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The New York Rangers are no strangers to big trades in 2024-25. The Rangers traded for J.T. Miller in a deal with the Vancouver Canucks on Friday. Earlier in the season, the Rangers also traded Jacob Trouba and Kaapo Kakko in separate trades. Now, they could pull off another move involving Ryan Lindgren.
Lindgren was once thought of as a potential future star on Broadway. He is a heart-and-soul sort of player who energizes his team with his physical play. Lindgren isn't the most offensively inclined defenseman in the world. In fact, he has never scored more than 20 points in a single season. However, he has proven he can play top minutes in the NHL.
Unfortunately, things have not gone well for him as of late. The 2024-25 campaign has been a rough one for the 26-year-old Rangers rearguard. Lindgren has found himself involved in trade rumors throughout the year. And as New York slips out of contention, the Blueshirts could look to move on from him.
Lindgren is a pending unrestricted free agent, so teams could wait until the summer to go in for him. But he could certainly bounce back and help a team in the right situation. With this in mind, here are two of the best landing spots for Ryan Lindgren ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.
The Penguins could strike for Ryan Lindgren
The Pittsburgh Penguins seemed to kick off a rebuild when they traded Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals in November. However, that could not be further from the truth. Pittsburgh has turned its season around and is contending for the Stanley Cup Playoffs against all odds.
Pittsburgh is not trying to stockpile veterans for a playoff push, though. In fact, the Penguins traded Marcus Pettersson and Drew O'Connor to the Vancouver Canucks despite being in playoff contention. What Pittsburgh has done, though, is take chances on younger players.
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Ryan Lindgren is not necessarily a young player anymore. At 26 years old, he is about to enter his prime. In saying this, he could fit with the team's timeline. Moreover, there is room for Pittsburgh to add a left-shot defenseman after trading Pettersson.
The Penguins could take a flier on Lindgren and see if he bounces back. If he doesn't, they can let him walk in NHL Free Agency. If he works out, though, it could be a home run move for general manager Kyle Dubas.
Ryan Lindgren could fit with the Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are the class of the NHL at this time. Winnipeg has consistently looked like a Stanley Cup contender thanks to their elite goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. The Jets are far from a perfect team, though, and could make a number of moves before the NHL Trade Deadline.
Ryan Lindgren could be one of those moves. The Jets could use some upgrades on the blueline. Winnipeg could especially use some longer-term options on the back end. Lindgren is in line for a new contract this summer. But he could serve as an upgrade for their Stanley Cup run in 2025.
The Jets could certainly look elsewhere for more established options. However, if Winnipeg opts to use its draft capital elsewhere, a low-cost defensive option could be the route they take as a depth move. Lindgren could serve well as a low-risk, high-reward blueline who could give them a needed edge on the ice.
