The New York Rangers are currently 2-1 just three games into the regular season, and much of this early success can be attributed to almost every player on the Blueshirts starting off hot. The Rangers currently have four skaters averaging over a point per game, the defense looks elite, and Igor Shesterkin remains as a brick wall in the net.
Two key players helping the Rangers start the season on a high note are Shesterkin and Ryan Lindgren. Both have proven that they are vital members to the Blueshirts, and their contributions have not gone unnoticed.
Shesterkin spoke on Lindgren’s superhero-level durability
Following the Rangers’ close victory over the Arizona Coyotes last night, the locker room was an all-around positive environment. Shesterkin was asked about Ryan Lindgren, specifically the fact that he took a hard hit early on in the game and was able to continue playing.
“He’s Iron Man. Robert Downey Jr. needs to be ready, he takes his job.”
Igor Shesterkin on Ryan Lindgren via Rangers Videos
It’s not a secret that Lindgren is one of the most durable players in the entire NHL. He does seem to find himself ruled out from injury quite a bit, an injury is inevitable when playing as hard and as aggressively as Lindgren does. He’s always the first man to lay down his body to block a shot and isn’t afraid to join a scrum when things get hectic.
*Spoilers*: It’s also ironic that Shesterkin happened to make this comparison when he did. Today, October 17th, 2023, is the day that Iron Man canonically gave his life to save the universe in Avengers: Endgame. It’s completely unrelated to the Rangers, but it’s funny.
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Lindgren is a key member of the Rangers’ defense
It’s essential that Lindgren maintains this “Iron Man” comparison and pushes onward for the remainder of the season. He’s one of the Rangers’ most underrated players, and his presence is greatly missed whenever he is ruled out of games. Lindgren is an extremely defensively-minded player. He doesn’t score many points, but he excels in pretty much every other aspect of the sport.
Lindgren found himself sitting out from the Rangers’ second game of the year against Columbus, a matchup the Blueshirts ultimately lost. One player isn’t the reason the Rangers lost, but it was certainly a contributing factor. With Lindgren out and Zac Jones suiting up, the defensive lines were mismatched and not a single pairing looked elite.
Staying healthy and pushing onward through hard hits and blocked shots is exactly what Lindgren must continue doing. He’s a key member of the Rangers’ defense, and the Blueshirts need his heroics more than originally perceived.