By the looks of it, former New York Rangers teammates Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba are enjoying their reunion in southern California.
The pair are teammates once again, only now across the country with the Anaheim Ducks. Kreider was traded to the Ducks in June, six months after the Rangers sent Trouba there last season.
It appears that the buddies picked up right where they left off.
Kreider and Trouba represented their new team at Ducks Night, which was held by the Los Angeles Angels on Friday. The evening was highlighted by Kreider throwing out the First Pitch to Trouba.
"Right in the dirt! Right in the dirt!," the self-deprecating Kreider joked on his way to the mound.
Unlike many celebrities or athletes who throw out the First Pitch, Kreider didn't toss one in from the front of the mound, 40 feet or so from home plate. Instead, Kreider went atop the hill at Anaheim Stadium, kicked some dirt by the pitching rubber, and fired a (near) strike to Trouba.
The former Rangers were mic'd up for Ducks social media, and Trouba can be heard laughing throughout. That was especially so when Kreider went into full windup and fired the pitch.
"Pretty good! Pretty good!," exclaimed a laughing Trouba, when he met Kreider in front of the plate for a handshake.
As they walked off the field, the former Rangers captain gushed, "That was all-time!"
After posing together for a photo with Wild Wing, the Ducks mascot, Kreider can be heard asking about the speed of his pitch.
"What'd we get on the gun?"
Related: Chris Kreider uses Shoulder Check Showcase to say goodbye to Rangers fans
Photo courtesy Anaheim Ducks
It's been quite the active athletic week out in SoCal for Kreider and Trouba. Not only did they get in some baseball, Kreider and Trouba took part in the Ducks annual golf outing, where, again, Kreider impressed.
Oh, and they were on the ice for some hockey, too, of course, getting ready for Ducks training camp, which opens in two weeks. And there'll be a real Rangers reunion there, too. Remember, it's not just Kreider and Trouba on the Ducks roster. Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano are there, as well.
The Ducks haven't made the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past seven seasons . But there are high hopes in Cali this year after the Ducks (35-37-10) finished with 80 points last season, a 21-point improvement over 2023-24. Then this offseason, they added veterans like Kreider and Mikael Granlund to support a very talented young core.
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