Lias Andersson is the bet Rangers can’t afford to lose

Lias Andersson isn’t just some highly regarded 19-year-old prospect looking to make the Rangers. Rather, he is a 19-year-old, seventh-overall draft selection looking to crack the opening NHL roster after failing to do so a year ago.

This represents an important distinction. In fact, it is important enough for head coach David Quinn to have pulled Andersson aside at camp to talk about that circumstance in the hours before No. 50 took the ice with his teammates in the Blueshirts’ opening 4-3 OT exhibition victory in Newark against the Devils on Monday, during which he scored on a shorthanded breakaway and power-play rebound.

“A lot of stuff can weigh on you when you’re drafted in that high of a spot,” Quinn said. “It’s only natural. I talked to him about letting all the other stuff go and just going out and playing his game. He’s 19. We can’t forget that.”

On this night, Andersson reminded folks why the Blueshirts used the draft pick they’d received from the Coyotes as the primary piece in the Derek Stepan deal on him when there were higher-ceiling, more enticing prospects such as Casey Mittelstadt available. The Rangers hadn’t had a pick that high since selecting Al Montoya sixth overall in 2004. Oops.

The Swede sailed in on the right side after breaking up a Taylor Hall-Nico Hischier neutral-zone exchange to beat Keith Kinkaid high glove side at 14:00 of the first period for his first goal. Then his quick stick poked home a free puck in the slot at 6:07 of the third on the man-advantage after Kevin Hayes’ one timer had hit net-front presence Chris Kreider in the chest.

Management believed — and believes — in Andersson’s leadership skill and hard-edged two-way game that seems meant for Quinn. He was believed near NHL-ready upon his selection. It was a disappointment when he wasn’t, instead returned to SEL Frolunda before joining the AHL Wolf Pack following the World Juniors. A seven-game cameo on Broadway followed at the end of the year.

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“I just didn’t play good enough in camp last year to make it,” Andersson told The Post. “I understood the decision. It was on me. When I went back, I worked on improving my game so I would be in a different situation this time.”

It is of course far too early to reach a conclusion about him or the wisdom of using a premium selection on a player who does not project as a first-line player. Fact is, Hischier, New Jersey’s first-overall, and Philly’s second-overall Nolan Patrick were the only players from the Class of ’17 to spend the season in the NHL. There is no cause to rush to judgement.

But it sure does feel as if there is already a lot at stake here for both the Swede and the organization. Whiffing on a seventh-overall doesn’t do much to accelerate a rebuild.

“I have my confidence this year to do more things with the puck and be the type of player my teammates can trust in all situations,” said Andersson, who will turn 20 on Oct. 13. “I know I’m going to have to work hard to make it, but I think I’m ready. I worked hard over the summer to prepare for this.”

Andersson returned from Sweden around the first of June to work on his training and conditioning with Ben Prentiss Hockey Performance in Stamford. He credited the breakaway goal to his offseason work.

“We worked on explosiveness,” Andersson said of the summer regimen. “I wouldn’t have been able to score that goal last year.”

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Barring an unforeseen development, the Rangers appear set down the middle with a 1-2-3 Mika Zibanejad-Kevin Hayes-Flip Chytil permutation. But if Andersson makes it as a fourth-liner, he could get substantial ice time if he is on special teams as he was in this one in which he was paired with Jesper Fast on the penalty kill and finished the night with 19:11 of ice time.

“I thought [Andersson] had a good night,” Quinn said. “It’s nice to be opportunistic on chances like that.”

Andersson said that he isn’t fretting about the depth chart, sizing up the competition or divining what his role might be if he cracks the squad. He’s focused on being the best he can be.

“I don’t look at that stuff,” he said. “I’m concentrating on playing my game and doing my best so that I can help the team.”

At 19, the clock on Andersson’s career has barely begun to tick. But then why does it seem as if time is of the essence?