{"id":441078,"date":"2024-05-14T13:30:21","date_gmt":"2024-05-14T17:30:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=441078"},"modified":"2024-05-14T13:24:33","modified_gmt":"2024-05-14T17:24:33","slug":"canucks-elias-lindholm-proving-his-worth-in-playoffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2024\/05\/14\/canucks-elias-lindholm-proving-his-worth-in-playoffs\/","title":{"rendered":"The Canucks Elias Lindholm Proving His Worth in the Playoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Vancouver Canucks<\/a> made a big splash on January 31st, ahead of the trade deadline landing Elias Lindholm<\/a>. They sent Andrei Kuzmenko, their 2024 first-round pick, a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick, and two prospects to the Calgary Flames for Lindholm.<\/a> The trade meant one thing: The Canucks were going all in and were serious about going on a deep run. He was just what they needed. Furthermore, he’s a player that can help out on offence, defence, and the penalty kill. It made sense why Vancouver got him. Fast-forward over three months later: The Canucks are in the second round of the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs <\/span>and<\/span> they have Elias Lindholm rising to the occasion.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not the Greatest Start for Elias Lindholm with the Canucks<\/h3>\n

Two seasons ago, Lindholm was having the season of his life. 2021-22 saw him hot each of 40 goals and 40 assists milestones, finishing with 82 points. That year Johnny Gaudreau,<\/a>\u00a0Matthew Tkachuk,<\/a> and himself were one of the most exciting lines in the NHL. As a result, Lindholm <\/span>was nominated<\/span> for the Selke Trophy awarded to the NHL’s best defensive forward. However, Patrice Bergeron<\/a> won it that year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since then, Lindholm has\u00a0<\/span>kind of<\/span>\u00a0fallen off offensively. 2022-23 saw him score 22 goals and 42 assists for 64 points.\u00a0<\/span>Those numbers aren’t\u00a0<\/span>bad<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>but<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>still<\/span>\u00a0a far cry from the\u00a0<\/span>season before<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0With Calgary before the trade, Lindholm had nine goals and 23 assists for 32 points in 49 games.<\/span><\/p>\n

It wasn’t expected<\/span>\u00a0that the centre\/right winger\u00a0<\/span>go<\/span> on a tear as he did in 2021-22. But there was hope that a change in scenery would get him going offensively and would help the Canucks finish the season strong.\u00a0<\/span>It looked like that was going to be the case when Lindholm scored two goals in his Canuck debut against the Carolina Hurricanes<\/a>, the team that drafted him in 2012. But after that, the Swede looked disappointing offensively.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lindholm managed six goals and six assists in 26 regular season games with Vancouver. It also didn’t help\u00a0<\/span>he missed a few weeks with a wrist injury that he described as “brutal.”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

It made sense for Canucks fans to be disappointed in the big fish. However, while Lindholm was\u00a0<\/span>very good<\/span>\u00a0defensively. According to\u00a0<\/span>NaturalStatTrick<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>out<\/span>\u00a0of all forwards that played at least 100 minutes at<\/span>\u00a05\u00a0<\/span>on<\/span>\u00a05\u00a0<\/span>since he arrived, Lindholm was first on the team in shots against (153) and goals against (just 12). He was second to Nils \u00c5man<\/a> in expected goals against (13.94) and high-danger chances against (53). Moreover, <\/span>Lindholm was also\u00a0<\/span>second on the Canucks in faceoff percentage since the trade.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0His 58.7% was behind J.T. Miller<\/a>‘s 59.6%.<\/span><\/p>\n

Elias Lindholm Rising to The Occasion for Canucks<\/h3>\n

Luckily Lindholm found chemistry with Dakota Joshua<\/a> and Conor Garland<\/a> late in the regular season. In the playoffs so far, they have done well. <\/span>The Canucks have made it this far\u00a0<\/span>and Elias <\/span>Lindholm rising to the occasion is a huge reason why. He scored some big goals\u00a0<\/span>including<\/span> the first Canuck goal of the playoffs.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Elias Lindholm gets the Canucks on the board!! <\/p>\n

Tie game. 1-1#Canucks<\/a> | #Preds<\/a>
\ud83d\udcfd\ufe0f: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com\/1eoekBZEw1<\/a><\/p>\n

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) April 22, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n