Chris Kreider is already forcing Martin St-Louis and the Canadiens into one of the strangest reunions Montreal hockey has seen in years.
The Canadiens signed Kreider to a one-year contract Saturday, just days after Anaheim terminated the final season of his deal following unconditional waivers.
But the bigger revelation came Monday. Canadiens management revealed that Montreal didn't chase Kreider once he became available. Kreider approached the Canadiens first and made it clear he wanted in.
That detail changes the entire feel of the signing. Kreider wasn't simply looking for another NHL job after leaving Anaheim. He specifically pushed toward Montreal.
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And for Canadiens fans, there's no ignoring the history attached to that choice. Kreider's name has carried baggage in Montreal since the 2014 Eastern Conference Final.
His collision with Carey Price in Game 1 left the Canadiens without their starting goaltender for the rest of that series. More than 12 years later, Kreider is choosing the same organization himself.
Chris Kreider is walking directly into Canadiens history
That's what makes Montreal's admission so striking. Kreider knows exactly how he's been viewed in this market, yet he still wanted the sweater, the Bell Centre pressure and everything that comes with it.
This isn't a player arriving without anything left in the tank, either. Kreider produced 50 points in 75 games for Anaheim last season, finishing with 22 goals and 28 assists.
He also scored 8 power-play goals. For St-Louis, that gives Montreal another experienced net-front option who can create problems around the crease instead of needing the puck on his stick.
Kent Hughes also isn't taking a long-term gamble. Kreider's contract runs for one season, giving Montreal flexibility while adding a 35-year-old forward with 958 regular-season NHL games behind him.
The fascinating part now comes from the crowd. Canadiens fans spent years seeing Kreider as one of the central villains from a painful playoff chapter involving Price.
Now Kreider wants to be part of what Montreal is building. He made the first move, not the Canadiens.
That won't erase 2014. But if Kreider starts finishing chances around the crease in a Canadiens sweater, Montreal suddenly has one of the NHL's strangest redemption stories sitting inside its own locker room.
Will Canadiens fans fully embrace Chris Kreider this season?
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