When it comes to the 2026-27 Boston Bruins, if they are going to get back to the postseason after a surprise appearance last season, they are going to need to have some players who have struggled at times to have a bounce-back season.
If there is a player who needs a bounce-back season, it is veteran center Elias Lindholm. The first two seasons in Boston since he signed as a free agent in the summer of 2024 haven't gone as Lindholm or the Bruins would have hoped they would. However, on defense, he has dealt with a back injury that has hampered him.
Second-year head coach Marco Sturm hopped on the Bruins Beat podcast with host Evan Marinofsky, and he asked Sturm whether or not he sees Lindholm as someone who will finally be healthy when camp opens next month at Warrior Ice Arena.
“I do think so, personally. I really hope so,” Sturm said. “I can’t look inside his body, but I think he says he felt good, had a good summer. Started skating again, no complaints, but hopefully it’s going to stay like this.''
Can the Bruins count on Elias Lindholm in 2026-27?
Sure, the Bruins could use a fully healthy Elias Lindholm in 2026-27, but can he stay healthy? That's going to be the question. Back injuries are never easy to deal with for any athlete. Nevermind a hockey player. As far as Lindholm goes, Boston needs him to secure a top-six spot in the lineup. Whether or not that's possible remains to be seen.
He is not the No. 1 center general manager Don Sweeney hoped he was getting two summers ago when he signed. Instead, he's more of a middle-six pivot, but maybe a third-line center? If that's the case in 2026-27, then it's not great in terms of him making $7.75 million to be a third-line center, but it also means that, unless there is a trade, which seems likely, Fraser Minten would have come into camp and snagged a top-six center spot.
That quote by Sturm is not surprising. Lindholm is going to get every opportunity in camp to grab a top-six center spot. It feels like he'll begin the season no worse than the second-line center spot. Maybe he'll fit best between JJ Peterka and David Pastrnak, but one thing is for sure: he needs to have a bounce-back season for the Black and Gold. If it is more of the same for Lindholm in 2026-27, then the Bruins really are stuck between a rock and a hard place.
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