Ryan Lindgren files for salary arbitration with Rangers

Ryan Lindgren filed for salary arbitration with the New York Rangers ahead of the 5 p.m. ET deadline to do so Friday.

A date will be set for the 26-year-old defenseman and the Rangers to present their respective cases to an independent arbitrator this summer to determine what he will be paid for the 2024-25 season. Hearings will be held between July 20 and August 4.

The player and team can settle on contract terms any time before the scheduled arbitration hearing, which is typically what happens in the NHL.

Lindgren is a restricted free agent this offseason and can be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2024-25 season. He reportedly is seeking a longer term on his next contract, one that would cover his first several seasons of NHL free agency, but the Rangers may not be comfortable with that.

The Rangers likely have concerns about Lindgren’s injury history and fear that his rugged play style will diminish his effectiveness at an earlier age. In other words, many believe Lindgren will age quicker and not so gracefully, so the Rangers would want a shorter-term contract.

Of course, Lindgren’s argument is that he’s a top-pair defensive mainstay alongside Adam Fox, an elite penalty killer and adds bite to the Rangers back end. His representation likely is well aware that Lindgren’s value may never be higher than now or at the end of next season.

Signing a longer-term contract now provides Lindgren security, and offers the Rangers stability and cost certainty moving forward, which is important because they have some big contract extensions on the horizon, most notably with goalie Igor Shesterkin, who can be a UFA at the end of next season.

The Rangers already qualified Lindgren at $3.6 million this offseason, after the defenseman made $3 million per season on his expired contract. That will be the starting point for the two sides when considering what salary to submit in arbitration.

Related: Rangers options to replace Erik Gustafsson in lineup, on roster

Ryan Lindgren f iles for salary arbitration with Rangers

Lindgren is one of 14 players who filed for salary arbitration Friday. The others are: Jake Christiansen (Columbus Blue Jackets), Connor Dewar (Toronto Maple Leafs), Jack Drury (Carolina Hurricanes), Ty Emberson (San Jose Sharks), Jet Greaves (Blue Jackets), Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen (Buffalo Sabres), Beck Malenstyn (Sabres), Kirill Marchecko (Blue Jackets), J.J. Moser (Tampa Bay Lightning), Martin Necas (Hurricanes), Spencer Stastney (Nashville Predators), Joe Veleno (Detroit Red Wings) and Oliver Wahlstrom (New York Islanders).

A year ago, 22 players filed for salary arbitration , including Rangers minor league defenseman Brandon Scanlin. Most, like Scanlin who signed a deal with the Rangers on Aug. 2, avoided their hearing.

However, three players who did have their salaries decided in arbitration: goalie Jeremy Swayman with the Boston Bruins, goalie Ilya Samsonov with the Toronto Maple Leafs and forward Phillip Kurashev with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Samsonov landed the largest AAV with a one-year $3.55 million contract. He just signed as a free agent this offseason with the Vegas Golden Knights for just $1.8 million following a brutal 2023-24 season with Toronto.

Lindgren has played 333 regular-season games and 43 Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Rangers and is highly regarded by his coaches and teammates for playing trough pain and injuries. “Warrior” is the word most often used to describe him.

Certainly management understands this so the Rangers are walking a thin line with Lindgren, trying to do what’s right for the franchise amid their salary-cap issues and retaining one of their most important players.

Subscribe now on YouTube and be part of a community where passion for the New York Rankers knows no bounds!

More must-reads:

• Why Rangers want to avoid Ryan Lindgren salary arbitration hearing
• Former Rangers forward signs with Metropolitan Division rival
• Rangers options to replace Erik Gustafsson in lineup, on roster