Ryan Lindgren reflects on long Rangers tenure before playing old teammates: ‘Meant everything’

SEATTLE — Over seven years with the Rangers, Ryan Lindgren built his NHL reputation as an unwavering force who would sacrifice anything for the play. 

It’s not a game night for Lindgren unless he is bloody or bruised or both. The Blueshirts lauded him for it in all 387 games he played in a red, white and blue jersey, bestowing the Players’ Player Award upon him twice before the fans named him the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award winner in April 2023. 

Lindgren, who faced his former team for the first time Saturday night at Climate Pledge Arena, was a beloved Ranger before the organization traded him to Colorado less than a week before the trade deadline last season. 

But it was what Lindgren was able to accomplish in New York that led to him signing a four-year, $18 million deal with the Kraken as a free agent this past summer. 

“It did everything [for my career],” Lindgren said Saturday morning, after he hosted Adam Fox, Alexis Lafrenière, Will Cuylle, Jonathan Quick, Jonny Brodzinski, Braden Schneider and Rangers-turned-Kraken teammate Kaapo Kakko at his place for dinner Friday night. 

“As far as going to Hartford when I first got there, learning the pro life and then getting my chance to get called up. Just kind of running with it. We had a lot of success, too, the last six years. Met a lot of great people, a lot of great players, staff, great fans. It was amazing. I loved every second that I was a Ranger. I cherish that time a lot. It meant everything to me.”

Ryan Lindgren of the Seattle Kraken skates back on defense during the first period against the Edmonton Oilers at Climate Pledge Arena on October 25, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. NHLI via Getty Images

The 27-year-old defenseman gave everything he had to the Rangers from the moment he made his NHL debut on Jan. 15, 2019, at Madison Square Garden. 

Still, when he signed just a one-year, $4.5 million deal ahead of last season, the writing was all but on the wall. The Rangers’ implosion on their way to missing the playoffs for the first time in four years only expedited the process. 

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“I don’t know if I expected it to happen that day,” Lindgren said. “It was really sad, saying goodbye to everyone. Made it a lot easier that [Jimmy Vesey] got traded there too, just for the whole transition and everything.”

While Lindgren seemingly lost a step inside a floundering Rangers defense, there were multiple teams interested in his services this offseason. The Kraken, however, were almost immediately in on Lindgren from the start.

It was a strange and stressful time for Lindgren, who was going through the free agency process for the first time. 

Ryan Lindgren had a long run with the Rangers. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

Citing the team’s upside, the mix of youngsters and veterans, as well as how much he fell in love with Seattle when he visited, Lindgren thought he would fit in well with the Kraken. It is clear Seattle was not only interested in what Lindgren brought to the ice, but also what he brought off it. 

“For me, it’s just about competitive nature,” former Islanders head coach turned Kraken head coach Lane Lambert said. “He’s a quiet, sort of lead-by-example guy. What he’s brought and what we’ve tried to preach from day one is culture and our identity. And that’s certainly a standard that we play by and that’s come to work every day. He’s the epitome of that.”

Lindgren said he anticipated it to feel weird skating out and seeing his former teammates at the other end of the ice. 

Though he acknowledged it won’t quite be like Jan. 12, when the Kraken are set to visit MSG for the first time since Lindgren’s departure from the club.

The hard-nosed defenseman admitted he still keeps up with the Rangers, sometimes flipping their game on if he has the chance. 

It’s safe to say the Blueshirts will also be keeping tabs on Lindgren, especially Saturday night and Jan. 12.

“He laid it all out there for us,” Schneider said of Lindgren. “He was a warrior. I think he played some massive minutes and always put his body on the line and was really the heart of our team for a little while there. It’ll be fun to see him play.”