There was no doubt defenseman Ryan Lindgren would be in the Kraken lineup — one night after having some of his old teammates over to his house for dinner. In addition, forward Kaapo Kakko, who was traded to Seattle by the Rangers for defenseman Will Borgen and two draft picks last Dec. 18, made his season debut by facing his former team.

Kakko missed Seattle’s first 10 games because of a broken hand sustained during training camp. He was injured when slashed by Edmonton Oilers defenseman Beau Akey in the first period of the Kraken’s 4-1 win on Sept 24 and placed on injured reserve. Kakko returned to practice earlier this week and was a full participant when the Kraken took the ice on Friday and again at the morning skate Saturday.

Coach Lane Lambert said Kakko would be a game-time decision, but he took line rushes during warmups.

Lindgren is also facing his former team for the first time since being traded. The Rangers sent Adam Fox’s longtime regular partner and a pending unrestricted free agent, to the Colorado Avalanche on March 1. He had three points (two goals, one assist) in 18 regular-season games for the Avs, then chipped in three assists in seven games during Colorado’s loss to the Dallas Stars in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Kraken signed Lindgren to a four-year, $18 million contract ($4.5 million average annual value) on July 1. He has one assist and 23 penalty minutes in 10 games for the Kraken, who are off to a surprising 5-2-3 start.

While Lindgren and his old teammates will be on opposite ends of the ice Saturday, many Rangers were guests of the veteran defenseman on Friday night.

“It will be fun to see them and then play against them,” Lindgren said after practice when asked about facing his old team. “It will be nice to see a couple of the guys — I’m having a few of them over for dinner tonight. Obviously some best friends over there.

“Obviously it will be my first time against the Rangers. It might be a little weird. It will be exciting, for sure.”

Ryan Lindgren looking forward to facing former Rangers teammates

When asked if he had any particular ex-teammates who meant a lot to him, Lindgren was quick to cite his old partner.

“Adam Fox would be the one guy,” he said. “We kind of went through everything together. We lived together for two years. I was best friends with him in high school, and it was kind of cool that we were able to reconnect in New York and able to play together for a long time.

“He’s definitely a guy I feel very close with. He definitely means a lot to me.”

New York and Seattle split their season series in 2024-25, with the road team winning each time. The Rangers won 2-0 on Nov. 17, but the Kraken got even with a 7-5 victory at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 8, 10 days before the Kakko trade was made.

Kakko never blossomed the way the Rangers had expected him to. His best season in New York was 2022-23, when he finished with 40 points (18 goals, 22 assists), and he had 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 30 games with the Rangers last season before the trade.

He said after the trade was completed that he was hoping for a fresh start in Seattle.

“That’s what I’m hoping,” Kakko said. “It’s a new chance for me. I played there for a long time, just one team. I’m happy to be here and that’s what I’m thinking also.”

Expectations for the 24-year-old have increased in Seattle. He played 49 games with the Kraken after the trade, scoring 10 goals and finishing with 30 points while averaging a career-high 17:03 of ice time, almost four minutes per game more than he was seeing with the Rangers. That was enough to earn him a three-year contract extension that carries an average annual value of $4.525 million — making him the sixth-highest-paid forward on the team.

“Getting a contract done with Kaapo was a top priority this summer,” general manager Jason Botterill said after the signing on July 22. “We knew quickly he’d be a big part of our team moving forward. He’s got size, skill and tremendous playmaking ability, and isn’t afraid of going to the net. He fit in immediately with our group, and we’re thrilled to have him under contract.”

From the date he was acquired through the end of the regular season, Kakko was tied for second on the Kraken in points, third in assists (20) and power-play goals (3), and sixth in goals. He was tied for the team lead in even-strength points (24).

The 6-foot-1, 215-pound forward has 161 points (71 goals, 90 assists) in 379 regular-season games with the Kraken and Rangers. 

After all that stability in New York, the heart-and-soul defenseman has been part of three organizations in the past five months or so.

This latest transition, after he signed a four-year, $18 million contract with the Seattle Kraken at the start of NHL free agency July 1, should be somewhat easier for Lindgren. A big reason is that he is now reunited with good friend and former Rangers teammate Kaapo Kakko.

“He is one of my favorite guys I played with in my career, just such a good dude,” Lindgren said earlier this week. “Everyone loves him, such a hard-working, great player. As soon as he went to Seattle last year, he really took off and played well. I’m excited to be back playing with him and really excited to see him again.”

Though Lindgren played five games with the Rangers in the second half of the 2018-19 season, he and Kakko were rookies together on Broadway in 2019-20, after the Rangers selected Kakko with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft. Each played important roles helping the Rangers reach the Eastern Conference Final in 2022 and 2024.

They were teammates for nearly six full seasons in New York, until Kakko was traded to the Kraken in December for a package that included defenseman Will Borgen. Less than three months later, the Rangers traded Lindgren to the Colorado Avalanche along with forward Jimmy Vesey in exchange for forward Juuso Parssinen and defenseman Calvin de Haan.

As Lindgren said, Kakko’s production improved in Seattle, where he averaged nearly four minutes more TOI per game (17:03) and had 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 49 games after the trade. The 24-year-old is a restricted free agent and filed for salary arbitration with a hearing date still to be decided.

Related: How Adam Fox helped 2 former Rangers teammates get ‘overpaid’ in NHL free agency

Ryan Lindgren was ‘sad’ to leave Rangers, but appreciates new NHL opportunities

Lindgren spent most of his six seasons with the Rangers skating on the top defense pair with Adam Fox. Over 18 games (and another seven in the Stanley Cup Playoffs) with the Avalanche, Lindgren played in the top four of their defense corps, and averaged about a minute less TOI than with the Rangers at 19:00 per game.

His role with the Kraken should be similar as it was with the Avalanche. Lindgren’s expected to be in the top-four, though Vince Dunn likely will remain on the left side of the top pair along side Adam Larsson. That means Lindgren should be on the left side of 2024 Stanley Cup champion Brandon Montour on a shutdown pairing.

Lindgren said he understands that the preseason will be an important time for him to create chemistry with his new teammates. And that’s a far cry of how he and Fox played off one another with the intimate knowledge they had for each other’s tendencies, and strengths and weaknesses.

“I played with ‘Foxy’ for the majority of my NHL career; that was a lot of fun,” Lindgren explained. “Now it’s time to move on and play with someone new. It starts right in training camp. Everyone kind of seems like they play with everyone throughout camp. You just try to build chemistry, see what works with guys, try to figure it out, whether it’s in practices or games. I’m really excited for that opportunity.”

Lindgren never wanted to leave the Rangers, and hoped he’d work out a new contract to avoid free agency. Instead, the Rangers traded the 2022-23 Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award winner and embarked on a major shakeup of their defense corps, which culminated this week when they signed free agent Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-year, $49 million contract and then traded K’Andre Miller.

“At first, you’re very sad to leave a team, but you go to another team and realize, just meeting everyone and we start playing games, it’s a blast,” Lindgren offered. “It was a lot of fun to do that in Colorado. Now finding out I get to go to Seattle to start that journey all over again, meet a bunch of great, new people and start fresh, I’m really looking forward to it.”

In fact, the 2020-21 Norris Trophy winner as top NHL defenseman may very well be behind the sizeable contracts former teammates Ryan Lindgren and K’Andre Miller just landed in free agency this week.

“[Fox] just got two of his former teammates massively overpaid, all because of him,” popular hockey content creator Mike Bartner stated on Tik Tok.

That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but Bartner is on to something here. Ryan Lindgren and K’Andre Miller certainly benefitted from playing with Fox. And each defenseman landed a sizeable new contract this week.

Lindgren didn’t exactly break the bank in free agency, but the unrestricted free agent did get a four-year, $18 million deal with the Seattle Kraken. Miller, an RFA who spent far less time as Fox’s partner than Lindgren but flourished when given the opportunity in that role, was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes by the Rangers and then signed a whopping eight-year, $60 million contract with his new team.

Bartner’s claim may sound exaggerated, but the numbers don’t lie. Fox has consistently produced elite results, often beefing up teammates’ stats who get to share the ice with him. And now, even as the Rangers top pair goes through a new change with the signing of free-agent Vladisalv Gavrikov, Fox’s influence continues to shape the market well beyond the walls of Madison Square Garden.

Related: K’Andre Miller ready for ‘so much fun being on the other side’ after Rangers trade with Hurricanes

K’Andre Miller’s value boosted by improved play alongside Adam Fox with Rangers

Miller spent most of his five seasons on Broadway playing a shutdown role in the top four of the Rangers defense corps. There were mixed results in his development, and last season often wasn’t pretty for Miller, whose decision making and hockey IQ were among the things that came into question as the Rangers tumbled out of the playoff picture.

But there’s no questioning that his best moments came when he was paired with Fox. Miller got plenty of early-season run on the top pair when Lindgren was injured, and even after the rugged defenseman returned to the lineup. Eventually, then-coach Peter Laviolette reunited Fox and Lindgren, and Miller returned to his second-pair role — first with Jacob Trouba, then with Will Borgen after the Rangers captain was traded.

In 361 minutes together at even strength, Miller and Fox controlled over 61 percent of goals scored and posted a 64.72 expected goals share, per Natural Stat Trick. The difference in shot quality and volume was stunning — and they held a 65.51 percent share of scoring chances, allowing just 109 against wile generating 207 chances. Those numbers dropped when Miller was not paired with Fox. His goals-for percentage dropped to 44.33 percent and his expected goals share dipped to just 41.9 percent.

There are many different ways to look at such data. Miller naturally had better underlying stats when paired with an elite partner, like Fox. Those numbers dropped significantly with Trouba, and rose a bit with Borgen. So, did the other partners drag Miller down, or was Miller unable to lift his partners up?

Carolina made a massive investment with the belief that in the right environment — and likely with the right partner — Miller can reach the potential many still see in the 25-year-old. To that end, there’s been some talk that Miller may switch to the right side and pair with Jaccob Slavin, one of the top defensemen in the NHL.

Ironically — and maybe incredibly — Miller now earns more money than Slavin, who’s being paid $6.4 million annually the next five seasons, more than a million dollars less than Miller ($7.5 million AAV). It should be noted that Miller is six years younger than Slavin.

If not on the top pairing, Miller will hold down the left side on the second pair behind Slavin, perhaps with Jalen Chatfield as his partner. Chatfeld is solid, but not elite, like Fox or Slavin. That’d be a true test to see if Miller can carry a pairing and elevate his partner.

It was a bold move by Carolina. And Miller surely can thank Fox for the payday. Now let’s see if he proves worthy of such a rich contract.

Related: Rangers GM addresses flurry of roster changes: ‘big piece of it was salary cap’

Ryan Lindgren payday fueled by Rangers tenure alongside Adam Fox

While Miller’s market value spiked late, Lindgren had been cashing in on his proximity to Fox for years. The two were paired together from 2019-25, before the Rangers traded Lindgren to the Colorado Avalanche on March 1.

In 5214:23 minutes together at even strength (regular season), Lindgren and Fox posted a 55.46 goals-for percentage and a decent 47.89 percent expected goals share. When Lindgren was away from Fox, though, things were not nearly as pretty — his xGF fell to just 45.0 percent and his expected goals percentage dropped to 43.6 percent.

Meanwhile , Fox without Lindgren was dominant, with a 63.33 goals-for percentage and a 62.9 percent share of expected goals. It wasn’t just a case of Lindgren benefitting from Fox’s presence — it was Fox carrying the pair entirely.

It became even more clear this past season, when Lindgren seemed off after returning from an early-season injury. The 27-year-old is a warrior and remained true to his heart-and-soul play-style. But over time his body appears to be wearing down and more and more Fox carried the load on the top pairing.

Even without Fox as his partner in Colorado, the Avalanche wanted to re-sign Lindgren this offseason. Instead, he jumped to the Kraken for $4.5 million a year, with questions about how that contract will age.

Like Miller, Lindgren surely should’ve sent Fox a “Thank You” text on July 1.

But nothing quite like what he experienced with his current team, the Colorado Avalanche, on Saturday night.

Lindgren played a big role in helping the Avalanche skate to a 2-0 lead early in the third period of their decisive Game 7 on the road against the Dallas Stars. But he was also in the middle of an epic collapse, when the Avalanche allowed four unanswered goals — including three to former Colorado forward Mikko Rantanen — in a devastating 4-2 loss that ended their season.

“It’s pretty shocking,” Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon said in a stunned postgame locker room. “Felt like we were in total control and then Mikko, credit to him, he made some amazing plays. He was a difference-maker and he took over. I don’t know; I’m in shock to be honest with you. Felt like we were in complete control of the game the whole time and just lost it. They were missing their best [defenseman in Miro Heiskanen] and maybe their best forward (Jason Robertson), so we still couldn’t beat them. Yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know what we’re going to do.”

Lindgren was on ice for each of Colorado’s first two goals. The first was a short-handed goal by Josh Manson at 9:50 of the second period, when Lindgren was the last man back defending and had a good look at Logan O’Connor’s takeaway and Manson’s rush back the other way.

Adam Fox’s former defense partner then made a play early in the third period which likely made his buddy proud. Skating with the puck along the blue line, Lindgren drew a Dallas defender toward him before making a blind drop pass right on to the stick of MacKinnon, who burst into the offensive zone on left wing.

MacKinnon did the rest, taking it to the net for a gorgeous finish that made it 2-0 Colorado 31 seconds into the third period. The assist was Lindgren’s third of the series.

NATHAN MACKINNON BURIES IT FOR COLORADO'S SECOND GOAL 🚨

📺 ABC/ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/V74wEcTRAf

— ESPN (@espn) May 4, 2025

It didn’t go well for Lindgren nor the Avalanche the rest of the way, though.

Related: Mollie Walker explains why Rangers had ‘no sparkle … magic’ this season

Former Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren is among top free-agent defensemen this offseason

Rantanen put on his Superman cape and Lindgren definitely didn’t have Kryptonite to stop or even slow down the Stars forward when Dallas quickly tied the game.

On Rantanen’s first goal at 7:49, Lindgren appeared to have good positioning at and just inside his own blue line. Rantanen had the puck and approached with speed. As Lindgren backed off, Rantanen cut to the left and Dallas forward Sam Steel skated through to the right, clearing both Lindgren and teammate Artturi Lehkonen out of the play. Rantanen had the room he needed and made it 2-1.

Six minutes later, Lindgren was out there on the penalty kill and was victimized by Rantanen, who’s second of the night tied the score 2-2 at 13:46. As Rantanen entered the zone, Lindgren turned sideways and the Stars forward blew past the former Rangers defenseman. Rantanen then carried the puck around the net, attempted a wraparound and got a lucky bounce when the puck hit the skate of Colorado defenseman Sam Girard and into the net.

A LEGENDARY PERFORMANCE 👏

Mikko Rantanen scores the first-ever hat trick in the third period of a #Game7 in NHL history! #StanleyCup

Hat Trick Challenge presented by @AstraZenecaUS pic.twitter.com/HUBI0wDhvL

— NHL (@NHL) May 4, 2025

With Lindgren on the bench, Rantanen assisted on Wyatt Johnston’s go-ahead goal at 16:04 and then finished off the hat trick — and the Avalanche — with an empty-net goal at 19:57.

It was a bitter end to Lindgren’s season, which began with him sustaining a jaw injury in a preseason fight and missing several games to begin his seventh and final campaign on Broadway. After starting on the second pair, Lindgren was restored to his usual spot next to Fox, until he was traded to the Avalanche on March 1.

An unrestricted free agent, Lindgren was not going to be re-signed by the Rangers, so they moved him and Jimmy Vesey to Colorado for for defenseman Calvin de Haan and forward Juuso Parssinen. De Haan caused some drama with comments about the organization after the Rangers scratched him the final 20 games of the season. Parssinen was scratched in 12 of 23 games, but did begin to produce at the every end of the season. The Rangers signed Parssinen to a two-year contract Friday.

Vesey, also a UFA this summer, was a depth piece in Colorado. He had a goal and an assist in 10 games after the trade, and didn’t play at all in the playoffs against Dallas.

Lindgren is one of the top defensemen available in NHL free agency this summer, joining the likes of Aaron Ekblad, Vladislav Gavrikov and Ivan Provorov. He finished with an NHL career-high 22 points this season, including two goals and one assist in 18 games on Colorado’s second defense pair. In the playoffs, his plus-5 rating tied for best on the Avalanche and his 12 blocked shots were second most.

There are 16 former Rangers players set to take part in the chase for Lord Stanley’s chalice this spring, including one, defenseman Niko Mikkola, who won the Stanley Cup last year with the Florida Panthers.

Additionally, three head coaches in the postseason have Rangers ties. Montreal Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis finished his Hall of Fame playing career with the Rangers, and took part in several iconic playoff moments with them in 2014 and 2015. Joining him in Montreal is Jeff Gorton, the team’s executive vice president of hockey operations, who was the Rangers general manager from 2015 to 2021, and Glen Sather’s assistant for many years before that.

Kris Knoblauch, coach of the Edmonton Oilers, coached the Hartford Wolf Pack for four seasons and was 4-2-0 filling in for David Quinn when the Rangers coach was on the League’s COVID-19 protocol list in 2021.

Lastly, Scott Arniel spent time with the Rangers as an associate coach under Alain Vigneault. In his first season as coach of the Jets, Arniel led them to the Presidents’ Trophy this season.

Players are listed in alphabetical order.

Related: Why Rangers were not most disappointing team in NHL this season

Morgan Barron – Winnipeg Jets

The Rangers selected Morgan Barron in the sixth round of the 2017 NHL Draft (No. 174 overall), but the forward did not debut with the Blueshirts until the 2020-21 season. He played in five games that season and scored his first NHL goal against the Washington Capitals. Barron appeared in 13 games for New York in 2021-22 before he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets as part of a package for forward Andrew Copp. Barron has appeared in 70 or more games in each of the past three seasons for Winnipeg and has eight goals and seven assists this season. The Jets open the postseason against the St. Louis Blues.

Colin Blackwell – Dallas Stars

Colin Blackwell played 47 games with the Rangers in the 2020-21 season, and made an impact in the bottom six with 12 goals and 10 assists. The Seattle Kraken scooped up Blackwell in the expansion draft in the summer of 2021, and the forward made his way to Dallas this past summer, signing a one-year deal. In his first season with the Stars, Blackwell has six goals and 11 assists in 63 games. The Stars open the playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche.

Pavel Buchnevich – St. Louis Blues

Buchnevich had 79 goals and 116 assists in five seasons with the Rangers, but was traded to the St. Louis Blues in the summer of 2021 for Sammy Blais in Chris Drury’s first major move as general manager. Buchnevich became a star once he got to the Blues, recording his only 30-goal season in 2021-22 and scoring at least 20 goals in each of the past four seasons. The 30-year-old forward had 20 goals and 57 points this season for the Blues, who face the Jets in the first round.

Brett Howden – Vegas Golden Knights

Brett Howden made his way to the Rangers from the Tampa Bay Lightning as part of the return for Ryan McDonough and J.T. Miller ahead of the 2018 trade deadline. He made his NHL debut the next season, his first of three with New York. In 178 games with the Rangers, Howden tallied 16 goals and 33 assists. In the 2021 offseason, the Rangers traded Howden to the Vegas Golden Knights, where he still plays today. He was a part of their Stanley Cup-winning squad in 2023. Howden broke out offensively with NHL career highs in goals (23) and points (40) this season. Vegas skates against the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the playoffs.

Ryan Lindgren – Colorado Avalanche

Ryan Lindgren was notably dealt to the Colorado Avalanche before this season’s trade deadline, ending his seven-year stint on Broadway. In his 18 games with the Avalanche, he has not added much offensively (two goals, one assist) but has brought his typical gritty defense with 26 blocked shots and 21 hits. Lindgren totaled 387 games with the Rangers, playing an integral part in multiple deep playoff runs as Adam Fox’s defense partner, and is hoping to go on another long postseason journey with the Avalanche, who play the Stars in the opening round of the playoffs.

Ryan McDonagh – Tampa Bay Lightning

No. 27 on the ice was named the 27th captain in Rangers history at the start of the 2014-15 season following New York’s run to the Stanley Cup Final. McDonagh patrolled the blue line for the Rangers for eight seasons. In the Rangers’ iconic series against the Washington Capitals in the 2015 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Mac Truck blasted a game-winning goal in overtime of Game 5, kickstarting the Rangers’ comeback from a 3-1 series deficit. The Rangers traded McDonagh and Miller to the Lightning in a blockbuster deal before the 2018 trade deadline. McDonagh won two Stanley Cup championships with Tampa Bay before being traded to the Nashville Predators, and then was reacquired by the Lightning last summer. The Lightning will face the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the first round.

Dylan McIlrath – Washington Capitals

The Rangers selected Dylan McIlrath with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2010 draft, but things never worked out for him in New York, in part to a brutal knee injury early in his career. He’s played 92 NHL games (37 with the Rangers) and has not lived up to the expectations that came with being a top pick and prospect, though he’s won two Calder Cup championships in the AHL. The towering defenseman is an excellent fighter and as tough as they come; and this season remained on the Washington Capitals roster all year for the first time in his career, even though he played just 17 games. The Capitals open the postseason against the Montreal Canadiens.

Niko Mikkola – Florida Panthers

Niko Mikkola played every regular-season and postseason game for the Panthers last year, helping them win the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. In their title defense, he has once again played an important role, appearing in 76 games as a regular on the blue line. Coming over along with Vladimir Tarasenko in a trade with the Blues ahead of the 2023 deadline, Mikkola spent a half-season with the Rangers. He played 31 regular-season games for the Rangers, plus seven more in their first-round playoff loss to the New Jersey Devils. The Panthers face the Lightning in the first round of the playoffs this year.

Vladislav Namestnikov – Winnipeg Jets

A Rangers forward for parts of three seasons, Vladislav Namestnikov is in his third season with the Winnipeg Jets. He had 38 points (11 goals, 27 assists) in 78 games this season, the second-highest point total in his NHL career. The Jets open up the playoffs against the Blues.

Neal Pionk – Winnipeg Jets

Neal Pionk played his first two NHL seasons with the Rangers before they traded him to the Jets in the Jacob Trouba deal on June 17, 2019. Since then, the defenseman has recorded at least 30 points in six straight seasons with Winnipeg, including 45 in 2019-20. Despite being limited to 69 games because of injury this season, Pionk had 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) and established a career-best with a plus-21 rating. He and the Jets play their first-round series against the Blues.

Ryan Reaves – Toronto Maple Leafs

He played in only 35 games with the Maple Leafs this season, but Ryan Reaves is still an intimidating force when he’s in the lineup. Reaves has racked up an even 1,100 penalty minutes in the NHL, including 55 with the Rangers in parts of two seasons. This season he had two assists and 28 penalty minutes and will see a limited role in the postseason, when the Maple Leafs open up against the Ottawa Senators.

Jack Roslovic – Carolina Hurricanes

The Rangers acquired Jack Roslovic from the Columbus Blue Jackets ahead of last year’s trade deadline, and he spent much of his time in New York on a line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. He scored three goals and five assists in 19 regular-season games; in the playoffs, Roslovic scored two goals in the opening round and added two assists on Kreider’s natural hat trick in Game 6 against the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Second Round. Roslovic went quiet in the Eastern Conference Final, recording only one point in the six-game loss to Florida. In the offseason, he inked a one-year deal with the Hurricanes and put together a solid season, scoring 21 goals and adding 17 assists. The Hurricanes face the New Jersey Devils in the first round.

Brendan Smith – Dallas Stars

Ahead the 2017 trade deadline, the Rangers added Brendan Smith from the Detroit Red Wings for their playoff push. That offseason, he signed a four-year, 17.4 million contract to remain in New York and played 235 games during his five seasons with the Blueshirts. Smith spent time with the Hurricanes and Devils afterward before landing with the Stars for the 2024-25 season. He played 32 games for Dallas in the regular season and has been a veteran presence on the blue line. The Stars play the Avalanche in the first round.

Reilly Smith – Vegas Golden Knights

Reilly Smith, Brendan’s brother, was one of six original “misfits” from the Golden Knights’ inaugural roster who were members of their Stanley Cup championship in 2023. He’s representing the Golden Knights again in this year’s playoffs, two years and two teams later. After spending the 2023-24 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Smith signed with the Rangers. He had 10 goals and 19 assists in 58 games before New York sent him back to Vegas ahead of the trade deadline in exchange for a third-round pick and forward prospect Brendan Brisson. Vegas hooks up with Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs.

Jimmy Vesey – Colorado Avalanche

Jimmy Vesey has had two separate stints on Broadway in his nine-year NHL career, the first from 2016-19 and the second from 2022-25. The versatile forward totaled 434 games with the Rangers, scoring 78 goals and adding 69 assists. New York sent Vesey to Colorado on March 1 along with Lindgren. Vesey has not played much with the Avalanche, appearing in just 10 games, with one goal and one assist. The Avalanche play the Stars in the first round.

Mats Zuccarello – Minnesota Wild

Mats Zuccarello became as a fan favorite during his nine years in New York. He scored 113 goals and had 239 assists in 509 regular-season games, and suited up for 60 more in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Zuccarello was also beloved in the locker room; when the Rangers traded him in 2019 as a part of their rebuild, Henrik Lundqvist was famously brought to tears. The Rangers sent him to Dallas, where he appeared in just two regular-season games before an injury kept him out until the playoffs. He signed with Minnesota in that offseason and has spent the past six seasons with the Wild. Now 37 and with more than 900 games of NHL experience, Zuccarello had 19 goals and 54 points this season for the Wild, who get the Golden Knights as a first-round opponent.

Out are mainstays Jacob Trouba and Ryan Lindgren, each traded this season. In are new blue-line pillar Will Borgen, who assumed Trouba’s former role next to K’Andre Miller in what has been a very effective partnership; Urho Vaakanainen, who arrived in the Trouba deal and proven to be a steady and sound option; and Carson Soucy, a bruiser obtained from the Vancouver Canucks for a third-round draft pick.

The makeover, though, has left the Rangers without a crucial element that was lost when Lindgren departed: A partner to play with top defenseman Adam Fox. While the first reaction might be to go big-game hunting for a left-side defender to fill that role this summer, it would be behoove the Blueshirts to explore the distinct possibility that the answer might exist in-house.

That’s Braden Schneider, who at 23 years old remains one of the organization’s hopes to help anchor the blue line for years to come – and who, with the defense’s current configuration, looks to be blocked from career advancement on his natural right side.

Related: Rangers ‘change the scenery’ to get most out of 2 key young forwards

Braden Schneider stuck behind Adam Fox, Will Borgen on right side of defense

With Fox and Borgen each signed long term and ensconced on the right side of the top two defense pairs, Schneider has been relegated mostly to the third pair. Fox is signed through 2028-29 at a $9.5 million AAV; Borgen is signed through 2029-30 at $4.1 million per season.

Though a testament to their depth in that spot, bottom-pair duties aren’t what the Rangers planned for Schneider when they traded up three spots in the 2020 NHL Draft to select the native of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, No. 19 overall in the first round.

Fortunately for the Rangers, there’s an at least somewhat-tested solution that could solve both problems they face about Fox’s next partner as well as Schneider’s spot in the lineup. That’s a return of Schneider to the left side – a move he handled with comfort and aplomb earlier this season – to join the 2021 Norris Trophy winner as Lindgren’s successor.

Lindgren missed the first five games this season after he sustained a jaw injury during a preseason fight with New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield. Coach Peter Laviolette moved Schneider to his off side with fellow right-hand shot Trouba for that stretch, and the results were better than expected.

Schneider-Trouba posted an expected goal share of 52.8 over 73:13, with the Rangers outscoring opponents 3-2, per Natural Stat Trick. Perhaps just as important from a forward-looking perspective, the move seemed natural for Schneider, with the 6-foot-4, 213-pounder appearing to take advantage of the opportunity to attack the middle of the offensive zone on his forehand as he flashed his often-overlooked offensive skills.

A plus-4 in the Rangers season-opening 6-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Schneider recorded seven shots on goal over the first two games and 10 total on Trouba’s left – tying his highest total in any five-game stretch this season.

“He had some nice goals (last season) off the rush and in offensive zone play,” Laviolette said in October. “But he’s definitely had some ones that sit on your mind where he pulled it from his off side, he beat somebody 1-on-1, he brought it back to the middle and it was a heckuva goal. So, there’s definitely contributions that he can look for to continue to push offensively.”

As a desired draft prospect, Schneider was billed as a physical, tough-to-play against defender. His offensive skills, though, were also apparent, since he had a 42-point season with the Brandon Wheat Kings in 2019-20.

With goals in two of his past five games – one of them being a beautiful backhand overtime tally that gave the Rangers a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday – Schneider has 16 points in 69 games this season. It appears highly likely that he’ll eclipse his previous high of 19 in 82 games in 2023-24 – which would mark an increase in offensive production for each of his four NHL seasons.

BRADEN SCHNEIDER IN OVERTIME, WHAT A GOAL!#NYR pic.twitter.com/JPhxrfjqMl

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) March 14, 2025

A more permanent move to the left could help further flesh out that offensive ability. Schneider is a swift, strong skater, and teaming with Fox, who put up three straight 70-plus point seasons before this one, would also obviously help Schneider continue to develop as a point producer – and a more impactful all-around player. With Borgen and Miller, who the Rangers are expected to try to sign long-term this offseason, serving as the matchup pair, Fox and Schneider might have a chance to produce at a higher rate in more offensively-advantageous situations.

The duo has a history, one that’s mostly positive from the standpoint of underlying metrics. Schneider and Fox have played 134:01 together over the past three seasons, posting a 55.3 expected goal share. It stands to reason that number might get even better with them developing familiarity with each other after Lindgren served as Fox’s consistent partner for almost all of the latter’s career up until Lindgren’s exit March 1.

Related: 3 Rangers takeaways from inexcusable 2-1 loss to Flames

Rangers could test new defense pairs down stretch this season

It’s worth it for Laviolette and the organization to find out now if such an arrangement will work. Experimenting for the future is crucial with the club once again looking like an also-ran after a listless 2-1 loss to the Calgary Flames – their sixth loss in eight games (2-4-2). It was perhaps the Rangers most disheartening and disengaged effort of 2024-25, and it might indicate that a playoff spot isn’t in the cards for this spring.

Top-pair defensemen tend to be expensive in trade capital and salary, if any are even available. The Rangers have always had big plans for Schneider; now appears to be as good a time as any to start handing the fourth-year player those increased responsibilities as part of his development, rather than simply paying up in the offseason for a high-profile name to play with Fox.

Moving Schneider up this season would force easier reshuffling on the third pair, though it would come with some challenges. Fox has been teamed with Vaakanainen for the past few games, to unspectacular but decent results. Vaakanainen looks like a nice find by general manager Chris Drury, since he plays a reliable, fundamentally-sound game in his own end with a strong compete level. However, the Rangers gave him a two-year, $3.1 million extension March 7 – clear third-pair money, which is where Vaakanainen belongs over the long haul.

Putting him back on the left side of the bottom defense duo leaves an opening on the right with Schneider theoretically joining Fox. Perhaps the Rangers re-sign pending unrestricted free agent Zac Jones this summer, but with the expectation that he’ll probably be traded, that would leave Soucy as the obvious candidate to take the spot.

Such an alignment would leave the Rangers with two players on their off sides, since Soucy is a left-hand shot. Like Schneider, though, the versatile Soucy is capable of playing on either side. The third pair is also the correct spot for him. At 6-5 and 208 pounds, Soucy brings a badly-needed element of nastiness and ability to clear the crease, but he’s never been confused with a top-pair player. Soucy has been a healthy scratch the past three games in favor of Jones.

Left-right shot symmetry on defense is nice, but as Schneider demonstrated earlier this season, it’s often irrelevant – or in his case, perhaps actually better for a player’s game, and his team’s lineup as a result. Significant change is probably coming to this highly-flawed Rangers roster this summer. It would seem short-sighted for Laviolette not to use the remaining 13 games to find out whether the Rangers have a ready-made solution for Lindgren’s departure on the roster – one that would more or less complete Drury’s largely successful renovation of the blue line.

Isles GM Lou Lamoriello threw in the towel on his team’s slim playoff hopes late Thursday, trading the much sought-after center and minor-league forward William Dufour to the Colorado Avalanche for 20-year-old forward Calum Ritchie, a first-round selection in the 2026 or 2027 NHL Draft, a conditional third-round pick in the 2028 draft, and defenseman Oliver Kylington. The Islanders quickly wheeled Kylington to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations.

New York reportedly retained 50 percent of Nelson’s cap hit. The 33-year-old is in the final season of a five-year contract that has an average annual value of $6 million and can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Reports say he turned down a three-year contract with an AAV of more than $7.5 million, spurring the move.

The Islanders (28-26-7) began Friday four points out of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. But unlike last season, when a late-season surge carried them into the playoffs because so many teams in the East were dreadful, this time there are four clubs, including the Rangers, between the Islanders and that last playoff berth. The Islanders, who begin a three-game California trip against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday, are also without their most dynamic forward, Mathew Barzal, who hasn’t played since Feb. 1 and recently had surgery on his left kneecap.

The Rangers (31-26-5) and Ottawa Senators (31-25-5) are tied in points for the second wild card with 67 entering their showdown at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday afternoon; however, the Senators have a game in hand.

The Islanders’ first-round pick (No. 30) of the 2010 draft, has been the subject of trade rumors for weeks before Lamoriello pulled the trigger. However, the Hall of Fame GM opted to keep two other players widely regarded as trade possibilities — impending UFA forward Kyle Palmieri and center Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who is signed through 2025-26.

Nelson is fourth in Islanders history with 901 games played and fifth with 295 goals. He has 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists) this season despite a 17-game goal drought after three straight seasons of 34+ goals and should fit in well with Colorado’s highly skilled top-six forward group — likely as the No. 2 center behind NHL scoring leader Nathan MacKinnon. He can also play wing, as he did for Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off last month.

“On most of the trade boards I watched, he was the top guy available,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Friday. “Centers are hard to find, and he’s a real good one.”

Brock Nelson joins two former Rangers looking to help Avalanche win Stanley Cup

Nelson was the First Star on Tuesday, when the Islanders defeated the League-leading Winnipeg Jets 3-2 at UBS Arena. The 12-year veteran got teary-eyed in a post-game interview when asked what playing on Long Island meant to him. As it turned out, that was his last game in blue and orange.

An emotional first star Brock Nelson discusses his @nyislanders big win over the league leading Jets and what it’s meant to wear an Islander jersey his entire career. #Isles | @Shannon_Hogan pic.twitter.com/hr3DyFhYgE

— Isles on MSGSN (@IslesMSGN) March 5, 2025

“I’ve had conversations with Lou [Lamoriello] and I’ve been honest,” Nelson said after that game. “I really, truly, have been worried about here and playing and doing everything we can to win.”

Nelson is a reliable player at both ends of the ice, a trait that Bednar is delighted to add to his team, which owns the first wild card in the Western Conference and is even in points with the Minnesota Wild for third place in the Central Division after a 7-3 win against San Jose at Ball Arena on Thursday. He’s expected to make his debut with the Avs (37-24-2) when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

“He’s always been a trusted 200-foot player,” Bednar said. “If you look at his history, he’s scoring 30+ goals most years, too. To get a player of that caliber is hard to do — and yeah, I think it’s an amazing add for our team.”

Just this past Saturday, the Avalanche made a trade with the Rangers to acquire two other veterans on expiring contracts, pending UFA defenseman Ryan Lindgren and forward Jimmy Vesey. Lindgren drew praise from Bednar after his Avalanche debut on Tuesday.

Lindgren is averaging just under 21 minutes TOI in two games with Colorado. Vesey made his Avalanche debut in the win against the Sharks on Thursday and was minus-1 playing a bit more than 13 minutes.

Though first-round picks are nice to have, especially for a team that looks like it’s starting a rebuild, the key to the deal for the Islanders may be Ritchie, a big (6-foot-2, 190 pounds), skilled, smart center who’s on course for his second straight 80-point season in the Ontario Hockey League. He scored one goal – against the Islanders on Oct. 14 – in seven games at the start of the season before being returned to Oshawa of the OHL, where he has a team-leading 67 points (14 goals, 53 assists) and is plus-33 in 41 games.

He is known for his hockey IQ, playmaking ability, on-ice vision, and footwork — and he’s still filling out physically.

Ritchie, an alternate captain for Canada at the 2025 World Junior Championship, was Colorado’s first-round pick (No. 27) in the 2023 draft and was regarded as the top Avalanche prospect. He could eventually end up paired with Cole Eiserman, the Isles’ top pick in the 2024 draft, who has 19 goals in 32 games as a freshman for Boston University and helped Team USA win the World Juniors.

For now, Ritchie is likely to stay with Oshawa, which has already clinched an OHL playoff berth. But expect him to contend for a spot on the Islanders at training camp this fall.

The Soucy trade was made more possible by a move the Rangers made a few hours prior, when they dealt forward Reilly Smith to the Vegas Golden Knights for a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and forward prospect Brendan Brisson.

Welcome to New York, Carson! pic.twitter.com/C9PauRlkin

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 7, 2025

The Rangers then flipped that third-rounder, which is the San Jose Sharks pick so will be among the first selections of the that round, to the Canucks for Soucy, who plays a similar game to Lindgren, though come in a much bigger package (6-foot-5, 208 pounds).

The 30-year-old has played 349 NHL games with the Minnesota Wild, Seattle Kraken and Canucks; he was teammates in Seattle with Rangers defenseman Will Borgen and Vancouver with forward J.T. Miller.

Related: NHL Trade Deadline — Chris Drury executing multi-faceted game plan for Rangers

Grading Rangers trade with Canucks for Carson Soucy

Members of the Forever Blueshirts staff analyze and grade the Rangers trade to acquire defenseman Carson Soucy from the Vancouver Canucks for a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Jim Cerny – Executive Editor – Grade: B+

You can’t grade this trade in a vacuum. You must factor in the the Smith trade too, because that’s where this third-round pick to acquire Soucy came from. Really, it was all very well executed by Drury. The Rangers land a big, physical defenseman with a solid pedigree — though in the midst of a so-so season — who’s not a rental. So, Soucy is part of the Rangers plan in the top four of their defense corps the rest of this season and next, and an affordable one at that ($3.25 million AAV). Nice. Even nicer is that ultimately it cost them only an unrestricted free agent whom they had zero interest in retaining (Smith). Assuming K’Andre Miller re-signs as an RFA this summer, that’s two sturdy left-shot d-men in the top four — though if you were hoping for a Jakob Chychrun signing in the offseason, this probably wipes that out. All in all, well done by the Rangers, who immediately improve on the ice and remain positioned financially to be major players in free agency this summer.

John Kreiser – Senior Writer – Grade: B+

Drury made a nice move bringing in Soucy, a big shutdown defenseman who should make life a little easier for Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick. The 30-year-old isn’t much of a scorer (three goals and 10 points in 59 games with the Vancouver Canucks this season), but was second on the Canucks with 92 blocked shots and fifth with 86 hits – one of 18 players in the League with 90+ blocks and 85+ hits. Think of him as a replacement for Lindgren.

Even better is that Soucy is not a rental. He has another season left on a three-year contract — unlike Lindgren, who can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and wasn’t going to be resigned by the Rangers. Drury also got him for basically nothing – the price was the third-round pick he obtained from the Golden Knights a few hours earlier for Smith, another pending UFA who wasn’t going to be re-signed. Soucy isn’t a star, but he can play up and down the lineup – he was paired with another of this season’s acquisitions, Borgen, when they were with the Kraken together. The trade does two things: It improves the roster this season as the Rangers push for a playoff spot, and gives them a good player who will be around for at least one more season.

Tom Castro – Staff Writer – Grade: A

Drury made a sneaky-good move in acquiring the big defenseman Soucy from the Canucks for the third-round pick acquired in the Smith trade. Looking to replace the gritty presence of the departed Lindgren, the Rangers general manager added a 6-foot-5, 208-pound left-shot defender who plays a downright nasty game at times. Soucy provides so much of what the Rangers are desperate for: Physicality in his own zone, and the strength and size to keep the front of his net clear, while playing with constant edge and compete level in puck battles.

Soucy is signed through next season at a reasonable salary-cap hit, keeping this acquisition in line with Drury’s desire to avoid giving up assets for rental properties as he looks to remake the team for the near future. Soucy’s arrival also fits the GM’s mission to transform the Rangers into a tougher group. The fifth-round pick in the 2013 NHL Draft could be paired with Adam Fox when he returns from his upper-body injury, or reunited with Borgen, with whom Soucy paired for 109 games during their time with the Kraken. Drury has procured strong value here for a third-round pick, albeit one that’s expected to be high in that round because it originally belonged to the Sharks.

Dane Walsh – Staff Writer – Grade: B

Trading Smith was another housekeeping move by Drury. The Rangers were not going to re-sign him, so rather than letting him walk in the summer for no return, they sent him back to the Golden Knights where he won the Stanley Cup in 2023. Drury then flips the 3rd rounder in the return for Soucy, which fills a hole on defense. The Rangers really needed a left shot on the back end. They also get Brisson who is an intriguing prospect from Vegas. Brisson was incredible at the University of Michigan, but has yet to become a consistent NHL player. With 19 points in 45 AHL games this season, he’ll provide a nice boost to the Hartford Wolf Pack as he continues to develop. He’ll definitely be a prospect to keep an eye on heading into next season. The Rangers get a good return for Smith, but what’s more intriguing is what comes next. They now have a plethora of defenseman on the roster, which makes me think a bigger move for a top-3 defenseman is next. 

Having spent much of his freshman season on the fourth line for Western Michigan University, Ty Henricks can add a new word to his playing resume: Champion. Henricks had two shots on goal and a minor penalty for slashing Friday when the Broncos defeated North Dakota 6-4 to capture their first Penrose Cup in program history as NCHC regular-season champions. Western Michigan also ensured it will be headed to the NCAA tournament with its 24th win of the season.

Henricks had his best game of the season Saturday, scoring twice in the third period during a span of 2:03 to give the Broncos a 3-2 lead. His first goal came at even strength after finding a loose puck and firing a shot into the open goal at 8:31.

Ty ties it!🔥#BroncosReign pic.twitter.com/UXDv7pEZZ5

— WMU Hockey (@WMUHockey) March 2, 2025

Western Michigan took the lead at 10:34 when Henricks fired a one-time shot past the North Dakota goalie for his second goal of the game.

Twice as nice! 🏒🔥

Ty Henricks buries his second of the night to keep WMU rolling!#BroncosReign pic.twitter.com/hEbIqGmXua

— WMU Hockey (@WMUHockey) March 2, 2025

North Dakota came back to win 4-3 in overtime. Henricks finished the game with two goals on five shots and a plus-2 rating. The freshman winger improved his season totals to five goals and five assists for 10 points in 31 games played.

The Broncos finish the regular season March 7 and 8 at Miami of Ohio, and will begin the NCHC playoffs as the No. 1 seed. They are fourth in the USCHO.com Men’s Division I Poll and fifth in PairWise Rankings with a record of 24-7-1.

Minnesota captured a share of the Big Ten Conference championship over the weekend. The Gophers lost 4-3 in overtime Friday to Penn State. Junior Brody Lamb did not have a shot on goal. Lamb recorded one face-off win Saturday during a 5-3 victory. He sits at 16 goals and nine assists for 25 points in 35 games played. With an overall record of 24-8-4, Minnesota is third in the USCHO Poll and third in PairWise. The Golden Gophers will host Notre Dame in a best-of-three Big Ten playoff series beginning March 7.

Related: Hartford Wolf Pack weekly — Jaroslav Chmelar, Dylan Roobroeck step up

Rangers top prospect Gabe Perreault finishing season strong for Boston College

In Hockey East play, 2023 first-round pick Gabe Perreault had two assists with three shots on goal, one blocked shot, and a plus-2 rating Friday when the Boston College Eagles defeated New Hampshire 4-1. In the second period, Perreault had the primary assist on BC’s first goal, an even-strength goal which tied the game at 1-1. It was Perreault’s 30th assist this season. The sophomore added another assist in the third period on Boston College’s third goal to put the game away.

Teammate Drew Fortescue was credited with the primary assist on BC’s fourth goal, an empty-netter with 2:37 remaining. It was the defenseman’s 10th point, all assists, this season.

The Eagles skated to a 1-1 overtime tie against New Hampshire on Saturday before gaining an extra standings point via a shootout win. With his team trailing 1-0 in the third period and on a power play, Perreault fired the puck just over the goal line to tie the game up at 1-1 for his 13th goal of the season.

Perreault ties it up and Powell picks up his 100th career point with the primary assist!

Watch on @ESPNPlus | https://t.co/2kwsFhxFKs pic.twitter.com/YBkaHj23b1

— BC Men's Hockey (@BC_MHockey) March 2, 2025

The goal improved Perreault’s season totals to 13 goals and 31 assists for 44 points in 33 games played. He is tied for the team lead in points, and tied for seventh nationally in scoring. Fortescue had one blocked shot in the game.

Boston College is at the top of the USCHO Poll and PairWise Rankings with an overall record of 25-6-2. Merrimack College is the final regular season opponent Saturday for Senior Day. A regulation win over the Warriors would clinch the Hockey East regular-season title for Boston College and a first round bye in the conference tournament.

In other Hockey East action, defenseman Jackson Dorrington had two shots on goal and one blocked shot Friday when Northeastern lost to UConn 5-2. The junior had one shot on goal, a minor penalty for roughing, and was a minus-3 during a 7-1 loss Saturday. This was the third straight loss for Northeastern, which fell to 11-18-3 overall. The Huskies conclude the regular season with games at Merrimack on Thursday and Senior Night against Providence College on Saturday.

Harvard captain Zakary Karpa won 10 of 20 face-offs Friday in a 4-3 victory over Yale on Friday. The senior center was a minus-1 with no shots on goal. Playing in his final regular-season game for the Crimson, Karpa had an assist when they played to a 3-3 overtime tie against Brown before losing in the shootout.

Karpa earned the primary assist on Harvard’s first goal to finish the regular season with six points (all assists) in 27 games played. Harvard concluded the regular season with an overall record of 11-15-3 and will host Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute this Friday in a single elimination game to determine who advances to the ECAC Hockey Quarterfinals.

2024 first-round pick EJ Emery did not play for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks in their series against Western Michigan University due to an injury. Emery has a single assist in 30 games played during his freshman season. North Dakota is currently outside of the NCAA tournament field with an 18-13-2 overall record and 18th place in both the USCHO Poll and PairWise Rankings. The Fighting Hawks conclude NCHC regular season play at home against Omaha.

Swedish defenseman Rasmus Larsson missed his fourth straight game for the Northern Michigan Wildcats due to injury, and his freshman season came to an end then they finished ninth in CCHA standings, missing out on the conference playoffs. Larsson was without a point for his first 25 games before finishing with three goals in his last four games played. The Wildcats were 62nd out of 64 teams in PairWise Rankings with an overall record of 5-27-2.

Cornell defenseman Hank Kempf is no longer in the Rangers organization. He was included in the trade which sent Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey to the Colorado Avalanche in return for Calvin de Haan, Juuso Parssinen, and conditional second and fourth-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 2021 seventh-round pick scored four goals and 21 assists for 25 points in 127 career NCAA games with the Big Red.

“He was solid. Tonight, as far as puck play goes and defending hard in the zone, I thought he was our best D tonight,” Bednar said postgame. “It’s not flashy, he’s not gonna wow you, but he’s effective getting things done.”

Lindgren played his first game with the Avalanche in a 4-1 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Even though he was wearing a sweater other than the Blueshirt for the first time in 388 NHL games, it was familiar territory for Lindgren to play against the Penguins, a Metropolitan Division rival of the Rangers.

But instead of playing with Adam Fox on defense, Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad up front and Igor Shesterkin in net, Lindgren’s new team featured its own stars, led by defenseman Cale Makar and forward Nathan MacKinnon.

Lindgren logged 20:33 TOI, including 1:52 on the penalty kill. He had one hit and one blocked shot. But his underlying numbers weren’t great.

Per Natural Stat Trick, the Avalanche were outshot 14-7 with Lindgren on the ice 5v5 and out-chanced 7-2, though he was not on for either a goal for or against. His xGF was not pretty, 24.14 percent.

COL #GoAvsGo Game Score Report Card vs PIT – 2025-03-04

Best Players: Artturi Lehkonen / Cale Makar
Worst Players: Miles Wood / Ryan Lindgren pic.twitter.com/fx4FsCXwLH

— HockeyIceStorm (@HockeyIceStorm) March 5, 2025

Still, Bednar was pleased with what he saw from Lindgren, and the defenseman appeared satisfied with his debut, as well.

“Personally, I thought I had a pretty good game,” Lindgren said. “I’m still learning obviously, learning the systems … but, yeah, being here at Ball Arena, it’s a lot of fun, it’s a great crowd here, great energy. It was a lot of fun tonight.”

"Being here at Ball Arena, it's a lot of fun."

Ryan Lindgren pic.twitter.com/xfbDPAWwOC

— DNVR Avalanche (@DNVR_Avalanche) March 5, 2025

Makar, Devon Toews and Samuel Girard each logged more ice time than Lindgren among Avalanche defenseman. Bednar said after Lindgren was acquired that he could see the former Rangers defender playing a similar role as he did in New York, helping lighten the load on Colorado’s top defensemen.

“That’s a big add … getting another really strong penalty killer, the physicality around the net front and down low in your own zone to be able to help close plays out,” Bednar said about Lindgren. “He can play a lot, and I think that will lighten the load and allow us to be able to, especially on the penalty kill, save some ice time off of 7 and 8 (Toews and Makar) so their energy can be used in some other situations.”

Related: Rangers trade grades after acquiring Calvin de Haan, Juuso Parssinen from Avalanche

Ryan Lindgren says good to ‘move on’ with Avalanche after trade from Rangers

The Rangers traded Lindgren and forward Jimmy Vesey to the Avalanche on Saturday for defenseman Calvin de Haan, center Juuso Parssinen and a second- and fourth-round pick in this year’s draft.

Lindgren and Vesey were respected veterans in New York, but each is a pending unrestricted free agent, and neither was going to be re-signed this offseason by the Rangers. The draft picks received from Colorado were crucial to making the deal from New York’s point of view, to help rebuild draft capital.

Parssinen is a wild card in the trade, a 24-year-old with good size (6-foot-3, 212 pounds) and flashes of skill. He centered the third line in consecutive Rangers wins against the Nashville Predators and New York Islanders, though clearly was finding his way on the ice where he had minimal impact.

De Haan had an assist in his Rangers debut Sunday against the Predators and has played well on a defense pair with Zac Jones. The 33-year-old is a pending UFA and not expected to return next season.

As for Vesey, his Avalanche tenure began the way most of his final season with the Rangers was spent — in the press box as a healthy scratch. Still, Bednar is happy to add the 31-year-old to Colorado’s roster.

“Jimmy’s a little bit of a Swiss Army knife,” Bednar explained. “Over his career, he’s been moving around a little. Another top penalty killer as a forward – you can’t have enough of those.”

The Avalanche (36-24-2) are the first wild card in the Western Conference, three years after winning the Stanley Cup. They’ve retooled a bit this season, trading pending UFA forward Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in a massive in-season deal that saw forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury land in Colorado. The Avalanche also swapped goalies, acquiring MacKenzie Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks for former Rangers netminder Alexandar Georgiev earlier in the season.

“Obviously a lot of emotions go on, but to find out you’re coming to Colorado and what a great team they have here and just meeting all the guys, I’m just really excited to be here,” Lindgren shared.

The heart-and-soul warrior also added this about leaving behind what was a messy final season with the Rangers.

“New York definitely was up and down. There was a lot of stuff going on, so it’s nice to just come here and move on. It’s a new chapter here. Gotta get up for the playoffs, so I’m really excited.”