3. Nils Lundkvist, RHD, Luleå HF
Of the players on this list, Lundkvist is the biggest wild card. Drafted at just 17 years old, the Rangers are extremely high on their Swedish defenseman who they selected at 28 this past June.
Lundkvist is the prototypical puck-moving, two-way defender who is reliable in each and every area of the ice. He’s just 17, so his 5-foot-11, 180 lbs frame is pretty impressive for where things stand in his development.
In 2017-18, Lundkvist sprouted into the best defender in the SuperElite league while also receiving a call up from Luleå HF of the SHL, a men’s league. In 28 games with the squad, Lundkvist registered two goals and three assists.
You likely won’t see him on North American soil for another year or two, but just know he is has just about as much upside as any Rangers prospect on the back end.