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Ryan Lindgren

Rangers, Ryan Lindgren Avoid Arbitration

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4:25 PM: The Rangers have confirmed the signing according to a public announcement.

12:52 PM: The Rangers and defenseman Ryan Lindgren have reached an agreement prior to their arbitration hearing, which was scheduled for Aug. 2. It’s a one-year deal worth $4.5MM, reports Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

Lindgren, 26, will return to the Blueshirts for his seventh NHL season. In his time in New York thus far, the Minnesota-born blue liner has blossomed as a stay-at-home partner for Adam Fox on the team’s top pair. Lindgren’s averaged 19:34 per game since 2020-21, and his offense has remained consistent, providing between 15 and 20 points per campaign. However, he’s coming off a difficult season, one that likely impacted how long negotiations stretched out.

At first glance, last season seemed par for the course for Lindgren, who had 17 points and a +22 rating in 76 appearances while averaging 19:21 per night. But advanced metrics painted a much different story, as his relative CF% and xGF% dipped into the negatives for the first time since his rookie season. The Rangers were out-attempted 1,258-1,153 with Lindgren on the ice at even strength, and his pairing with Fox only controlled 46.5% of expected goals, per MoneyPuck. That figure is way down from 54.6% in 2022-23.

The younger brother of Capitals netminder Charlie Lindgren will try and redeem himself in a 2024-25 campaign that will be the most important of his career. That’s because a one-year pact walks him directly to unrestricted free agency next summer.

After signing Lindgren, the Rangers’ projected opening-night roster is at a full 23-player count with $623K in projected cap space, per PuckPedia. That prorates to about $2.8MM in space come trade deadline day. He’ll be given a chance to reprise his first-pairing role alongside Fox, hopefully with better possession play at even strength.

Last season, Lindgren finished seventh on the Rangers in hits (114) and fifth in blocks (103). Drafted by the Bruins in the second round in 2016, Lindgren was acquired in a 2018 deal that sent Rick Nash to Boston.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

2024 Salary Arbitration Tracker

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It has been a quieter year on the salary arbitration front across the NHL.  After 23 players filed last summer, just 14 did this time around.  As expected, most have settled so far with a few hearings still pending.  Here’s a rundown of who has settled and who still needs to sign.

Updated 7/30/24, 1:07 p.m.

Contracts Settled

D Jake Christiansen (Blue Jackets) – one year, $775K (two-way agreement)
F Connor Dewar (Maple Leafs) – one year, $1.18MM
F Jack Drury (Hurricanes) – two years, $3.45MM
D Ty Emberson (Sharks) – one year, $950K
G Jet Greaves (Blue Jackets) – two years, $1.625MM (two-way in 2024-25, one-way in 2025-26)
F Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Sabres) – five years, $23.75MM
F Beck Malenstyn (Sabres) – two years, $2.7MM
D J.J. Moser (Lightning) – two years, $6.75MM
F Joe Veleno (Red Wings) – two years, $4.55MM
F Oliver Wahlstrom (Islanders) – one year, $1MM
F Kirill Marchenko (Blue Jackets) – three years, $11.55MM
F Martin Necas (Hurricanes) – two years, $13MM
D Ryan Lindgren (Rangers) – one year, $4.5MM

Contracts Awarded

D Spencer Stastney (Predators) – two years, $1.675MM (two-way in 2024-25, one-way in 2025-26)

Scheduled Hearings

none

A reminder of some of the arbitration rules for the upcoming potential hearings:

  • A player and team can settle on a deal at any point before the hearing starts.
  • Once the hearing has taken place, the arbitration decision must be issued by email within 48 hours.
  • Arbitration awards can only be one or two years in length. (Players who are in their final year of restricted free agency are only entitled to a one-year agreement from an arbitrator.)
  • The team decides on the awarded term as these were all player-elected filings.
  • The team can walk away from the arbitration decision if a contract with an average annual value of more than $4.74MM is awarded.

Worth noting is that teams who have someone file for arbitration will receive a second buyout window three days after their final contract is settled or awarded.  The window lasts for 48 hours and the only eligible players to be bought out in this timeframe are those who have an AAV of $4MM or more and were on that team’s reserve list at the trade deadline back in March.

14 Players Elect For Salary Arbitration

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Per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and originally produced by the National Hockey Leaguer Players’ Association, 14 players have elected for salary arbitration this summer. The deadline for team-elected arbitration is tomorrow. Friedman also notes the arbitration hearings will happen between July 20th and August 4th. To add context, not every one of these players will appear for a hearing with their respective teams as they may continue to negotiate on a new contract. However, each player who elects for salary arbitration is now prohibited from negotiating with other teams or signing an offer sheet. Here is a list of the players that have elected for arbitration:

F Beck Malenstyn (Buffalo Sabres)
G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Buffalo Sabres)
F Martin Necas (Carolina Hurricanes)
F Jack Drury (Carolina Hurricanes)
D Jake Christiansen (Columbus Blue Jackets)
G Jet Greaves (Columbus Blue Jackets)
F Kirill Marchenko (Columbus Blue Jackets)
F Joe Veleno (Detroit Red Wings)
D Spencer Stastney (Nashville Predators)
F Oliver Wahlstrom (New York Islanders)
D Ryan Lindgren (New York Rangers)
D Ty Emberson (San Jose Sharks)
D J.J. Moser (Tampa Bay Lightning)
F Connor Dewar (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Game 1 Notes: Panthers, Oettinger, Henrique, Lindgren

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When they take on the New York Rangers tonight in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Florida Panthers will have a fully healthy roster. Earlier today, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reported that Sam Bennett, Dmitry Kulikov, and Niko Mikkola skated at practice this morning, and the trio would be in the lineup this evening.

Bennett, who has seemingly become one of the more controversial players in this year’s postseason, has already had to sit out five games with a hand injury. In Game 2 of the team’s Round One series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Bennett took a slapshot off the hand from teammate Brandon Montour, and would not play again until Game 3 against the Boston Bruins. Likely still dealing with some nagging pain from the injury, it is not expected to keep Bennett out of the action moving forward.

Unlike Bennett, there were no formal announcements of injuries for either Kulikov or Mikkola, although the latter left Florida’s bench with about three minutes remaining in Game 6 against the Bruins. With both players confirmed to be in the lineup for Game 1 tonight, a completely healthy defensive core for the Panthers should give the Rangers quite a bit of trouble in generating offense.

Other Game 1 notes:

  • On the other side of the bracket, the Dallas Stars may be dealing with some trouble in the net ahead of Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Edmonton Oilers, as goaltender Jake Oettinger left practice early today with an illness (Article Link). The team is expecting Oettinger to be healthy and ready for the opening matchup tomorrow night, but it could certainly complicate matters in the crease. In this year’s playoff against the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche, Oettinger has started in all 13 games for the Stars, producing a solid .918 save percentage and 2.08 goals against average.
  • Staying in the Western Conference Finals, the Oilers are not expecting back forward Adam Henrique until at least Game 3 (X Link). Dealing with an undisclosed injury, Henrique only managed to play in Game 2 of Edmonton’s Round Two series against the Vancouver Canucks, and has not returned to the ice since. Now that the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs have shrunk to only four teams, the Oilers will need all the help they can get up front to take down the Stars.
  • Moving back to New York, Dan Rosen of the NHL is reporting that defenseman Ryan Lindgren will enter into the lineup for Game 1. Although he has not missed a game this postseason, Lindgren did not skate with the team during Sunday’s optional skate and missed the team’s practices on Monday and Tuesday due to maintenance. Nevertheless, it appears that Lindgren will be good to go for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals this evening.

Metropolitan Notes: Merzlikins, Gustafsson, Lindgren

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Some players on non-playoff teams still have the chance to play meaningful games over the next couple of months by representing their national teams at the 2024 Men’s World Championship in Czechia. One will be Blue Jackets starter Elvis Merzļikins, who confirmed to Latvian reporter Ulvis Brože that he’ll represent his country at the tournament. The Riga-born netminder will make his sixth appearance at the tournament, although only his second since joining Columbus in 2019. He’s done quite well at the tournament, posting a .917 SV%, 2.51 GAA, and three shutouts in 27 appearances despite playing behind one of the historically weaker rosters at the tournament. A leg injury stopped him from joining Latvia at last year’s event, which paved the way for Canucks prospect Arturs Silovs to put together a .921 SV%, 2.20 GAA, and 7-3-0 record in 10 games as the squad upset their way to a bronze medal.

Other notes from the Metropolitan Division:

  • Heading to the Big Apple, the Rangers were without defenseman Erik Gustafsson at Monday’s practice due to an upper-body injury. The 32-year-old Swede is listed as day-to-day but has not been ruled out for Tuesday’s game against the Flyers. He’s provided great value for the Blueshirts on a one-year, $825K deal, crossing the 30-point plateau in back-to-back seasons for the first time in his career. The offensive-minded blue-liner has also posted solid possession metrics, boasting a 54.0 CF% at even strength along with a +7.2 expected rating. While averaging 17:15 on the season, he’s been promoted to a top-four role in recent days, with Ryan Lindgren and Jacob Trouba both absent due to lower-body injuries.
  • Speaking of Lindgren, the top-pairing fixture is inching toward a return as he took to the ice in a non-contact jersey at today’s practice for the first time since sustaining his injury against the Islanders on March 17, Vince Z. Mercogliano of USA Today reports. He sustained an apparent severe knee injury after falling awkwardly into the boards during a collision with Isles center Jean-Gabriel Pageau, but a return to the ice just over a week later suggests he’s avoided the worst. The Minnesota native has battled through multiple injuries this season, though, influencing some unusually poor possession numbers despite being stapled to number-one defenseman Adam Fox when in the lineup. Averaging 19:13 per game, he’s posted a 47.1 CF% at even strength and a -3.5 expected rating, both serving as the worst numbers since his rookie season. Still, it’s promising he’ll likely have a chance to return to the lineup and regain comfort with his game before the postseason begins.

Injury Updates: Zegras, Lindgren, Trouba, Hoffman, Desharnais

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Ducks center Trevor Zegras is listed as a game-time decision for their game tomorrow against Tampa Bay, reports Derek Lee of The Sporting Tribune (Twitter link).  The 23-year-old has missed more than two months with an ankle injury, his second extended absence after missing 20 games earlier in the year with a lower-body issue.  In between, Zegras has struggled offensively, notching just four goals and seven assists in the 20 games he has been able to suit up for which fueled trade speculation leading into the trade deadline.  With Mason McTavish and Leo Carlsson locked in down the middle, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Anaheim deploy Zegras on the wing when he’s cleared to return.

Other injury news from around the NHL:

  • Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren has begun skating as he works his way back from a lower-body injury, relays Vince Z. Mercogliano of USA Today (Twitter link). He has been out for a week but is still a few weeks away from returning.  Meanwhile, Mercogliano adds that blueliner Jacob Trouba (lower body) is likely closer to getting back into the lineup.  That said, head coach Peter Laviolette suggested that the captain is likely another week or more away from being able to suit up.  New York is in a tight battle with Carolina for the top spot in the Metropolitan but they’ll be waiting a little while longer to get one of their blueliners back.
  • Sharks winger Mike Hoffman is nearing a return from his upper-body injury but won’t play tonight against Chicago, head coach David Quinn told reporters including Max Miller of The Hockey News. The 34-year-old has missed the last two weeks with the injury which he revealed is a concussion.  It has been a tough year for Hoffman who has been limited to just 10 goals and 12 assists through 61 games so far, hardly the type of platform year he was hoping to have as he gets set to hit the open market in July.
  • Oilers defenseman Vincent Desharnais will return to the lineup tonight against Toronto, notes Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link). The 27-year-old suffered a hand injury last weekend against Colorado.  Desharnais is in his first season of full-time NHL duty and has nine points along with 96 blocks and 104 hits in 63 games so far this season.

Rangers Recall Brandon Scanlin, Ryan Lindgren Week-To-Week

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The New York Rangers have recalled defenseman Brandon Scanlin from the minor leagues, with Ryan Lindgren expected to miss a “few weeks” with a lower-body injury, per The Athletic’s Peter Baugh. Scanlin signed a two-year, two-way, $1.6MM contract extension with the Rangers in February, after a strong start to the year with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack.

Scanlin, 24, joined the Wolf Pack following the end of the University of Nebraska-Omaha’s 2021-22 season, recording one assist, one penalty, and a -1 in his first 15 AHL games. He more formally played his rookie pro season last year, tallying 15 points and 30 penalty minutes in 61 games. He’s managed to improve on both of those stats this year, netting 16 points and 39 penalty minutes in 57 games. Scanlin will now get a chance to make his NHL debut, after receiving the first call-up of his young career.

Lindgren joins team captain Jacob Trouba (lower-body) on the team’s absentee list, with both players week-to-week with injuries. That should give Scanlin plenty of time to slot into the lineup, though he’ll have to compete with veteran defenseman Chad Ruhwedel, who is currently serving as New York’s seventh defenseman. Ruhwedel has yet to make his debut with the Rangers since joining the team at the Trade Deadline, with New York sending a 2027 fourth-round pick back to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ruhwedel has managed one goal and four points in 47 games with Pittsburgh this season, a slight step down from the one goal and five points he managed in the same duration last year. His trade to New York ended an eight-year stint in Pittsburgh.

Injury News: Lindgren, Johnson, Murphy, Carlsson

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Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren left today’s game with a lower-body injury, relays Ethan Sears of the New York Post.  The injury occurred in the second period and he was helped off the ice without being able to put weight on his left leg.  Head coach Peter Laviolette didn’t have an update following the game, noting Lindgren was still being evaluated.  The 26-year-old came into today logging over 19 minutes a night on their second pairing but it appears they’ll need to shake things up again after redoing the pairings following Jacob Trouba’s injury.  Chad Ruhwedel was acquired at the trade deadline but has yet to play so far, he’d likely draw in if Lindgren isn’t able to suit up on Tuesday against Winnipeg.

Other injury news from around the NHL:

  • Blackhawks winger Reese Johnson (concussion) is doing better but won’t accompany the team on their three-game road trip, reports Mark Lazerus of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 25-year-old was injured back on Tuesday.  Johnson has played in 42 games so far this season, picking up five points along with 109 hits while averaging just under 11 minutes a night.
  • Still with the Blackhawks, blueliner Connor Murphy visited a specialist as he continues to be out with a groin injury, notes Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link). Murphy has been listed as week-to-week for two months now and head coach Luke Richardson indicated that this is still the case.  At this point, it’s unknown if Murphy will return this season.
  • The Ducks announced (Twitter link) that center Leo Carlsson was cleared to return from his concussion tonight against St. Louis. The rookie had missed eight straight games because of it.  Between injuries and early-season load management, Carlsson has been limited to just 40 games so far this season but he has played well, picking up nine goals and 14 assists in those contests.

Metro Notes: Hellberg, Lindgren, Marino

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Before their game tomorrow night against the New York Islanders, the Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled goaltender Magnus Hellberg from their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The move could simply be precautionary but indicates that either Alex Nedeljkovic or Tristan Jarry may not be able to suit up in tomorrow’s contest.

If one of the two regular netminders is unable to go tomorrow night, it is still unlikely that Hellberg will play in the game. Nevertheless, he did serve as valuable depth for the Penguins at the beginning of the season, producing a 1-0-0 record in three games with a .922 save percentage covering for the injured Nedeljkovic.

Not only has he been adequate at the NHL level, but Hellberg has also played well for a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton team currently battling for playoff position in the Atlantic Division. In 17 games played at the AHL level, Hellberg holds an 8-7-2 record coupled with a .901 SV% and 3.03 goals against average.

Other Metro notes:

  • New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren is being further evaluated for an upper-body injury according to Vince Mercogliano of USA Today-Sports. An upcoming restricted free agent at the end of the season, the beloved Minnesota native has skated in 53 games for New York already this season, scoring two goals and 10 points in the process. With more information on the matter expected tomorrow, Lindgren has only missed two games for the Rangers this season.
  • Although unavailable for the team’s practice today due to an illness, defenseman John Marino is still expected to travel with the New Jersey Devils for their upcoming game against the Washington Capitals (X Link). Already without top defenseman Dougie Hamilton, the Devils cannot afford to lose any more defensemen, as they currently only sit two points back of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Metropolitan Notes: Kochetkov, Haula, Hatakka, Lindgren, Leschyshyn, Mackey

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As expected, the Hurricanes recalled netminder Pyotr Kochetkov from AHL Chicago on Sunday as the team returns to practice, per CapFriendly. Carolina loaned Kochetkov to Chicago last weekend to bank salary cap space over the All-Star break; he did not appear in any of Chicago’s three games over the past week.

The 24-year-old returned from a concussion before the break began and dressed as the backup to Antti Raanta for Jan. 27’s win over the Coyotes after a six-game absence. If he starts Tuesday against the Canucks, it will be his first appearance since Jan. 11.

In the first season of a four-year, $8MM deal, Kochetkov has locked down the starting role in Carolina in the absence of Frederik Andersen, who recently returned to on-ice activities after missing most of the season due to blood clotting issues. His 21 starts lead the team, over which span he’s produced an 11-7-3 record, .900 SV%, 2.58 GAA, and one shutout. They’re rather average numbers given the quality of the defense in front of him, but they’re far superior to Raanta’s performance this season (.870 SV%, 3.04 GAA in 23 GP). With one open roster spot, no corresponding transaction is needed to reinstate Kochetkov.

More from the Metropolitan Division to close out the weekend:

  • Devils center Erik Haula returned to the team today after a brief paternal leave, Amanda Stein of the Devils’ official site reports. The 32-year-old missed the team’s final game before the All-Star break, a 6-3 loss to the Lightning, for the birth of his child. He has 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points in 41 games after signing a three-year, $9.45MM extension to remain in Newark in June, pacing over half a point per game for the third straight season.
  • The Devils also recalled defenseman Santeri Hatakka from AHL Utica, per a team announcement. Hatakka rejoins the NHL squad after spending the All-Star break in the minors, recording a goal and an assist in three games. The 23-year-old made his first three appearances as a Devil in the triad of contests leading into the break, recording an assist and a +5 rating while averaging 16:07 per game in the absence of Brendan Smith, who landed on injured reserve with a right knee sprain over two weeks ago. His role on the team is slightly muddied after the Devils claimed Nick DeSimone off waivers from the Flames shortly before the break; he’s expected to suit up in a third-pairing role alongside Colin Miller to make his Devils debut against the Avalanche on Tuesday. Thus, Hatakka will likely serve mostly as a healthy scratch for the time being.
  • Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren is cleared to play in Monday’s contest against Colorado, head coach Peter Laviolette said (via The Athletic’s Peter Baugh). The 25-year-old sustained an upper-body injury early in a Jan. 26 game against the Golden Knights and missed the following night’s 7-2 win over the Senators. The pending RFA is nearing completion of a three-year, $9MM extension and has seven points in 47 games, the lowest offensive output of his NHL career. It’s been a down season for Lindgren on both sides of the puck, too – his 48.8% Corsi share at even strength is down over five percentage points from last season’s mark.
  • Staying with the Rangers, the team also recalled forward Jake Leschyshyn and defenseman Connor Mackey from AHL Hartford on Sunday. The two have been frequent travelers between leagues as of late, seeing a combined three recalls since the New Year. They’re both projected as healthy scratches for Monday and will serve as short-term injury insurance. Neither player recorded a point in their lone NHL appearances this season.

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