Chris Kreider Could Be Bigger for the Canadiens Than We

When the Montreal Canadiens signed Chris Kreider, I don't remember thinking the team had drastically changed; they’d just added a really solid player. It felt more like one of those quiet little moves that might make sense later. Kreider was 35. He wasn't coming off a huge season. No one was asking him to come to Montreal and carry the Canadiens. At $2.15 million, with another $3.25 million available in bonuses, this wasn't exactly a franchise-altering investment.

But maybe that's what makes it interesting. Kreider has now scored his first goal as a Canadien and added an assist, along with four hits, in Montreal's 6-5 overtime loss to Pittsburgh. And suddenly I'm wondering if this small signing could turn into a pretty important one.

The Canadiens Don't Need the Old Chris Kreider.

Kreider scored 22 goals and 50 points in 75 games last season. Those aren't the numbers that made him famous, and nobody should expect the 35-year-old to suddenly become a 40-goal scorer again. But that's not really what Montreal needs.

The Canadiens have young players who can score. They have skill. They have speed. What they don't necessarily have in abundance is a player who has spent years learning what happens when the hockey gets heavier. That's where Kreider comes in.

The playoffs aren't the regular season with more people watching. The space disappears. The battles along the boards become more important. Getting to the front of the net becomes harder. Players get tired. Little things matter. Kreider has lived in that world for a long time.

If he gives Montreal 15 or 20 goals, some secondary scoring, physical play and a willingness to do the things that don't necessarily show up in the highlights, that's already a pretty good return on a $2.15-million investment. But I think there's something else.

Maybe Kreider's Biggest Contribution Won't Show Up in His Numbers

Montreal is a young team. That's exciting. It's also something a team has to learn how to manage. Young players don't necessarily need another player telling them how to play. They need someone beside them who has been through enough hockey to understand when the game changes and what to do about it.

Kreider can be that guy.