Lindgren, Grubauer Head to Worlds

Kraken defenseman Ryan Lindgren won gold with Team USA at the 2017 World Junior Championship, beating Team Canada in Montreal. The next season, Lindgren and USA settled for bronze in Buffalo after a semifinal loss to Sweden. Eight years later, the 28-year-old Lindgren is back in red-white-and-blue at the 2026 International Ice Hockey Federation Championship in Switzerland. The Americans will open their tournament with a Friday matchup against the host Swiss in Zurich. 

“It's been kind of a while now since I've worn the jersey,” said Lindgren Wednesday by phone. “It's always an honor to put it back on to play for USA. It’s a tournament I’ve always wanted to play in. I was really happy to get the offer.” 

Lindgren will be joined in playing for his country by his German-born teammate Philipp Grubauer. The Kraken goaltender logged five games for Germany in last February’s Winter Olympics in Italy and played six contests at the 2011 World Juniors in Buffalo and Lewiston, NY. Grubauer and Lindgren faced each other in a pre-tournament game in Germany this week, a 4-2 win for USA.

After that game, Lindgren and his USA teammates traveled to Zurich for final practices ahead of group play to determine which eight nations go to the quarterfinals and beyond with the title game to be staged May 31. USA and Germany are both are in Group A along with Great Britain, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Hungary and Austria. Grubauer and Germany will open Friday as well, facing a tough test in Finland. All Team USA games will be carried on NHL Network.  

Group B games to be played in Fribourg include heavyweight Canada and Sweden in a first-day matchup. The rest of that group includes Czechia, Denmark, Slovakia, Norway, Slovenia and Italy. Four teams from each group will advance to the knockout round.  

Looking for USA Repeat of Last Spring 

Team USA will endeavor to duplicate its gold-medal winning performance at the 2025 Worlds with Kraken alternate captain Matty Beniers, goalie Joey Daccord and ex-Seattle forward Mikey Eyssimont part of the winning squad. For his part, Lindgren has been asked to provide the veteran presence of a stalwart defenseman.  

“It’s what I do every game I play for the Kraken,” said Lindgren, who grew up in Burnsville, a suburb of Minneapolis. “Work my hardest. Look to be competitive and physical, play on the PK [penalty kill]. Just be good defensively. My role won’t change. It’s all about coming here, playing hard plus being a leader.” 

After the regular season ended for the Kraken, Lindgren stayed in Seattle to work out at Kraken Community Iceplex before spending a “quick five day trip” in Minnesota before heading to Europe. He took a short respite from skating right after the season finale.  

“It's good to have some time to work out, then start skating again so I would feel good when I got here,” said Lindgren.

‘Fun Group’ of USA Players 

So far, Lindgren is enjoying his teammates. Some he knows, such as former Kraken defenseman Will Borgen. They played together with the New Yorker Rangers when Borgen was dealt there by the Kraken for Kaapo Kakko and before Lindgren moved on to Colorado at the 2025 trade deadline. Lindgren played college hockey at NCAA University of Minnesota with Pittsburgh Penguins forward and “good buddy from back home” Tommy Novak. Lindgren and Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Joseph Woll played on USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. 

“It’s a really fun group of guys to be around,” said Lindgren, who indicated the coaching staff is still finalizing who will be in which pairs among the eight defensemen on the American roster. “We have a lot of young guys and I’m getting to know them too.”