BY ALLAN KREDA, FOR THE SPORTING TRIBUNE

NEW YORK – Chris Kreider mulled the question as he stood outside the visitor’s locker room at Madison Square Garden as an opposing player for the first time.

“Is there one moment that stands out from his 13 years as a Ranger?”

“That’s a hard one,’’ he said with a smile. “I don’t know.”

No surprise there as there are countless possibilities for such an answer: his 2012 postseason burst as a rookie playing for John Tortorella, an playoff overtime goal against Boston in 2013, the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014 – not to mention Kreider’s 326 career goals which third-most behind Hall of Famers Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle. 

Kreider on Monday night will be wearing jarring-to-New York-fans Anaheim Ducks orange. He was trying his best to play it cool before what has to be as emotionally charged a return as a former Ranger has experienced since Mark Messier came back to the Garden as a Vancouver Canuck in 1997.

“I’m trying to go in with no expectations and just get ready to play a hockey game. But it’s a passionate fan base. It’s a place that I’ve spent the majority of my life, so I’m sure it’ll be emotional for me. To what extent, I don’t know. I’m just trying to worry about the game.”

Kreider will be joined in returnee (and likely video tribute) land by former Rangers captain Jacob Trouba who is also playing his first game back since he was traded to Anaheim just over a year ago. Trouba’s road out of New York was rocky and since the physical defenseman played six seasons for Winnipeg, he doesn’t have the lifetime Ranger vibe Kreider possessed until last June when the 2009 Rangers first-round draft pick  was shipped to the Ducks to reunite with Trouba in sunny California. 

“I think coming back and seeing familiar faces and seeing friends in the city, that’s all great,” Trouba said. “I think there’s obviously the emotions that come with it. There’s not really a playbook for that and how to deal with it. I think I’ll also be excited when it’s over.”

Kreider and Trouba will be joined by two more former Rangers with the Ducks – Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano – both key factors in New York’s run to the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals. 

One key figure in Monday night’s hockey drama – Kreider’s best friend as Ranger Mike Zibanejad – will not be on the ice as he will be scratched for missing a team meeting. Kreider and Zibanejad were teammates for nine seasons. 

Ducks coach Joel Quenneville has repeatedly praised the presence of Kreider, 34, and Trouba, 31, on the same roster with young Ducks such as 19-year-old Beckett Sennecke, the team’s 20-year-old leading scorer Leo Carlsson and rising defenseman Jackson LaCombe, 24. 

“They have both brought a lot to the table this year. They have played extremely well” Quenneville said of Trouba and Kreider and their vast wealth of big-game experience. “They come to play hard and it’s appreciated. Trouba has logged way more minutes than we would have thought early in the year and Kreids gives us that netfront presence that was lacking last year.” 

As far as the invariable emotional swirl that comes on a night wearing opposing colors on Garden ice for the former Rangers – particularly Kreider who also played 123 playoff games (with 48 goals) as a Ranger – the veteran coach knows what to expect.

“Internally I’m sure they can’t wait to get this one started,’’ he said. “Fans here are great. They are supportive in a lot of ways and I’m sure it will be special for them. It’s a meaningful game for us too … I’m sure both teams will be excited to play this game.”

Allan Kreda is a New York-area sportswriter with bylines at The Associated Press and formerly of the New York Times.