It’s widely known that the intangibles that Ryan Lindgren brings to the room and on the ice cannot be quantified. But the problem is, with No. 55 becoming a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer, the Rangers and defenseman will be obligated to do just that.
More importantly, Lindgren is only one year away from unrestricted free agency, so a one-year deal won’t be enough. The Blueshirts would need to agree to a multi-year contract extension.
The last time Lindgren hit the $3 million annual cap hit within a day of the end of the 2020-21 season and was re-upped on a three-year, $9 million deal, there was no fuss or fuss. This certainly represented Chris Drury’s first stint as GM, replacing Jeff Gorton. The Blueshirts can only hope that the process goes smoothly this time as well.
The Rangers have eight games left in their bid to win the Presidents Trophy for the fourth time since 1992 (1992, 1994, 2015), starting with Monday’s first visit of the season by the Penguins. Securing home-ice advantage for the next four rounds of the playoffs is a top priority for a group that is 21-4-1 since Jan. 27, with an even better five-game stretch.
But even if individual fates are determined over the next 11 or 12 weeks, there’s no harm in getting ahead of what the Rangers will face this offseason. Indeed, Column A exists if the Rangers reach depth, and Column B exists if disaster strikes. Futures will be out of balance.
But regardless of how this plays out, Lindgren should be at the bottom of both lines. No player on the Rangers is better known than the left-handed defenseman. He’s only 26 years old and was one of the prize winners of the 2018 and 2019 Deadline Purges.
Here’s one. Did you know that Lindgren was selected 17 picks ahead of Adam Fox in the 2016 draft, with Boston picking him 55th and Calgary picking him 23rd? The pair first came together nine years ago when they were USNDT U17s. will line up as a tandem in their 298th NHL game against Pittsburgh.
There are 19 defensemen pairs in the NHL who have played at least 750 minutes at 5-on-5. The combination of Lindgren and Fox has the league’s highest point differential at 64.15 percent (34 for, 19 against). And Fox and Lindgren have played as a pair since October 29, 2019, against Tampa Bay, scoring 194 goals and 129 goals in 4,158:43 for a percentage of 60.06. Don’t dress too dirty.
There is always concern that Lindgren’s body will break down. However, it has become something of a joke. Yes, there’s a price to be paid for risking his (published) 6-foot, 190-pound body every shift – and don’t forget his face! –However, Lindgren doesn’t seem to feel tired at all. Apparently, he had inventory available at the body parts store.
A blue-collar mentality is essential for a team that has historically operated with white gloves. Head coach Peter Laviolette broke up the 5-on-5 pairing to promote Lindgren to the starting penalty kill unit with Jacob Trouba. The club improved in that area, ranking fourth in the league with a penalty shooting percentage of 83.3 percent, and Lindgren’s 2 hours and 42 minutes of shorthanded ice time per game was second only to his captain’s 2 hours and 55 minutes. What you see is what you get.
Drury’s cap massage last summer probably doesn’t get as much credit as that or the GM’s credit. On the eve of free agency, the Rangers had $11.7 million available to fill eight roster spots, including those reserved for restricted free agents Quandre Miller and Alexis Lafreniere. The club did not lose any valuable players while building a roster with a record of 50 wins, 24 losses, and 4 losses.
This pressure will likely ease next summer. The cap is expected to increase to approximately $87.5 million. If that happens, the Rangers would have to fill four or five roster spots, including Lindgren and fellow restricted free agent Kaapo Kakko, and would have about $11.7 million in space, more or less, starting July 1. The day will come. An additional $4,437,500 could be incurred if Filip Sitil is unable to return.
Let’s face it. The pipeline isn’t full of left-handed defensemen. Erik Gustafsson is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent and could leave. That would leave Miller, Zach Jones, Connor McKee, Ben Harper and Brandon Scanlin on the strength chart with Lindgren, while Drew Fortescue will be a sophomore at Boston College.
It’s hard to pinpoint anything comparable to the Blueshirts’ “All Blood” and “Guts.” He’s a top-four rushing player on one of the league’s best teams and has been praised for his work ethic and leadership, but his offensive numbers have been modest.
I don’t know, $4 million over four years. $4.5 million per case over 5 years?
excessively? not enough? I don’t know. But we know it’s important that the Rangers don’t let Lindgren go. I’m sure Drury shares that opinion. Who will be on Fox’s left side in the cup game?
