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The Colorado Avalanche were one of the most active teams ahead of the NHL trade deadline. They picked up Martin Necas, Jack Drury, Brock Nelson, Charlie Coyle, Mackenzie Blackwood, and Ryan Lindgren, just to name a few. Now, Lindgren, the lone defenseman on the list, is hitting free agency at 27 years old. Could the Avalanche keep Lindgren this offseason? Or will he find a middle-six role somewhere else?
Lindgren was drafted by the New York Rangers and was only on Broadway until February. They dealt him to Colorado for a second and fourth-round pick, ending his run there. Considering the number of questions they have to answer this offseason, it is unlikely that he returns to New York. Lindgren is a free agent for the first time in his career, and he is likely to search for the biggest deal this summer.
Could the Avalanche keep Lindgren? Or will he find a new team to call home?
Would the Avalanche keep Ryan Lindgren?
The Avalanche paid up to get Lindgren at the trade deadline, but that is not unique to the defenseman. They paid even more to get Brock Nelson, who is also a free agent. The Avs already have four defenseman under contract for next season, which would make Lindgren's return unlikely. But Cale Makar's extension is going to chew up a lot of the salary cap when that comes around in a few years. If Lindgren accepts under market value, he could stay in Colorado.
Devon Toews and Makar should be the Avalanche's top defensive pair for the next decade. They are an elite tandem, mostly thanks to Makar's offensive excellence. The second pair could be changing with Josh Manson and Samuel Girard's deals expiring soon. Locking in Lindgren could solve that problem now.
The Blue Jackets utilize their cap space
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Everyone will have salary cap space this summer, with the first significant post-pandemic rise coming on July 1. The Blue Jackets are near the top of the list, with over $42 million in space. Part of that is because Ivan Provorov's $4.725 million is clearing off the books this summer. If Provorov leaves, Lindgren is the perfect option to replace him.
The Blue Jackets will not be able to use all of the cap space in free agency this year, as they have some big extensions coming up. Adam Fantilli and Kirill Marchenko earned big raises this season, Boone Jenner is in the last year of his deal, and their goaltending situation could use an improvement. Bringing in Lindgren could help fill their blue line without spending all of their space.
Never rule out the Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights lost in the second round of the playoffs, which is wildly disappointing in their franchise's history. Given what fans have seen from the Knights in their history, everyone expects some big moves this offseason. That could include bringing in another defenseman, despite their comparatively limited cap space. That could include Lindgren, who would benefit from their elite defensive scheme.
The Golden Knights have Alex Pietrangelo on a massive contract, but they do not need any more top-end defenseman to play their style. If Nic Hague or Zach Whitecloud are on the way out, Lindgren would be a great replacement. Everyone is willing to take pay cuts to play for Vegas for two reasons. One is the ability to win the Stanley Cup, and the other is a lack of state income tax in Nevada. For someone who just lived in New York, that second one could be especially intriguing.
Ryan Lindgren may not be the most influential player to switch teams this offseason. But if he joins a contender, he will play big playoff minutes once again in his young career. He was key for the Rangers on two deep playoff runs and was solid against the Stars this year. The Golden Knights expect to make the playoffs every season, which makes Lindgren a good fit. Playoff experience is important, and Lindgren has plenty of it.
