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Hampus Lindholm

Bruins Recall Ian Mitchell, Grzelcyk Is Day-To-Day

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Joe Pohoryles of The Hockey News is reporting that the Boston Bruins have recalled defenseman Ian Mitchell from their AHL affiliate in Providence. Mitchell hasn’t dressed for an NHL game since December 23rd after making the team out of training camp as the seventh defenseman. He started the season with two assists in 13 NHL games and was then assigned to Providence and has posted three goals and 11 assists in 22 AHL games. Mitchell has played in 95 NHL games over four seasons and has four career NHL goals and 14 assists.

Mitchell’s recall could signal that fellow defenseman Matt Grzelcyk will miss some time. Grzelcyk was injured in Boston’s 6-5 overtime win last night against the Edmonton Oilers and the Bruins are calling his status day-to-day. Boston is already without their top left-shot defenseman Hampus Lindholm, and Grzelcyk’s injury leaves them down another defenseman.

Grzelcyk isn’t having one of his better offensive seasons as he has just two goals and five assists in 43 games. However, this is largely due to his role changing a bit this year as he has seen far less power play time and far more time killing penalties. The 30-year-old has spent more time on the penalty kill this season than the last three seasons combined and has just over five minutes on the power play this year. Special teams aside, Grzelcyk’s play at even strength hasn’t been as strong this year, and it will be something he’ll likely be looking to work on when he is healthy and in the lineup again.

Hampus Lindholm Out Week To Week

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Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm is out on a week-to-week basis after sustaining an undisclosed injury on Monday against the Stars, Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic reports. The 30-year-old will not require surgery, but he will miss a significant chunk of Boston’s 26 remaining games.

Now in the second season of an eight-year, $52MM extension, Lindholm’s offensive production has taken a step back after a 53-point, +49 season landed him fourth in Norris Trophy voting last year. While he’s posted just a goal and 18 assists in 56 games in 2023-24, he’s still logging nearly 24 minutes per game and has continued to post high-end possession metrics with a 51.6 CF% at even strength, 5.1% higher than the Bruins’ overall CF% without him on the ice, and an expected +6.3 rating.

Lindholm has played nearly 550 minutes this season alongside Brandon Carlo, but that pairing will be broken up for the next few weeks. 23-year-old rookie Mason Lohrei will get an extended look in the top four in Lindholm’s absence and is expected to factor in alongside Carlo when the Bruins visit Edmonton tonight.

If the Bruins expect him to miss at least 10 games and 24 days, they can place him on LTIR to open up some cap space ahead of the March 8 trade deadline. It would only open up short-term flexibility, though; Boston must remain cap-compliant through the end of the regular season and would need space to activate Lindholm later into March or April. It does not appear that Lindholm will miss the rest of the regular season.

Lindholm has 11 goals, 66 assists and 77 points in 146 games since coming over from the Ducks at the 2022 trade deadline. The 2012 sixth-overall pick ranks fifth in games played among his draft class with 728, and his career +152 rating is the highest among his peers.

Atlantic Notes: Bennett, Grzelcyk, Finley

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David Dwork of The Hockey News is reporting that Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers has left tonight’s game against the Boston Bruins with what appears to be a left leg injury. Bennett was returning to the Panthers after missing the first seven games with a lower-body injury.

The 27-year-old was battling for position with Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm when Lindholm appeared to put his skate on the back of Bennett’s left leg. Lindholm’s weight then appeared to crash down on Bennett’s ankle. Bennett went down grabbing at his lower leg, as he rolled on the ice in pain. The Panthers helped Bennett off the ice as he put no weight on his left leg before limping to the team’s dressing room.

In other notes from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Boston Bruins have announced that defenseman Matt Grzelcyk has left tonight’s game and will not return after sustaining an upper-body injury. Not much is known currently about the injury, but Grzelcyk didn’t play after the halfway mark of the first period in the Bruins game against the Florida Panthers. The 29-year-old has had a bit of a slow start to his eighth season with the Bruins as he has just a single goal in nine games thus far.
  • CapFriendly is reporting that the Tampa Bay Lightning have activated forward Jack Finley off the season-opening injury reserve and assigned him to the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL. The 21-year-old Finley scored 12 goals and had 9 assists in his rookie season in the AHL last year as he dressed in 67 games for the Crunch. Finley could make an impact in the NHL in the coming seasons as it is hard to ignore his ability to get around the ice with his 6’6” 223-pound frame. For now, he will remain a depth option in the AHL as he attempts to develop the offensive side of his game.

East Notes: Tavares, Lindholm, Flyers

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During a hard-fought battle in front of the net of last night’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, John Tavares slashed the hand of Oilers’ defenseman Vincent Desharnais, sending him to the ice immediately. The NHL Department of Player Safety has announced that the Toronto Maple Leafs’ captain will be fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. This will be the second time in his career that Tavares has been fined for slashing, the first time being in a similar incident with then Devils’ forward Zach Parise back in 2011.

Aside from the incident with Tavares, the Maple Leafs managed to secure another big win leading into the playoffs. The group has now managed to go 7-3-0 in their last ten games, gathering steam at just the right time.

Other notes:

  • In a quick meeting with the press, Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery stated that defenseman Hampus Lindholm will be held out of today’s game with the Detroit Red Wings. After blocking a shot in yesterday’s matchup between the two teams, Lindholm’s foot has apparently become very swollen, and he will return to the lineup against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. Replacing him in the lineup is defenseman Derek Forbort, who has seen his playing time cut since the Bruins deadline moves. With 42 points already this season, and an incredible 40 +/-, Lindholm’s absence shouldn’t have too big of an impact on the Bruins. Having one of the most dominant seasons of any team in NHL history, the Bruins have put themselves in a position to absorb the loss of Lindholm for one game.
  • Flyers beat reporter Giana Han announces that the Philadelphia Flyers have sent down forwards Elliot Desnoyers and Tyson Foerster to their AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms, becoming the first-ever transaction made by General Manager Daniel Briere. As the Flyers’ season has been lost, it will be important for the two forwards to continue their growth in the playoffs this year for the Phantoms.

Snapshots: Switzerland, Trouba, Lindholm

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The IIHF World Championship will start tomorrow and there are NHL players littered across all of the rosters. One of the most interesting rosters is the one that Switzerland has managed to put together, with names like Timo Meier and Nico Hischier leading the way. Unfortunately for the Swiss, they’ll be without their best option despite him already being eliminated from the NHL playoffs. Roman Josi has turned down the invitation, citing his pregnant wife whom he will be staying with for the next little while.

Josi’s 96-point year was the best season of all time from a Swiss-born player, though Kevin Fiala and Meier both would have also set that record this season had the others not existed (with Hischier not far behind). Fiala is obviously also not on the roster as he continues to battle for the Minnesota Wild, but the success of these players only suggests that Swiss hockey will continue to grow and make an even bigger impact on the NHL in the coming years.

  • There is no supplementary discipline expected for New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba’s hit on Sidney Crosby last night, according to several reports including Larry Brooks of the New York Post. Crosby is being evaluated for an upper-body injury after missing the second half of the game, while Trouba will try to help even the series tomorrow night in Pittsburgh after scoring and recording two points yesterday.
  • Speaking of defensemen trying to help even a series, Hampus Lindholm will return for the Boston Bruins in game six tonight after missing the last few with an upper-body injury. Lindholm was injured on a hit from Andrei Svechnikov and held out, but told reporters today that he started to feel better quickly afterward and is now ready to go. The trade deadline acquisition is expected to return to the top pairing with Charlie McAvoy and play a ton as the Bruins fight for their season.

East Notes: Bruins Injuries, Barzal, Matthews, Kotkaniemi

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The Bruins have had a bit of tough luck on the injury front lately with several key regulars going down.  Today, the team provided a handful of updates on those players.  Winger David Pastrnak and defenseman Hampus Lindholm skated today but won’t be with the team for their two-game road trip.  Head coach Bruce Cassidy indicated he expects both will be back before the end of the season and could play this weekend.  Meanwhile, goaltender Linus Ullmark didn’t skate today but they believe he’ll be able to return over the weekend.  Winger Jesper Froden suffered a lower-body injury on Saturday and won’t be on the road trip either with no word yet on how long he might be out.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference:

  • The Department of Player Safety issued a fine of $2.5K to Islanders center Mathew Barzal for unsportsmanlike conduct. The incident occurred late in the third period on Sunday when he grabbed onto Mitch Marner’s jersey from the bench.  No penalty was issued on the play.
  • While Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews is still a couple of years away from hitting the open market, pondering what his next deal could cost has already become a discussion point. In his latest column for the Toronto Star, Chris Johnston opines that the 24-year-old could reach the $15MM mark, one that would significantly surpass Connor McDavid’s record-setting $12.5MM AAV.  Matthews is in the midst of a career year with a league-high 58 goals along with 44 assists in 70 games this season.
  • On top of updating the injury situation for goaltender Frederik Andersen, the Hurricanes also revealed that forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi has been nicked up again and is listed as day-to-day. The 21-year-old had just come back from missing eight games with a lower-body injury so it’s possible this absence is related to that one.  Head coach Rod Brind’Amour stated that he doesn’t expect Kotkaniemi to be out for long.

Injury Notes: MacEachern, Bruins, Flyers

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The regular season is over for Mackenzie MacEachern, but fortunately his Blues are planning to play well beyond then. The team announced today that MacEachern has been placed on the Long-Term Injured Reserve with an upper-body injury. The LTIR placement requires that MacEachern sit for ten games and the Blues have just eight games left on the regular season slate. The 27-year-old forward did his best to stay off the shelf; after missing the past three games, MacEachern was back at practice today but was forced to leave early, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The cap-strapped Blues had little choice but to add MacEachern to the LTIR and recall forward Dakota Joshua from AHL Springfield on an emergency basis. The swap actually adds the superior player to the roster, as Joshua has more games played, average time on ice, goals, points, plus/minus and more with the Blues this season.

  • It took injuries to David Pastrnak, Hampus Lindholm, Matt Grzelcyk, Brandon Carlo, and Linus Ullmark to send the Boston Bruins into their first three-game losing streak of the season, the final team in the NHL to fall in three straight this year. As the team looks to right the ship on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, they’re hoping that improved health could help. Grzelcyk was back in the lineup on Thursday night and defense partner could be the next to return, reports beat writer Eric Russo. Carlo was back at practice on Friday and there is optimism that he can return tomorrow from an undisclosed injury. Ullmark, who left Thursday’s game after the first period, did not practice and could be dealing with a concussion, but for now is considered day-to-day. Pastrnak and Lindholm skated by themselves on Friday and there is still no timetable for their return. While there is something to be said for being bit by the injury bug before the postseason, especially for a Boston team that has been decimated in the playoffs in recent years, this rough patch is potentially costing the Bruins their shot at divisional playoff berth as opposed to a wild card spot.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers had no update on injured defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen today, as it is looking increasingly likely that his season is over. Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays that head coach Mike Yeo does not expect Ristolainen to return “any time soon” from an upper-body injury. There was also no update on Cam York, who is out with a lower-body injury and considered day-to-day. There is slightly more optimism surrounding Cam Atkinson, who is also out with a lower-body ailment. Atkinson won’t play on Saturday at Buffalo, but could suit up on Sunday for the second game of the home-and-home with the Sabres.

Boston Bruins Extend Hampus Lindholm

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After acquiring Hampus Lindholm from the Anaheim Ducks yesterday, the Bruins have signed the defensemen to a max extension today (link). As first reported by TSN’s Chris Johnston last night, the extension is for eight years and carries an average annual value of $6.5MM. Here is the complete breakdown:

2022-23: $5.25MM + $2MM signing bonus
2023-24: $6MM + $2MM signing bonus
2024-25: $6MM + $2MM signing bonus
2025-26: $6MM + $2MM signing bonus
2026-27: $6.35MM
2027-28: $4.8MM
2028-29: $4.8MM
2029-30: $4.8MM

The contract also includes trade protection in the form of a full No-Movement Clause in the first five years and a partial No-Trade Clause that includes a 15-team No-Trade list in the final three seasons.

Lindholm was acquired earlier yesterday, along with minor league defenseman Kodie Curran, in exchange for defensemen John Moore and Urho Vaakanainen, a first-round draft pick, and two second-round draft picks. The Bruins had been linked to just about every high-profile left-handed defenseman leading up to this trade deadline and now they have not only acquired their man, but have signed him for eight more years too.

The Ducks had been trying hard to extend Lindholm leading up until this trade, however talks did not progress, seemingly over Lindholm’s desire for an eight-year contract, and Anaheim’s reluctance to go to that length. Lindhom, 28, so far has five goals and 17 assists in 61 games this season and is regarded as a premiere shutdown defenseman.

In adding Lindholm, the Bruins solve arguably the biggest hole in their organization by giving star defenseman Charlie McAvoy a dependable pair mate for the long haul in a proven top pair left-handed defenseman. Since McAvoy first began to break out in Boston, he has been limited by a lack of ability and consistency on the left side. While his experience with future Hall of Famer Zdeno Chara was invaluable, the aging star’s lack of mobility limited McAvoy. Since Chara departed, McAvoy has played with the likes of Matt Grzelcyk, Mike Reilly, Derek Forbort, Jeremy Lauzon, and others, all good but limited players. With Lindholm in the fold, McAvoy will finally have someone to take the pressure off and allow him to engage more on offense, something the Bruins need from their blue line. McAvoy also signed a max extension this year, so Boston hopes that their top pair is now locked in through the 2029-30 season.

Extension Notes: Severson, Forsberg, Paul

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After seeing the packages that fellow defensemen Ben Chiarot and Hampus Lindholm were traded for, Damon Severson’s name began circulating as a potential trade chip for the New Jersey Devils. When asked about the possibility of Severson being moved, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman put the brakes on the idea, indicating that he believed Severson wanted to stay and was interested in discussing a contract extension (link). Severson is currently in the second-to-last year of a six-year, $25MM contract he signed with the Devils prior to the 2017-18 season, which carries a cap hit just below $4.2MM.

If Severson was to discuss an extension with the Devils, the two sides could not begin those discussions until at least July 1st of this year, and any extension with Severson would not begin until his age 29 season, starting in 2023-24. It’s a fair point to wonder if Severson should be dangled at this year’s trade deadline, as the talented defenseman is not a rental, having an additional year of term at a reasonable cap-hit, is on pace to have a career year, currently sitting on 33 points in 60 games, and the Devils well out of playoff position. Also, comparing the packages the Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks received for Chiarot and Lindholm, respectively, it’s plausible to think Severson could fetch New Jersey a strong return.

  • Last night on Hockey Night in Canada, Friedman touched on Filip Forsberg’s contract-extension status and potential trade market. He says that the two sides are not close and that talks have not gone well, and that he believes Nashville Predators’ GM David Poile haas tested the market on Forsberg. Despite this, Friedman says he does not believe that Forsberg is going to be traded at the deadline. While nobody knows for certain where the two sides are in their negotiation, the general expectation is that the Predators do not want to go beyond Roman Josi’s $9.059MM cap hit, however Forsberg may believe he can get at least $10MM per year on the open market. Even without an extension in place, it makes sense that Nashville would hold onto Forsberg. With the team in playoff position, Forsberg could act as a sort-of rental for the Predators.
  • Friedman also touched on the Ottawa Senators’ Nick Paul and his extension talks with the team. He believes that while both sides want Paul to remain in Ottawa, they have both dug in in their negotiation. As a result, Paul could be dealt by Monday if an extension is not reached. Although the Senators would prefer to keep Paul, the gritty, well-rounded forward should develop a strong market from contending teams.

Boston Bruins Expected To Extend Hampus Lindholm

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After acquiring Hampus Lindholm from the Anaheim Ducks earlier today, the Bruins appear to be closing in on an extension with the talented defenseman. TSN’s Chris Johnston reports that Lindholm is expected to be signed to an eight-year extension that carries an AAV of $6.5MM. No official announcement has been made just yet.

Lindholm was acquired earlier today along with minor league defenseman Kodie Curran in exchange for defensemen John Moore and Urho Vaakanainen, a first-round draft pick, and two second-round draft picks. The Bruins had been linked to just about every high-profile left-handed defenseman leading up to this trade deadline and it appears they have not only acquired their man, but are in position to sign him to a long-term extension too.

The Ducks had been trying hard to extend Lindholm leading up until this trade, however talks did not progress, seemingly over Lindholm’s desire for an eight-year contract, and Anaheim’s reluctance to go to that length.

More to come.

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