The New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks have agreed to two different trades in the last 13 months. In December 2024, the Rangers sent Jacob Trouba, their captain, to the Ducks. Then, over the summer, they sent Chris Kreider to Anaheim. Both of them made their return to Madison Square Garden on Monday night and received a warm reception.

Trouba signed as a free agent with the Rangers in the summer of 2019, after spending six seasons with the Winnipeg Jets. The former captain spent from 2019-20 into the 2024-25 season with the Blueshirts. He played 364 games with the franchise, while scoring 24 goals and adding 95 assists. He was traded to the Ducks after the Rangers said they were going to place him on waivers.

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Meanwhile, Krieder was the 19th overall selection of the 2009 NHL Draft by the Rangers. He broke into the NHL during the 2011-2012 playoffs with the Rangers, and made his regular-season debut with the team the next year. The former first-round pick played 883 games with the club, finding the back of the net 326 times while adding 256 helpers. He is eighth in franchise history in games played, while sitting third in goals and tenth in points. He also has the club record for playoff games played, playoff goals, and playoff points.

Kreider has been solid in his first year with the Ducks, scoring 13 goals and adding eight assists. Meanwhile, Trouba has scored five times while adding nine helpers for the Ducks.

The Rangers enter the game at 16-13-4 on the year, which is seventh in the Metropolitan Division.  The Ducks entered the evening at 19-12-1, which is good for second in the Pacific Division. The game between the Ducks and Rangers is currently tied at one at the end of the second period. Kreider has handed out two hits in his return to MSG. Trouba has three shots, two blocked shots, two hits, and an assist in the game.