Ryan Lindgren Explained

Ryan Lindgren
Birth Date:11 February 1998
Birth Place:Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lb:200
Position:Defense
Shoots:Left
League:NHL
Team:New York Rangers
Prospect League:AHL
Draft:49th overall
Draft Year:2016
Draft Team:Boston Bruins
Career Start:2018

Ryan Lindgren (born February 11, 1998) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was picked in the second round (49th overall) of the 2016 NHL entry draft by the Boston Bruins. He was acquired by the Rangers as part of the trade that sent Rick Nash to the Bruins.

Playing career

Lindgren is a defensive defenseman who plays physically.[1] He was drafted by the Boston Bruins with the 49th pick in the second round of the 2016 NHL entry draft, a pick they received in exchange for Johnny Boychuk.[2]

New York Rangers

On February 25, 2018, the New York Rangers acquired Lindgren along with a 2018 first-round pick, forwards Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey, and a 2019 seventh-round pick from the Bruins in an exchange for forward Rick Nash.[3] He signed a contract with the Rangers on March 22, and signed an amateur tryout (ATO) contract with their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack on March 23, forgoing his junior and senior years of collegiate play with the University of Minnesota.[4] [5]

After spending the first half of the 2018–19 season with the Wolf Pack, he was called up by the Rangers for their January 15, 2019, game against the Carolina Hurricanes.[6] He was returned to Hartford on January 19, after playing three games for the Rangers.[7] On May 10, 2021, Lindgren signed a three-year contract with the Rangers.[8]

During the 2022–23 season, in 63 games played, Lindgren has recorded a career-high in assists (17) and points (18), while tallying a team-high plus-29 rating. He blocked 91 shots, the fifth most on the Rangers and averaged 2:06 minutes of short-handed time on ice per game, the second most on the team. On November 30, 2022, during a game against the Ottawa Senators, Lindgren recorded a career-high three-assist/point game, becoming the fifth Rangers defensemen since the 2015–16 season to record a three-assist game, joining Adam Fox, Ryan McDonagh, Neal Pionk, and Brady Skjei. On April 10, 2023, Lindgren was the recipient of the 2023 Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award, which honors the legacy of New York Police Department detective Steven McDonald, who was shot and injured in the line of duty on July 12, 1986, and died on January 10, 2017. The award is presented annually to the Rangers player who, as chosen by the fans, "goes above and beyond the call of duty." The defenseman was recognized for his "leadership, impact and values that he exemplifies on the ice and throughout the community".[9]

On July 30, 2024, the Rangers re-signed Lindgren to a one-year, $4.5 million contract extension to avoid salary arbitration.[10] [11]

International play

Lindgren has represented the United States teams in international play. He began his international career as the United States captain at the 2015 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, where he recorded one assist in six games as his team lost in quarterfinals. He captained the under-18 team in the 2016 World U18 Championships, scoring two goals and adding three assists in seven games, helping his team to third place. He was also on the gold-winning junior team in the 2017 World Junior Championships, getting one assist in seven games. During the 2018 World Junior Championships, he was an alternate captain of the bronze-winning junior team, recording an assist in seven games.[12]

Personal life

Lindgren is the brother of Charlie Lindgren, a goaltender for the Washington Capitals.[13]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
2014–15U.S. National Development TeamUSHL35 3 10 13 65
2015–16U.S. National Development TeamUSHL25 4 8 12 16
2016–17University of MinnesotaB1G32 1 6 7 65
2017–18University of MinnesotaB1G35 2 7 9 51
2017–18Hartford Wolf PackAHL10 2 2 4 23
2018–19Hartford Wolf PackAHL65 0 12 12 94
2018–19New York RangersNHL5 0 0 0 8
2019–20Hartford Wolf PackAHL9 1 1 2 6
2019–20New York RangersNHL60 1 13 14 473 0 1 1 0
2020–21New York RangersNHL51 1 15 16 35
2021–22New York RangersNHL78 4 11 15 4817 2 3 5 10
2022–23New York RangersNHL63 1 17 18 457 1 1 2 6
2023–24New York RangersNHL76 3 14 17 3616 0 3 3 6
NHL totals333 10 70 80 21943 3 8 11 22

International

YearTeamEventResultGP G A Pts PIM
2014United StatesU176 0 1 1 4
2016United StatesU187 2 3 5 4
2017United StatesWJC7 0 1 1 0
2018United StatesWJC7 0 1 1 2
Junior totals27 2 6 8 10

Awards and honors

AwardYearRef
College
B1G All-Rookie Team2017
B1G Honorable Mention All-Star Team2017, 2018
New York Rangers
Players' Player Award2021, 2023[14]
Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award2023[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ryan Lindgren, Libor Hajek aim to make Rangers out of camp. July 16, 2018. January 15, 2019. Newsday. Stephenson, Colin.
  2. Web site: Bruins second-rounder Ryan Lindgren's true grit shows at NHL draft. BostonHerald.com. January 15, 2019. June 26, 2016.
  3. Web site: Rangers Acquire 2018 1st Rd. Pick, Lindgren, Spooner, Beleskey, 2019 Pick. nhl.com. January 15, 2019. February 25, 2018.
  4. Web site: Wolf Pack Sign Defenseman Ryan Lindgren to ATO. www.hartfordwolfpack.com. April 6, 2018.
  5. Web site: With Ryan Lindgren leaving Gophers hockey, attention turns to Casey Mittelstadt's status. Minnestota Star Tribune. January 15, 2019. Johnson, Randy. March 22, 2018.
  6. Web site: Rangers call up defenseman Ryan Lindgren from Hartford. Newsday. January 14, 2019. January 15, 2019. Stephenson, Colin.
  7. NYRangers . 1086828234954530818 . January 19, 2019 . OFFICIAL: #NYR have assigned Boo Nieves and Ryan Lindgren to @WolfPackAHL. . November 20, 2024.
  8. Web site: Rangers Agree to Terms with Ryan Lindgren . NHL.com . May 12, 2021 . May 10, 2021.
  9. Web site: Ryan Lindgren Named Winner of 2022-23 Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award . NHL.com . April 12, 2023 . April 10, 2023.
  10. Web site: Lindgren signs 1-year, $4.5 million contract with Rangers, avoids hearing . NHL.com . November 20, 2024 . July 30, 2024.
  11. Web site: New York Rangers avoid arbitration, sign Ryan Lindgren . ESPN.com . November 20, 2024 . July 30, 2024.
  12. Web site: Ryan Lindgren. Elite Prospects. January 15, 2019.
  13. Web site: Charlie Lindgren. Elite Prospects. April 5, 2018.
  14. Web site: Rangers Announce 2022-23 Team Award Winners . NHL.com . November 20, 2024 . April 12, 2023.
  15. Web site: Vincent Trocheck Named Winner of 2023-24 Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award . NHL.com . April 8, 2024 . April 7, 2024.