(Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports)
Entering the 2023-24 season, the Dallas Stars needed defenseman Nils Lundkvist to improve from his 2022-23 season and he has.
After the Stars acquired Lundkvist in a trade with the Rangers prior to last season, Lundkvist finished with 16 points (6G, 10A), -5 rating and averaged 16:18 TOI per game last season while playing 60 games. Entering this season with being a restricted free agent after the season, Lundkvist has improved in categories.
While playing in 47 games this season out of Dallas’ 70, the 23-year-old has already past last season’s point total with 17 (2G, 15A). Lundkvist’s +12 rating is the seventh best on the Stars and is the third best among Stars defensemen while averaging 14:55 TOI per game this season.
(Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports)
Lundkvist has more points than center Radek Faksa, defenseman Ryan Suter and center Craig Smith (all with 16 points this season). And defenseman Jani Hakanpää has 13 points this season.
Last season, Lundkvist had just one two-point game. This season, Lundkvist has four two-point games with playing 13 games less than last season.
In last night’s game against the Coyotes, Lundkvist was inserted back in the lineup after not playing the last four Dallas games with Hakanpää dealing with a lower-body injury. In Dallas’ 5-2 win, Lundkvist had the primary assist on the first two Dallas goals.
With the game tied at one in the second period, Lundkvist placed a perfect pass in front of Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram for Stars captain Jamie Benn to tip-in for a goal to give the Stars a 2-1 lead.
Lundkvist did have to leave the game in the third period last night to get stiches. After playing 14:14, Lundkvist added four shots on goal, two hits and blocked shots to go along with his two assists.
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