Ryan Lindgren doesn’t know if he can pinpoint one reason why his return from a shoulder injury took longer than expected.

It was a tough recovery, he said, and part of his delay stemmed from not being able to maintain the level of physicality that has grown to define his game.

But after an 11-game absence, Lindgren participated in the Rangers’ morning skate Tuesday and confirmed afterward that he’ll be in the Blueshirts’ lineup against the Hurricanes — “ready to go tonight,” he said.

“It just maybe took a little longer,” Lindgren said. “Obviously, you want to get back out there as soon as you can, but you just want to be smart. Feeling good now.”

Lindgren originally suffered his shoulder injury against Washington on Feb. 25, when a hit from T.J. Oshie redirected him into the boards and forced an early exit.

It appeared at times that he might be nearing a return, but his participation in morning skates and practice didn’t translate into pregame rushes and the games themselves.

He felt during his most recent skates that a return Tuesday was feasible, when he noticed his shoulder reacting better while shooting the puck.

He also tested how it’d hold up physically.

Lindgren, who has played in 57 of the Blueshirts’ 70 games this season, noticed the gradual improvement while working out in the gym, too.

The Rangers went 8-2-1 without Lindgren, and at times, they even pieced together a blueline with four or five defensemen — when K’Andre Miller’s suspension eliminated another member from the Blueshirts’ defensive pairings.

Lindgren’s return likely means that Ben Harpur will be removed from the lineup and serve as the Blueshirts’ seventh defenseman Tuesday night.

He rotated in throughout their morning skate while Braden Schneider and Niko Mikkola were the third pairing.

“You just want to make sure when you get back out there you can play the way you want to play and not hold back at all,” Lindgren said. “… I’m there now and feeling good.”