The intensity of the Stanley Cup Playoffs can lead to serious injuries. Luckily former New York Rangers defenseman Nils Lundkvist dodged a catastrophic one in Game 4 between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild.
Lundkvist left the Stars’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Wild on Saturday with a facial laceration after he was clipped by Michael McCarron’s skate blade during the second period. He’s already been ruled out for Game 5 in Dallas on Tuesday, though coach Glen Gulutzen said he expects Lundkvist back later in the best-of-7 series.
Scary moment as Nils Lundkvist takes McCarron’s skate blade up high Lundkvist headed straight to the room for repairs. pic.twitter.com/QpZxoToQMi
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) April 25, 2026
Adding insult to injury, Lundkvist was penalized for tripping the Wild forward on the play, though the Stars successfully killed it off.
The 25-year-old did not return after sustaining the injury, though Lundkvist avoided an overnight stay at a local hospital. He finished the game with one shot and one blocked shot in 10:13 TOI.
Dallas let a 2-1 lead slip away late in the third period, when Minnesota’s Marcus Foligno tied things up at 14:40. Matt Boldy’s goal at 19:31 of overtime won it for the Wild and evened the series 2-2.
A first-round pick (No. 28 overall) by the Rangers in the 2018 NHL Draft, Lundkvist was traded to the Stars for two draft picks, including a conditional first-rounder, on Sept. 19, 2022. The Rangers used that pick to acquire forward Vladimir Tarasenko from the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 9, 2023.
Lundkvist was one of three first-round selections for the Rangers in the 2018 draft. Not one currently plays for the Rangers. Forward Vitali Kravtsov (No. 9 overall) is out of the NHL and back in Russia after playing 64 games with the Rangers and Vancouver Canucks. New York traded defenseman K’Andre Miller No. 22 overall) to the Carolina Hurricanes last summer after five seasons on the Rangers blue line.
Set back by injuries most of his four years with the Stars, Lundkvist paired with Thomas Harley the first four games of this series, averaging 16:45 TOI. He had a pair of assists in Game 2, and totaled 11 points (three goals, eight assists) to go along with a plus-12 rating that was fourth best on the team in 52 games this season.
As such, Lundkvist landed a two-year, $3.5 million contract with the Stars 10 days ago. He could’ve been a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer.
“He is a highly skilled defenseman with excellent mobility and vision,” Stars GM Jim Nill said. “His ability to move the puck and create offense makes him a valuable piece for our team moving forward.”
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