CHICAGO — Maybe it was the Swedish connection that made the Rangers want to move up in the draft.
Either way, after making a major trade earlier in the day to obtain the seventh-overall pick from the Coyotes, the Blueshirts used the pick to select 18-year-old Swedish center Lias Andersson on Friday night at United Center.
Andersson’s uncle, Mikhail Andersson, played parts of 15 seasons in the NHL and currently is a European scout with the Lightning, while Andersson’s father, Niklas Andersson, played parts of six seasons in the NHL, including a stint with the Islanders.