I’m super lucky to have experienced what I experienced. It’s something that’s always going to be super near and dear to me, and a massive part of is obviously the fan base. That’s what makes the Rangers so special.”
Despite the trade, the 34-year-old forward has remained at his Connecticut home and stuck with his usual offseason routine at Stamford’s Prentiss Hockey Performance, where he’s been training with current Rangers such as Adam Fox, Brett Berard, Matt Rempe and Jonathan Quick, among other NHLers.
He plans to head out west soon and settle into his new life, but it was a priority to wait until after he fulfilled his commitment to Shoulder Check.
This year’s event featured over 20 NHL players, each of whom has helped push the cause forward on behalf of the Thorsen family.
“It just speaks to the growth of the game and the importance of why we’re playing this game,” Kreider said. “It’s meaningful for everyone. Everyone has either experienced some struggle with their own mental health or knows someone who has. I know someone who has. Unfortunately, that’s a fact of life. I think it’s a simple concept, but an incredibly powerful concept – just checking in and making sure that people in your life are okay.”
The long summer that resulted from the Rangers missing the playoffs has allowed Kreider to recover from left-hand surgery.
Asked how it feels, he quipped, “How does it look?” But on a more serious note, he sounded encouraged by his progress.
“There’s a lot of work that goes into it from a rehab standpoint,” he said. “I had surgery right away, and I was doing stuff for it every single day – everything I could to accelerate that process and make sure it’s healthy.”
There will be no shortage of motivation heading into next season.
Not only was he ousted from the only team he’s ever known, but after averaging 42.3 goals per season from 2021-22 through 2023-24, he saw that total plummet to 22 with only eight assists in an injury-plagued 2024-25 campaign.
“I think Kreids is going to have an unbelievable year for us,” said Ducks forward Frank Vatrano, who was also a participant at the showcase.
Vatrano is one of three former Rangers who will reunite with Kreider in Anaheim, along with Ryan Strome and Jacob Trouba.
He recalled the kindness Kreider showed him after he was traded to New York in March 2022 as an example of the positive influence he could have on the Ducks’ young core.
“He texted me right away and said I could live in his place in the city,” Vatrano said. “That was so nice. He didn’t make me pay a dime or anything. I was living large in Tribeca. It was great, so I’ll forever be grateful for that.”
Kreider admitted that he’s still processing the trade. When asked if it feels real yet, he responded, “Some days yes, some days no.”
Many of the Shoulder Check attendees felt the same − including the teammates Kreider is leaving behind in New York.
“I’m going to miss him a lot,” Rempe said. “He’s been a great mentor and teammate to me.”
Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.