I was thinking to myself, why not branch out a little? We’ve covered plenty of first-round potentials, but only one other player outside of that in Cam Dineen. The Future Considerations mock draft has the Red Wings taking defenseman Ryan Lindgren at 46th overall, so I figured why not dish on him a little bit?
I’ve seen Lindgren play once before. He’s strong like a thoroughbred, and plays a positionally-sound game.
Player Profile
Name: Ryan Lindgren
Position: Defense
Born: February 11th, 1998 — Minneapolis, Minnesota
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 203 lbs.
Shoots: Left
Kyle’s Analysis
Ryan Lindgren has a real interesting stride. He skates with his legs set wide, yet has a strong lower-body that makes him agile and shifty. While he’s not exactly the most flashy-offensive-like defenseman, he has a keen sense of positioning, which can put him in situations to get on the scoresheet. He can play on the power-play, but I wouldn’t peg him as a bonafide QB. He shows that he’s a smart, conservative player with the way he chooses to pinch.
He’s got the frame to be an NHL defenseman, and he uses it well. He’s a strong two-way defenseman who isn’t often caught out of position, yet will take his chance to lay the body on another player to regain puck possession. Lindgren will likely spend a few years with the University of Minnesota developing, so there’s no prospective of him coming into the NHL right away – He’s a prototypical “low risk, high reward” project player.
If Lindgren could work on his shot velocity, I really could see him as a solid middle-pair defenseman at the NHL level. He’s strong from top-to-bottom, and he’s got great skating ability. He would be a solid second-round pick for Detroit.
“Lindgren, the U18 team captain, is an interesting prospect because he plays with such self-assurance, presence and physical edge. He skates with a wide base and is tough to knock off the puck. He has a very strong stride and gets up to speed quickly. He also moves well lat- erally and excels at slowing attackers down. Lindgren plays with an intimidating intensity. He throws his weight around like a wrecking ball and shows no hesitation when attacking loose pucks.”
Rankings
NHL CSS: 49 (NA Skaters)
Future Considerations: 41
Bottom Line
As I said before, Lindgren isn’t going to be a defenseman that can step into the NHL tomorrow and make an impact. He’s going to need some time to ripen, and develop. It’s a safe pick, as the Red Wings need to stockpile more defensemen that will bolster their future blue line.
Lindgren isn’t projected to be some high-producing defenseman, but what he appears to be is a reliable two-way guy that can play up to 20 minutes a night in most situations, while still giving you a fair bit of scoring.
I know what you all want, you want a guy to come in and be an impact player next season. It’s just not going to happen. The Red Wings need defense NOW, but they also need it in the future. Supplement the defense now by acquiring pieces via trade, supplement the defense for the future by drafting and developing.
Highlights
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