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April 30 Hockey Birthdays: Kreider, Liljegren, Smith

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Ryan Gagne | Last updated 4/30/24

On April 30, we celebrate the birthdays of 32 past and present NHL players. Today’s list includes the longest-tenured member of the New York Rangers, a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Edmonton Oilers, and one of the young defensemen who patrol the blueline for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Let’s look at some names blowing out candles today.

Chris Kreider (1991)

The last time the New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup was in 1994 when Chris Kreider was three years old. After a brilliant stint with Boston College, where he won two NCAA championships, the Rangers made him their top pick (19th overall) in the 2009 Entry Draft. He would make his NHL debut during the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs in the first round against the Ottawa Senators.

Now, Kreider is the longest-tenured skater in the lineup, having just finished his 12th season with the Blueshirts. He’s a three-time 30-goal scorer who almost broke the club goal record in a single season, finishing the 2021-22 campaign with 52. Moreover, he led the NHL with powerplay goals (26) and game-winners (11).

After 815 regular season games and 304 goals, he’s closing in on Rod Gilbet’s record of 406. Meanwhile, with another deep playoff run or two, Kreider has a chance at becoming the Rangers’ all-time leader in postseason points, sitting 22 points behind Hall of Famer Brian Leetch.

Timothy Liljegren (1999)

Timothy Liljegren is another first-round pick (17th overall) for the Toronto Maple Leafs from the 2017 Entry Draft. At 25, he’s approaching 200 games in the NHL, making his debut in 2019-20 and skating 11 games before playing just two the following season.

Eventually, Liljegren became a regular in the Toronto lineup, routinely playing over 55 games in the past three seasons while scoring a career-high of 23 points in 2021-22 and 2023-24. Since he was born in Kristianstad, Sweden, Liljegren is one of four Swedish players in the Maple Leafs lineup, including William Nylander, Pontus Holmberg, and Calle Jarnkrok.

Steve Smith (1963)

Steve Smith was a third-time Stanley Cup champion, winning a championship with the Edmonton Oilers in 1987, 1988, and 1990. Despite his contributions to those winning teams, he’s often remembered for scoring on his own net in the 1986 Smythe Division Final, which ended the Oilers’ run as back-to-back champions. Although the moment continues to live in infamy, when Edmonton won the Stanley Cup again in 1987, Smith was the first person to receive the trophy from Wayne Gretzky, who understood how important this moment was for the player and the franchise.

During his final season (1991) with the Oilers, he made the All-Star team before departing as a free agent to play with the Chicago Blackhawks. He finished his NHL career with the Flames from 1998 to 2001 before getting into coaching, where he currently plays his trade in the American Hockey League.