The Rangers Thursday announced the team has agreed to an entry-level contract with Swedish defenseman Nils Lundkvist, their 2018 first-round pick who was the Salming Trophy award winner in the Swedish Hockey League this season, given to the best Swedish-born defenseman in the league.
Lundkvist, 20, scored 14 goals with 18 assists (32 points) in 52 games season for Lulea of the SHL. A 5-11, 187-pound, righthanded shot, Lundkvist had five assists in three games for Sweden at the just completed World Championships.
He was the third of three first-round picks the Rangers had in 2018, along with forward Vitali Kravtsov and defenseman K’Andre Miller.