#Nils Lundkvist already gaining ‘more confidence’ for Rangers

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Call this the Education of Nils Lundkvist.

“It’s been a lot of new things and a fun experience so far,” the Rangers’ 21-year-old fresh-faced, freshman defenseman from Sweden said before playing in his fourth NHL game here Thursday night against the Predators. “It’s a dream come true. It’s hard to believe that you’re here playing against the world’s best players and playing with the world’s best players, so it’s been an awesome time so far.”

Lundkvist has endured some bumps along the road but he surely has not seemed out of place. His game is slick and based on skill and creating pace, but he is taking one step at a time in his development. He is taking small bites out of the Apple rather than trying to swallow it whole.

“He looks good and he’s getting more confidence every day being around NHL players,” head coach Gerard Gallant said after his club’s very well-attended optional morning skate. “I think it’s coming, he’s taking his time and not trying to do too much and as a coaching staff that’s what we want.

“[Assistant coach Gord Murphy] talks to him all the time about staying within your game, playing good defense first and the other stuff will come.”

Lundkvist, selected 28th overall in the 2018 draft with the pick obtained from Tampa Bay in the Ryan McDonagh deal, faces the dual challenges of being undersized at a reported 5-foot-11, 187 pounds while making the transition from the larger ice surface to NHL-size rinks.

It has been a work in progress, No. 27 having been on for two goals-against and none-for at five-on-five while carrying an untenable 23.65 xGF percentage and a 21.62 shot share through this very small sample size. Again, though, he is learning on the job, getting an average of 14:19 of ice time per.

“I think you’re learning from every game you play, you’re learning how the league is played and the small things you need to do,” Lundkvist said. “Everything happens so fast here and if you do a mistake it’s a scoring chance and if you give up a scoring chance it’s usually a goal.

“Everybody is so skilled and the small details make such a big difference, so I am working on the details. The ice is smaller so you don’t have to skate as much in the D-zone but you’re meeting more skilled players and faster players. I’m trying to play hard and trying to play smart too.

“When it’s time to use my body I try to do that while having a good stick and be smart and go from there,” he said. “You need to be really focused every time, you can’t have one bad shift or two bad shifts, it’s about being consistent. If you make 100 decisions, 99 have to be good.”

As Lundkvist tries to soak it all in, he has a role model after whom to design his game in Adam Fox, who has a bit more bulk to him than the Swede but faces the same physical challenges.

“For sure I’ve learned from him, he’s the best defenseman in the whole world,” Lundkvist said in alluding to Fox’s Norris Trophy. “He’s a righty, he’s a little bit undersized too and I’m happy he’s here because I can learn from him every day.

“It seems like he has no problems on the ice so by just watching him I can learn from him every day.”

As there is the transition on the ice, Lundkvist also faces adjustments off the ice. He’s playing in a new league, living in a new country, visiting and living in cities he had never before seen. It has been somewhat of a whirlwind for him, but one that he is embracing.

“It’s been awesome so far. Nashville seems to be an amazing city, but also Montreal and Toronto,” Lundkvist said. “Also back home in New York, it’s been awesome so far. I’m trying to take in everything.”

Again, these are the first steps on what has the promise of a very long journey. There are still times Lundkvist has to remind himself this is for real.

“The three games I’ve played, every game has felt like, ‘Oh, like, is this real?’” he said. “It’s felt like you need to go, ‘Yeah, I’m here now.’”