Nils Lundkvist has had an eventful season.
A first round draft pick of the Rangers in 2018 (28th overall), he became frustrated there and asked New York for a trade in the summer. The Stars, in need of a skilled right-hander, swapped this year's first-round pick and a fourth-rounder in 2025 to pick up some immediate help at the NHL level.
They have received just that, as Lundkvist has played 57 games and has 16 points (6 goals, 10 assists).
Lundkvist back in lineup against Flames
The 22-year-old blueliner has played 57 games this season, recording six goals and 10 assists
It has been a process for the 22-year-old and this recent road trip has been one of the downs in an up and down season. Lundkvist has been a healthy scratch for five straight games, his longest stretch of the season, and has had to learn while the team has held only morning skates for practice.
But as the team puts Lundkvist back in tonight for a seven defenseman alignment, he is still thinking positively.
"It's a process to become a player," Lundkvist said. "It's a hard league to get into, it's always been the best league in the world, so you have to really work to get here. But there has been good communication with the coaches. I understand that I want to play every game, but it is a process and I understand that. The usual path is a little bit of a struggle."
Stars coach Pete DeBoer said he liked how Lundkvist responded to a couple of healthy scratches earlier in the season and said the young defenseman is going through what a lot of players go through. Lundkvist works out with coaches on off days and has played a lot of hockey already this season.
"Even when we're not practicing, he's on the ice every day," DeBoer said. "He's been spending time with coaches and spending time in video. It's part of playing at this level, keeping yourself ready. We've done this a few times with him and other players and that's their responsibility to be ready to go when they get back in."
As for the seven-man format, DeBoer said performance will dictate a lot of the usage tonight.
"We'll see how it rolls out, depending on how the game goes and who's playing well and who isn't," DeBoer said. "It's never easy, but it usually sorts itself out."
Lundkvist said he has to be ready for anything.
"I just play and make my reads," he said. "We can all play with each other, so you just take it shift by shift. I went through this process back home when I was 17 and played the seventh defenseman. It depends on how the game goes, what kind of minutes you get, so you just try to do your best when you're out there and control what you can control."
Lundkvist played parts of four seasons in the Swedish Elite League, so he has plenty of experience in different situations. Last season he played 25 games in the NHL with the Rangers and 34 more in the AHL. He said he's still learning and growing within the NHL.
"It's never fun to sit out and you always want to play, but it's been a good year for me," he said. "I have not played a full, full NHL season yet, so I'm still young and I'm still trying to progress. I have a role on one of the best teams in the league, so I think that's good. I have to be a little bit patient."
Key Numbers
14
Calgary is tied with San Jose for the most OT/SO losses in the league at 14, including 4-11 in the overtime period. Dallas is third at 13 OT/SO losses, including 3-10 in OT.
30
Calgary forward Jonathan Huberdeau has 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 23 career games against the Stars.
Plus-26
Dallas ranks third in third period scoring differential at plus-26. The Stars are third in goals against at 58 and fourth in goals for at 84.
He said it
"I don't want to think about it. The series would have been great if we had gone on to win the Cup, but we lost, so it doesn't really mean anything to me."
- Stars goalie Jake Oettinger is returning to the place where he had a fantastic Game 7 performance with 64 saves in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Flames. Oettinger had a 1.81 GAA and .954 save percentage in the seven-game series but said he does not see it as a positive memory in his career.
Expected lineup
Robertson-Hintz-Pavelski
Benn-Johnston-Dadonov
Faksa-Domi-Dellandrea
Kiviranta-Glendening
Heiskanen-Miller
Lindell-Hakanpää
Suter-Hanley
Lundkvist
Oettinger
Murray
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.
