Season in Review: Ryan Lindgren

2017-18 Stats:

"I thought it was a good time to come in," said Lindgren, who finished his cameo with the Wolf Pack with a pair of goals and assists during a 10-game amateur tryout before his contract kicks in next season. "It's been a lot of fun. The guys have been great. All in all, I'm very happy with the year I've had."
It's been a busy year at that. The 20-year-old skated in 35 games with the Golden Gophers, posting two goals and seven assists as the team's alternate captain. In December, he was an alternate captain for a USA squad that won bronze at the World Junior Championship tournament in Buffalo.
"I wanted to have a good season with the University of Minnesota. I wanted to make the World Junior team and wear a letter for that team, which I was able to do," Lindgren said. "We came up a little short there, but still getting a medal was good.
"Overall," he continued, "I thought I had a good year [at Minnesota] and a good year at the World Juniors."

And of course, he was also involved in the trade the sent him from the Bruins' organization to New York as part of the Rick Nash deal just prior to the deadline in February.
Joining the Rangers played a role in his decision to leave Minnesota early. Just weeks before the deadline, Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton stated a change in the direction of the organization towards a younger roster, which no doubt benefits players in Lindgren's position.
"That was the first thing that came to mind when I saw I got traded," Lindgren admitted. "It seems like the Rangers are looking at young guys right now. It seems like a very good position for someone like me to come into."
While it was just 10 games, the Burnsville, MN.-native said he learned a lot about what to expect at the professional level. From the size of the players to the lifestyle they lead, everything was a learning experience during his few weeks in Hartford.
"I've had to adjust to the speed and size of the game here at pros," he stated. "Just the whole lifestyle of being a pro compared to being a college student. It's a lot different," namely with no classes to worry about and much more free time a player needs to fill to stay busy.
This experience should no doubt not only prepare him for next season, but for this upcoming offseason, his first with the goal of making an NHL club.
"A big thing was to get a little taste of pro hockey heading into the summer, and just see what I need to work on to be ready for training camp," he said. "It's going to be huge for me to have this little bit of experience and I think it'll be very beneficial when training camp starts."

Lindgren impressed in his stint with the club, and Jed Ortmeyer, the Rangers' Director of Player Development, said there's "a lot to be excited for" when watching Lindgren play.
"He's an ultimate competitor. You can see it in his game that he wants the challenge of playing against the other team's top guys," Ortmeyer said. "He wants to be physical and he's proven that he can put some points up as well and stick up for his teammates."
Lindgren said he's the type of player who will "do whatever it takes to help the team. I don't have a glorified role on the team. I'm going to be a shutdown defenseman [who plays on the] penalty kill [and] blocks shots. Do what I need to do to help the team."
With the decision to leave school behind him, the focus now shifts to the summer and beyond when Lindgren gets his chance to show Gorton and management they - and he - made the right decision to bring him into the fold.
"[I'll] have a big summer and be ready to impress them in September when they're making their decisions," he said. "It's a very good organization to be part of right now and I couldn't be happier to be here. It's time for me to show them what I got and make a good impression."