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Hampus Lindholm

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.

Boston Bruins Acquire Hampus Lindholm

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The Boston Bruins, who have been connected to most of the NHL’s available left-shot defensemen, have found their man, acquiring Hampus Lindholm from the Anaheim Ducks, reports ESPN’s Kevin Weekes. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the Bruins will send a 2022 first-round draft pick, 2023 and 2024 second-round draft picks, defensemen Urho Vaakanainen, and defenseman John Moore (link). Frank Seravalli of The Daily Faceoff adds that the Ducks will retain 50% of Lindholm’s salary as part of the deal. Minor league defenseman Kodie Curran is also heading to Boston in the trade (link).

Lindholm has been one of the most sought-after targets at this year’s trade deadline. The defenseman had not necessarily been available the last few weeks, as the Ducks were trying to negotiate an extension with him. However, when negotiations did not appear to be leading to an extension, the Ducks stepped up their efforts to trade Lindholm, and found a return of their liking today.

In exchange for Lindholm, Anaheim has received a bevy of draft picks, as well as a talented young defenseman and a veteran defenseman. Vaakanainen was the Bruins’ first-round draft pick in 2017, 18th overall, but has seen limited time with the Bruins since making his NHL debut during the 2018-19 season. Moore, on the other hand, is a veteran of 12 NHL seasons, but has been a victim of the Bruins’ depth and salary cap constraints this season, spending time in the AHL, where he had currently been playing. While Moore could certainly help the Ducks, his inclusion in this trade is almost entirely due to the Bruins’ desire to move his $2.75MM cap hit.

As much as Boston gave up to acquire Lindholm, there is added benefit in Anaheim retaining half of Lindholm’s $5.2MM cap hit, which expires after this season, as well as Moore’s $2.75MM cap hit that runs through next season. Further, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman notes, the Bruins and Lindholm are working on an extension, which could make Lindholm more than just a rental for Boston (link).

Last but certainly not least, the Bruins managed to acquire a true top-pairing defenseman to bolster their lineup and potentially pair with star defenseman Charlie McAvoy. Adding Lindholm could certainly be a game-changer in a tight Eastern Conference race. As of this writing, Boston holds the first Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference, just one point ahead of the Washington Capitals who are in the second Wild Card spot, but only two points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs and three points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for third and second place respectively in the Atlantic Division.

Anaheim Ducks To Hold Out Hampus Lindholm As Deadline Approaches

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The Anaheim Ducks have reached the point of no return with Hampus Lindholm. After general manager tried for weeks to get an extension done with the pending free agent defenseman, Lindholm is now expected to be traded by Monday’s deadline. A trade is likely enough to warrant holding him out of the lineup entirely, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, who tweets that Lindholm won’t play tonight.

In terms of where he might be headed, Darren Dreger of TSN reports that a few teams “continue to digest” the asking price, which currently is a first-round pick, and third-round pick, and a top prospect. While that may seem like a big ask for a rental player, just a few days ago Ben Chiarot landed a similar package for the Montreal Canadiens. Lindholm is much more well-rounded than the former Canadiens defenseman, though he doesn’t have the recent successful postseason run that Chiarot is lauded for.

LeBrun suggests that the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues would make sense for Lindholm, though the defenseman has been speculatively linked to nearly every contender in the league at some point.

There is an injury history that the Ducks have to consider when protecting him over the next few days. Lindholm played just 18 games last season after suffering various injuries including a broken wrist. Throughout his career, he’s been able to play 80 games in a single season just once, and that was in 2015-16. Logging nearly 23 minutes a night opens him up to plenty of risk, especially given how many shots he blocks. If his time with the Ducks is over, the 28-year-old leaves with 581 games played, fourth all-time for the franchise among defensemen.

With Lindholm taken out and Josh Manson traded, the Ducks will have a new look going forward on the blueline. Veteran Cam Fowler and young Jamie Drysdale lead the group, though suddenly plenty of playing time is up for grabs. Kevin Shattenkirk, the only other established veteran in the group, is signed for one more season at a $3.9MM cap hit.

Trade Rumors: Lindholm, Chychrun, Barabanov, De Haan

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With just four days remaining before the Trade Deadline, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports that there hasn’t been much progress made on an extension between the Anaheim Ducks and defenseman Hampus Lindholm, and it’s unclear at this point whether general manager Pat Verbeek will circle back to try and work out a deal. Seravalli also relays that the current asking price for Lindholm is a first-round pick, a top prospect, and another asset. While Lindholm is still a quality defenseman after battling back from injury trouble the last few seasons, that’s an exorbitant asking price for a rental player with just 22 points in 61 games on the season. He’s second among Ducks blueliners in terms of ice time per game, being eclipsed by almost two minutes per game by Cam Fowler. Verbeek is playing a dangerous game here, and will likely have to up his extension offer or lower his asking price in order to retain value for Lindholm either way.

As the Trade Deadline creeps closer, some more notes from the trade market:

  • Bally Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland says it’s “looking more and more like” the Arizona Coyotes won’t be dealing defenseman Jakob Chychrun prior to the Trade Deadline. The much-talked-about defenseman is currently on the shelf with an ankle injury, which originally put his availability in question. Strickland says it doesn’t mean that the team is going to hang onto him long-term, though, as there’s still a high potential for Chychrun to get moved over the summer, potentially prior to the 2022 NHL Draft.
  • The San Jose Sharks haven’t had any talks on a new deal for pending unrestricted free agent Alexander Barabanov, per The Mercury News’ Curtis Pashelka. Assistant general manager Joe Will, who’s in effect the team’s interim GM while Doug Wilson is away on a medical leave of absence, knows that “[the team] is trying to replenish” and is listening to offers on many other pending UFAs as well. Barabanov’s continued a strong end to the 2020-21 campaign after being acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs, posting 30 points in 51 games while receiving top-six minutes. It could be a bit of buyer beware in this case, though, as many advanced metrics suggest the 27-year-old’s production can be strongly attributed to playing with Tomas Hertl.
  • The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reports conversation surrounding Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Calvin de Haan is heating up, and specifically names the Toronto Maple Leafs as a team in the mix to acquire him. De Haan has just five points on the year, but he’s still an extremely capable two-way defenseman who’s helped stop the bleeding defensively this year in Chicago. He’s a solid case of a buy-low candidate who could flourish on a better team, which is exactly the type of player the Maple Leafs have targeted in recent months.

Pacific Notes: Hill, Ducks, Flames, Oilers

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Sharks goaltender Adin Hill returned to the lineup on Saturday and recorded a 29-save shutout over Los Angeles.  However, it appears he hasn’t fully recovered from the lower-body injury that kept him out for 15 games as Corey Masisak of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that the netminder has suffered a setback and will be out for at least a week.  The team isn’t considering shutting him down for the season at this point and surgery isn’t on the table at this time so fortunately for San Jose, it would appear the setback is a minor one.  James Reimer and Zachary Sawchenko will serve as the goalie tandem for the Sharks for the time being.

More from the Pacific:

  • While the Ducks recently traded Josh Manson, it’s too early to automatically assume that fellow pending unrestricted free agents Hampus Lindholm and Rickard Rakell will have the same fate. GM Pat Verbeek told reporters, including Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register, that the door hasn’t been closed yet on signing the veterans to extensions.  Verbeek recently indicated that they’d be traded if there wasn’t a new contract in place by then so it’s certainly getting close to the pressure point for Anaheim.
  • Sportsnet’s Eric Francis pegs Calgary’s biggest need to fill as a depth center. The Flames have used Brad Richardson and Adam Ruzicka as fourth line middlemen this season and haven’t had much production from them as the duo has combined for 13 points in 50 games.  An upgrade at that position wouldn’t normally seem like a top priority but with minimal cap space, it’s one they could realistically afford without requiring significant retention or needing to move someone off their current roster.
  • In an appearance on 630 CHED (audio link), Oilers GM Ken Holland indicated that forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is still a couple of weeks away from returning to the lineup from his shoulder injury. He also stated that he’d ideally like to add to Edmonton’s defense corps by the trade deadline.  Cap space is limited for them – less than $600K at the moment per CapFriendly – so unless they’re able to clear up some room, that addition to the back end may need to be a depth one.

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