Elias Lindholm signed a new seven year deal today with the Boston Bruins. He will make $7.75 million per season. This takes arguably the most coveted free agent forward off the market.
Elias Lindholm Finds A Home
While Lindholm didn’t technically force a trade last season, he did let it be known he would test free agency. And the Calgary Flames are a team that’s been burned by holding on to talent beyond their Best Before date.
With that recent history in mind, they moved him to the Vancouver Canucks for a fairly substantial package. Lindholm was a rental, and negotiating a new deal was now the Canucks’ problem. Vancouver, meanwhile, was happy to add a high-quality rental for a surprise playoff run.
Lindholm’s previous deal was a six-year, $29.1 million contract signed after he was traded to Calgary from the Carolina Hurricanes. The Flames had some idea what they were getting with that deal, but even so, the contract ended up a bargain. Now 29 years old, he wouldn’t be selling his services so cheaply again.
What the *Inserteamnamehere* is Getting
Signing Elias Lindholm to this new deal, the Bruins are getting a solid defensive presence who will hold down a spot on their top lines. Last year’s regular season had his lowest numbers since 2017-18, and won’t be repeated.
Between nagging injuries and the mid-season trade, he scored just 15 times with 44 total points in 75 games. His career averages are far better than that, and you can expect a return to the 60-65 point range. His defence and faceoff acumen increase his value beyond goals and assists.
A more accurate portrayal is his playoff run, where he scored five goals and ten points in 13 games. He took on hard minutes, too, facing down Edmonton’s sharpshooters and Nashville’s grinders alike. That’s the sort of play we should expect of Elias Lindholm now, even if his numbers slip before the deal expires.
Main Photo: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
