Since signing center Elias Lindholm in free agency, well, things haven't gone as planned for the Boston Bruins. In his first two seasons wearing the Spoked-B, he had scored 17 goals in each of his first two campaigns in Boston and recorded 30 and 31 assists. Talk about consistency.
However, numbers aside, there are some concerns with Lindholm, and truthfully, it's likely going to be a concern for the remainder of his time with the Black and Gold. Before he even played a game for the Bruins in the 2024-25 season, he suffered a back injury in practice. That was something that lingered and hampered him throughout the 2025-26 season, and honestly, it's something that should cause concerns not only the front office but the fanbase, despite what general manager Don Sweeney says.
Bruins GM Don Sweeney gives Elias Lindholm injury update
Look, we're not doctors here at Causeway Crowd; however, you don't need to be a doctor to know that a back injury, of any kind, can be tough to deal with. For an athlete who plays a sport, well, it's not an ideal thing to be dealing with. After the Bruins were bounced in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Buffalo Sabres in six games, Lindholm admitted that the back injury he dealt with in his first season in Boston returned in 205-26.
“He’s attacking it this summer, so we feel good about that,” said Sweeney. “He was very proactive in what he wanted to do and accomplish this summer from a health standpoint, because he was frustrated by it.”
The injury flared up again before the Olympics, but Lindholm ended up playing in the games before finishing out the season with Boston. However, going forward, a back injury is something that a player who carries an AAV of $7.75 million does not need to deal with.
There is no doubt that Lindholm has been a disappointment at times, but frustration is going to set in, and that might not be a good thing. His contract is not one that Sweeney can look to move if he were healthy, never mind when he's dealing with a back injury. This compounds the Bruins' need to land a top center this offseason, as Lindholm's days of playing as the top-line center are likely over. Back injuries never end up going away and are something that should concern fans going forward.
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