Nils Lundkvist has had an eventful season.

A primary spherical draft choose of the Rangers in 2018 (twenty eighth total), he turned pissed off there and requested New York for a commerce in the summertime. The Stars, in want of a talented right-hander, swapped this yr’s first-round choose and a fourth-rounder in 2025 to choose up some fast assist on the NHL stage.

They’ve obtained simply that, as Lundkvist has performed 57 video games and has 16 factors (6 objectives, 10 assists).

It has been a course of for the 22-year-old and this latest highway journey has been one of many downs in an up and down season. Lundkvist has been a wholesome scratch for 5 straight video games, his longest stretch of the season, and has needed to study whereas the group has held solely morning skates for observe.

However because the group places Lundkvist again in tonight for a seven defenseman alignment, he’s nonetheless considering positively.

“It is a course of to develop into a participant,” Lundkvist stated. “It is a exhausting league to get into, it is at all times been the perfect league on the planet, so you need to actually work to get right here. However there was good communication with the coaches. I perceive that I wish to play each sport, however it’s a course of and I perceive that. The same old path is just a little little bit of a wrestle.”

Stars coach Pete DeBoer stated he appreciated how Lundkvist responded to a few wholesome scratches earlier within the season and stated the younger defenseman goes by way of what quite a lot of gamers undergo. Lundkvist works out with coaches on off days and has performed quite a lot of hockey already this season.

“Even once we’re not practising, he is on the ice on daily basis,” DeBoer stated. “He is been spending time with coaches and spending time in video. It is a part of enjoying at this stage, preserving your self prepared. We have performed this a number of occasions with him and different gamers and that is their accountability to be able to go after they get again in.”

As for the seven-man format, DeBoer stated efficiency will dictate quite a lot of the utilization tonight.

“We’ll see the way it rolls out, relying on how the sport goes and who’s enjoying effectively and who is not,” DeBoer stated. “It is by no means straightforward, but it surely often kinds itself out.”

Lundkvist stated he must be prepared for something.

“I simply play and make my reads,” he stated. “We will all play with one another, so that you simply take it shift by shift. I went by way of this course of again dwelling once I was 17 and performed the seventh defenseman. It will depend on how the sport goes, what sort of minutes you get, so that you simply attempt to do your finest whenever you’re on the market and management what you may management.”

Lundkvist performed elements of 4 seasons within the Swedish Elite League, so he has loads of expertise in numerous conditions. Final season he performed 25 video games within the NHL with the Rangers and 34 extra within the AHL. He stated he is nonetheless studying and rising inside the NHL.

“It is by no means enjoyable to take a seat out and also you at all times wish to play, but it surely’s been a great yr for me,” he stated. “I’ve not performed a full, full NHL season but, so I am nonetheless younger and I am nonetheless making an attempt to progress. I’ve a task on top-of-the-line groups within the league, so I feel that is good. I’ve to be just a little bit affected person.”

Key Numbers

14

Calgary is tied with San Jose for essentially the most OT/SO losses within the league at 14, together with 4-11 within the extra time interval. Dallas is third at 13 OT/SO losses, together with 3-10 in OT.

30

Calgary ahead Jonathan Huberdeau has 30 factors (10 objectives, 20 assists) in 23 profession video games in opposition to the Stars.

Plus-26

Dallas ranks third in third interval scoring differential at plus-26. The Stars are third in objectives in opposition to at 58 and fourth in objectives for at 84.

He stated it

“I do not wish to give it some thought. The collection would have been nice if we had gone on to win the Cup, however we misplaced, so it does not actually imply something to me.”

– Stars goalie Jake Oettinger is returning to the place the place he had a incredible Sport 7 efficiency with 64 saves in a 3-2 extra time loss to the Flames. Oettinger had a 1.81 GAA and .954 save share within the seven-game collection however stated he doesn’t see it as a optimistic reminiscence in his profession.

Anticipated 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 topic to the approval of the Nationwide Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Membership.

Mike Heika is a Senior Workers Author for DallasStars.com and has coated the Stars since 1994. Observe him on Twitter @MikeHeika.