Rangers trade Lundkvist to Stars for 1st-round pick

The New York Rangers traded defenseman Nils Lundkvist to the Dallas Stars for a conditional first-round pick in 2023 and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2025.

If the Stars' 2023 first-round pick is in the top 10, the Rangers will receive their 2024 first-rounder instead. Furthermore, if Lunkdvist accumulates 55 points over the next two seasons, the fourth-round pick becomes a third-rounder.

Lundkvist, the 28th overall pick in 2018, requested a trade out of New York last week.

The 22-year-old is listed at 5-foot-11, 187 pounds, shoots right, and profiles as an offensive defenseman. He tallied just a goal and three assists in 25 games as a rookie in 2021-22 but recorded 15 points in 34 contests with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack.

Nils Lundkvist, reportedly traded to DAL, is a young offensive defencemen whose rookie results don't look nearly as bad once you adjust for the very poor linemates he was deployed next to. Ranked #38 on @EPRinkside's list of top prospects. #GoStars pic.twitter.com/lAkTYXB6jU

- JFresh (@JFreshHockey) September 19, 2022

Lundkvist's desire to be dealt stems from his displeasure with being demoted to the AHL in January. With Adam Fox, Jacob Trouba, and Braden Schneider making up the right side of New York's blue line for the foreseeable future, Lundkvist's path to NHL playing time was blocked.

However, he should receive ample opportunity to carve out a full-time role with the Stars, who are thin on right defense. Here's their current projected blue line without Lundkvist:

Dallas lost John Klingberg in the offseason, so the club may look to Lundkvist to replace some of the offense lost when the fellow Swede departed.

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