So Swedish defenseman Nils Lundkvist joins 2017 seventh-overall pick Lias Andersson as another hyped-up European prospect who hasn’t worked out for the Rangers.
Luckily for the Rangers, however, Lundkvist’s recent trade request will not upend plans for this upcoming season. The right-handed blueliner had already fallen behind on the Rangers defensive depth chart after an underwhelming 25-game cameo on the right side of the third pair, primarily next to his countryman Patrik Nemeth, last season.
The spot was quickly snatched by Braden Schneider, who came in and established himself as a reliable and physical presence on the back end despite being a 20-year old rookie. Schneider will get a crack at his first 82-game schedule this season, presumably picking up where he left off in rounding out the Rangers’ top three right-handed defensemen.
But back to Lundkvist. At 5-foot-10, 187 pounds, with an overemphasis on skill in his game, he did not fit the look or style of the Rangers’ defenseman corps. Nor did those traits translate well during his roughly three months in the NHL. That’s not to say it won’t translate for another team, however, as he continues to develop and adjust to the North American game.
