Over the offseason, center Elias Lindholm was the prize free agent addition by Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney. Needing to fill the spot of a No. 1 since Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retired last summer, Sweeney waited patiently until he hit free agency before pouncing on him along with defenseman Nikita Zadorov.
After being on the ice last Thursday for the first day of on-ice workouts, Lindholm has not been on the ice since. Over the weekend head coach Jim Montgomery said that he doesn't expect him back this week, however, as it turns out, the former Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks pivot will be out longer and in the big picture, it may not be a bad thing.
Bruins need to take cautious approach with Elias Lindholm
Boston got through the 2023-24 season with Charlie Coyle, Pavel Zacha, and others playing down the middle and they were able to get into the Stanley Cup Playoffs and win their first-round series over the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games. Regardless, the need was still there for a top-line center to pair with David Pastrnak and Lindholm was the guy.
In the end, if the Bruins want Lindholm to be the guy this season, they need to be very cautious with him during training camp. They still have 13 days before they open the season for real in South Florida against the Stanley Cup winning Florida Panthers and if Lindholm is going to be on the ice, being aggressive with whatever the injury he’s dealing with is the right move. Tuesday, Montgomery said that he doesn’t expect Lindholm this week, which in the big picture is the right move.
Sure, the Bruins have depth up the middle, but it’s not a player that is ther caliber of Lindholm. Coyle, Zacha, Matthew Poitras, Trent Frederic, John Beecher, or whoever ends up there are not going to have the impact in a game that Lindholm can. By his standards, Lindholm struggled in both Calgary and Vancouver last season, but Sweeney is banking on him having a bounce-back season. To do that, being cautious in training camp with any injury is a no-brainer.