Lias Andersson to get more ice time — just not with Rangers

To what should be the surprise of exactly nobody, the Rangers have sent Lias Andersson back to the Wolf Pack to continue his apprenticeship with 20-minute, center-stage nights in the AHL rather than with single-digit ice time on the wing of an NHL fourth line.

“He’s made some great progress and he’s done some good things, but we just need to see more consistency out of him,” David Quinn said. “I know it’s difficult when he plays seven or eight minutes, but that’s just the situation we’re in. It didn’t make sense for him to stay here, especially with the limited practice time we’re going to have over the next three weeks. He needs to go play.”

The 20-year-old, seventh-overall selection of the 2017 entry draft recorded four points (1-3) in 21 games, averaging 10:47 per game of mostly fourth-line duty. Indeed, Andersson’s last six games were played on the fourth unit, the final four on left wing to accommodate Boo Nieves. Andersson likely would have been assigned to Hartford a couple of weeks ago, but Jesper Fast suffered an upper body injury Dec. 14.

Now, though, both Fast and Cody McLeod, the latter sidelined since Thanksgiving eve with a broken hand, are expected to return for Saturday’s match in Nashville that kicks off a two-game swing that concludes in St. Louis on New Year’s Eve. Hence, the timing of this move a day after the holiday roster freeze lifted.

“As I’ve touched on before, it’s not out of the ordinary that a 20-year-old is continuing to learn how to play consistently at this level,” Quinn said. “He’s going to be a really good player, he’s making good strides, and he’s going to get to where we need him to be sooner than later. But we think [Hartford] is the best spot for him.”

Andersson has showed good instincts and a competitive engine. He is willing to take a hit and use his body to make a play. But both speed and quickness remain issues in a league where a lack of speed and quickness presents a major hurdle. Maybe constant work will help solve the problem.

Regardless, the next time Andersson is summoned to Broadway — which should be only on merit and not because the Rangers will have some holes to fill following the trade deadline — he should play in the middle. That’s the way the Blueshirts will get their best read on No. 50.

“It all depends on what our roster looks like next time he comes,” Quinn said. “A lot will be dictated by who we still have. There are things he needs to do regardless of his position, things that a hockey player has to do regardless of his position.

“Believe me, I’m certainly not ignorant of the fact that he’s been a center his whole life and that’s part of it. A lot of guys who play center have had to play the wing [in the NHL]. Eventually center will be his position for sure, but you look at the situation we have, the guys we have, and it’ll play out.”

While Andersson plays in the AHL.

Henrik Lundqvist, who has allowed more questionable goals the past three weeks than he did the season’s first two months, will get the start in Nashville. Lundqvist is 1-2-5 with a 3.48 GAA and .895 save percentage over his past eight starts, with three defeats in overtime and two via shootout.

The Blueshirts, 4-10-2 away from the Garden and with all four victories gained in shootouts, have five of the next six and seven of the next nine on the road.

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