The Rangers have added another key defenseman prospect to their already blossoming defensive core.
Swedish blueliner Nils Lundkvist signed a three-year entry level contract with a cap hit of $925,000 and an entry-level performance of $850,000, the team announced Thursday. With an average-annual value base of $832,500 plus the entry-level bonuses, Lundkvist, if he makes the NHL roster, would own a cap hit of $1.775 million.
If Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, Vitali Kravtsov, Morgan Barron, K’Andre Miller, Adam Fox and Lundkvist are all on the opening-night roster, the Rangers will be charged $3.225 million over the bonus allowance. Lundkvist was also awarded the same entry-level bonus as Fox, Kravtsov and Barron.
Lundkvist, the Rangers’ 28th-overall pick in 2018, would’ve become an unrestricted free agent after next season if he went unsigned.
After posting back-to-back 30-point seasons in the Swedish Hockey League, Lundkvist shot to the top of the Blueshirts’ prospect pool. Former general manager Jeff Gorton had previously said the team expected Lundkvist to be ready to come to North America for his first NHL training camp at the start of the 2021-22 season, and it appears he’s right on schedule.
Lundkvist will compete for a spot on the blue line that is already occupied by six defensemen age 22 and under. He is expected to slide in on the Blueshirts’ right side next season.
This season, the 20-year-old recorded 32 points (14 goals, 18 assists) in 52 games and two goals in seven playoff contests for the SHL’s Lulea. Lundkvist was awarded the Salming Trophy, which is given annually to the best Swedish-born defensemen in the SHL as selected by Hockey Hall of Famer Borje Salming. Lundkvist established career-highs in several categories this season, including goals, points and average ice time.
Lundkvist also competed for Sweden at the World Championships last month, dishing five assists in three games before he suffered a lower-body injury.