Free agency opened up for the NHL on July 1. Several teams participated in signing new players to their teams, including the Seattle Kraken. They signed defenseman Ryan Lindgren to a four-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $4.5 million. Let’s take a look at Lindgren’s career in the NHL so far.
Lindgren Was Drafted by Boston
Lindgren was drafted by the Boston Bruins 49th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft. However, he chose to go to college instead of going straight to the NHL. He played for two seasons at the University of Minnesota. Between 2016-17 and 2017-18, he played 67 games and recorded 16 points via three goals and 13 assists.
Despite being drafted by Boston, Lindgren never actually donned the Bruins’ black and yellow. On Feb. 25, 2018, he was traded to the New York Rangers with Ryan Spooner, Matt Beleskey, Boston’s first-round pick in the 2018 Draft, and a seventh-round pick in the 2019 Draft for Rick Nash.
Lindgren finished the 2017-18 season playing his first games in the American Hockey League (AHL). He played ten games with the Hartford Wolf Pack and scored two goals and recorded two assists.
Lindgren Found Success in New York
In the 2018-19 season, Lindgren transitioned to full-time play in the AHL and NHL. He played 65 games with the Wolf Pack and recorded 12 assists. On Jan. 15, 2019, Lindgren played his first NHL game with the Rangers. He earned a minus-1 and recorded his first pair of penalty minutes. Lindgren took 20 shifts and played a total of 15:22. He played four more games in the NHL but had yet to record his first point.
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In 2019-20, Lindgren played nine games in Hartford and scored one goal and one assist. He played 60 regular-season games with the Rangers. On Nov. 10, 2019, he scored his first NHL goal against the Florida Panthers. Throughout the rest of the season, he recorded 13 assists. He also got his first taste of the playoffs this season. Lindgren played three postseason games and recorded one assist.
In 2020-21, Lindgren spent his first season full-time in the NHL. He played 51 games, scoring one goal and recording 15 assists. In 2021-22, Lindgren played 78 games, which is the most NHL games he has played in his entire career so far. He recorded 15 points, including four goals and 11 assists. Once again, the Rangers made the playoffs. Lindgren played 17 playoff games and recorded five points via two goals and three assists.
In the 2022-23 season, he played 63 games and scored one goal, and earned 17 assists. He also earned his highest plus/minus in his entire career so far: plus-29. It is also worth noting that almost every plus/minus in his career has been a high positive. For the lack of actual points he put up, Lindgren has made up for it in his plus/minus. In the playoffs, Lindgren played seven games and scored a goal and an assist.
The 2023-24 season was Lindgren’s last as a full-out Rangers player. He played 76 games and recorded 17 points. New York made the playoffs again, and he played 16 playoff games, recording three assists.
Lindgren started the 2024-25 season as a New York Ranger, just like he has for his last six. He played 54 games and recorded 19 points via two goals and 17 assists. He recorded his lowest positive plus/minus, plus-1, amongst these 54 games. However, Lindgren would not end the season in New York any longer.
Lindgren Was Traded at the Deadline this Season
On March 1, 2025, Lindgren was traded to the Colorado Avalanche with Jimmy Vesey and Hank Kempf in exchange for Calvin de Haan, Juuso Parssinen, a conditional second-round pick in the 2025 Draft, and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2025 Draft. Lindgren finished his season in Colorado, playing 18 games, scoring two goals, and earning one assist. He rounded out the season with a minus-1, his first negative score since his first season in the NHL.
Lindgren also earned some extra playoff experience, playing seven postseason games with the Avalanche. He recorded three assists and earned a plus-5.
Lindgren’s Future in Seattle
With his experience, Lindgren has shown plenty of promise in the NHL. With an overall plus-99 for his career, it is clear that Lindgren is often on the ice as goals are being scored. While he only has 102 points in 405 career games, he is a difference-maker. Lindgren is a great defensive player, getting in the middle of plays and focusing on puck possession. While he has suffered from injuries in the past, which is why he has not played a full 82-game season, when he is healthy, he is a great addition to his team.
The Kraken are currently in need of a left defense player on the third pairing. While Ryker Evans used to hold this position, he has yet to re-sign with the team. Lindgren will bring veteran player experience to the third line, with Josh Mahura as his defensive partner. It is currently unclear if Evans will re-sign or not. Regardless, the Kraken are getting great value in Lindgren; he will be a good addition to their defense.
