Elias Lindholm

Elias Lindholm
Lindholm with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2013
Born	(1994-12-02) 2 December 1994 (age 29) Boden, Sweden
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	192 lb (87 kg; 13 st 10 lb)
Position	Centre / Right Wing
Shoots	Right
NHL team Former teams	Vancouver Canucks Brynäs IF Carolina Hurricanes Calgary Flames
National team	Sweden
NHL Draft	5th overall, 2013 Carolina Hurricanes
Playing career	2011–present

Elias Viktor Zebulon Lindholm ^{[1] [ non-primary source needed ]} (born 2 December 1994) is a Swedish professional ice hockey player for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round (5th overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, and spent his first five NHL seasons with them. He is the youngest Swedish-born player to score an NHL goal.

Playing career

Sweden

Lindholm played with the Brynäs IF Swedish U20 team, he played four games for the U20 team and was the second-leading scorer for the U18 team. Lindholm was selected in the fourth round (86th overall) by SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL Draft. ^[2]

Lindholm joined the Swedish Elite League, he played in 14 games, including two playoff games for Elitserien champion Brynäs. Once again a key offensive force for Brynäs U20 team and also the U19 World Junior A Challenge and 2012 U18 World Junior Championship tournaments. ^[2]

Still with Brynäs, Lindholm led all junior players in the Elitserien with 30 points, scoring 11 goals with 19 assists. ^[2] He skated for Sweden's U20 World Junior Championship in Ufa; scoring 2 goals with 2 assists and was minus-one with 4 penalty minutes in six games, where they won the silver medal. ^[2]

Carolina Hurricanes

Following being drafted by the Hurricanes, Lindholm made the opening roster for the 2013–14 NHL season. He scored his first NHL goal in his fourth ever NHL game against Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals on 10 October 2013. ^[3] By scoring his first NHL goal at 18 years and 311 days, Lindholm became the youngest Swedish-born NHL player to score a goal, beating Gabriel Landeskog and his previous record, which was 18 years and 324 days.^{[ citation needed ]}

On 8 March 2015 Lindholm scored his first career hat trick in a 7–4 win against the Edmonton Oilers. ^[4]

Calgary Flames

On 23 June 2018, Lindholm was traded to the Calgary Flames along with teammate Noah Hanifin in exchange for Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland, and prospect Adam Fox. ^[5] He signed a six-year contract with the Flames on 16 July. ^[6] In his first season with his new team, Lindholm mostly played top-line minutes with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan; all three scored career highs in points, with Lindholm scoring 27 goals and a total of 78 points. In the following season he set another new high in goals (29) despite the season being prematurely concluded due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. He was by this point establishing himself as one of the Flames' most important forwards. ^[7] When the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs were belatedly held in a bubble in the summer, the Flames defeated the Winnipeg Jets in the qualifying round before falling to the Dallas Stars in the first round. Lindholm managed two goals and four assists in 10 playoff games. ^[8]

In light of the pandemic, the 2020–21 season was held with a revised format, with all Canadian teams playing in the temporary North Division. ^[9] The Flames had a tumultuous year, in the course of which coach Geoff Ward was replaced midway through the season by Darryl Sutter. Sutter made significant changes to the team's approach, and returned Lindholm to the centre position after two seasons primarily playing on the wing, now paired on a top line with wingers Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk that proved an immediate success. He scored 19 goals and 28 assists in only 56 games. The Flames did not qualify for the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs. ^{[10] [11]}

Lindholm and Kailer Yamamoto of the Seattle Kraken battle for the puck in 2023.

The NHL's divisions and format returned to their pre-pandemic norms for the 2021–22 season, the Flames' first full season on returning coach Sutter. It would prove to be one of the most successful regular seasons in team history. With Gaudreau and Tkachuk, he formed one of the most dominant forward lines in the NHL, and all three members hit numerous personal and collective milestones over the course of the season. Lindholm scored his 40th goal of the season in an 23 April 2022, victory over the Vancouver Canucks, hitting that marker for the first time. ^[12] Gaudreau and Tkachuk also scored 40 goals, the first time in 28 years that linemates had all achieved this, and only the fourth time in that span that a team had three 40-goal scorers. ^[13] Lindholm finished the regular season with 42 goals and 40 assists for 82 points, while the Flames won the reconstituted Pacific Division. He was voted a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, awarded to the league's best defensive forward. ^[14]

The Flames drew the Dallas Stars in the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, a rematch of the bubble playoffs two years prior, and a matchup in which the Flames were considered the favourites. ^[15] Lindholm immediately distinguished himself by scoring the lone goal in the Flames' 1–0 victory in Game 1. ^[16] The Stars proved a greater challenge than many had anticipated, largely due to an exceptional performance from goaltender Jake Oettinger, but the Flames eventually won the series in Game 7. ^[17] The Flames drew the Edmonton Oilers in the second round, the first playoff "Battle of Alberta" in 31 years. ^[18] The Oilers defeated the Flames in 5 games. ^[19]

Vancouver Canucks

On 31 January 2024, with the Flames not in contention for a playoff spot, and in the final year of his contract, Lindholm was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forward Andrei Kuzmenko, unsigned defence prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo, and first-round and conditional fourth-round picks in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. ^{[20] [21]} Immediately upon joining the Canucks, Lindholm became the fifth player in franchise history to score two or more goals in their first game with the team. He also tied the franchise record for most game-winning goals recorded by a player through their first six games with the team. ^[22]

Personal life

Lindholm was born in Boden, Sweden, but grew up in Gävle. His father, Mikael Lindholm, is a former professional ice hockey player who played in 404 SEL games and 18 NHL games with the Los Angeles Kings in 1989–90. Lindholm is a cousin of ice hockey player Calle Järnkrok and the younger brother of ice hockey player Oliver Lindholm. He is not related to Hampus Lindholm. Lindholm started playing ice hockey in Hanover, Germany, at the age of three while his father was playing for the Hannover Scorpions.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2009–10	Brynäs IF	J18		4	3	3	6	0		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Brynäs IF	J18 Allsv		5	1	3	4	0		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Brynäs IF	J18		22	10	28	38	16		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Brynäs IF	J18 Allsv		18	7	16	23	16		4	3	3	6	29
2010–11	Brynäs IF	J20		2	0	0	0	0		2	0	1	1	0
2011–12	Brynäs IF	J18		2	0	3	3	0		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Brynäs IF	J18 Allsv		2	1	3	4	0		3	1	2	3	0
2011–12	Brynäs IF	J20		36	14	35	49	45		2	1	1	2	16
2011–12	Brynäs IF	SEL		12	0	0	0	0		2	0	0	0	0
2012–13	Brynäs IF	SEL		48	11	19	30	2		4	0	0	0	4
2013–14	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		58	9	12	21	4		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Charlotte Checkers	AHL		6	1	2	3	4		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		81	17	22	39	14		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		82	11	28	39	24		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		72	11	34	45	16		—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		81	16	28	44	18		—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	Calgary Flames	NHL		81	27	51	78	20		5	1	1	2	4
2019–20	Calgary Flames	NHL		70	29	25	54	22		10	2	4	6	2
2020–21	Calgary Flames	NHL		56	19	28	47	22		—	—	—	—	—
2021–22	Calgary Flames	NHL		82	42	40	82	22		12	5	4	9	6
2022–23	Calgary Flames	NHL		80	22	42	64	14		—	—	—	—	—
2023–24	Calgary Flames	NHL		49	9	23	32	21		—	—	—	—	—
SHL totals				60	11	19	30	2		6	0	0	0	4
NHL totals				792	212	333	545	197		27	8	9	17	12

Medal record
Representing   Sweden
Ice hockey
World Championships
	2017 Germany/France
World Junior Championships
	2013 Russia
	2014 Sweden

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2011	Sweden	IH18			4	2	4	6	0
2012	Sweden	U18			4	2	1	3	2
2013	Sweden	WJC			6	2	2	4	4
2014	Sweden	WJC			6	2	7	9	6
2015	Sweden	WC	5th		8	2	4	6	6
2017	Sweden	WC			10	5	2	7	10
2019	Sweden	WC	5th		8	1	5	6	2
Junior totals					20	8	14	22	12
Senior totals					26	8	11	19	18

Awards and honors

Award	Year	Ref
NHL
All-Star Game	2024	[23]

References

1. Sundheim, Mike (30 June 2013). "MikeSundheim: The Full Name of @NHLCanes' First Round Selection?". Twitter. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
2. "Hockey's Future – History" . Retrieved 11 November 2014.
3. "Gerbe's goal lift Hurricanes past Capitals". ESPN. 10 October 2013. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
4. "Canes forward Elias Lindholm low-key about first NHL career hat trick". The News & Observer. 9 March 2015.
5. Brown, Michael (23 June 2018). "Canes Acquire Hamilton, Ferland and Fox From Flames". National Hockey League. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
6. Battaglino, Mike (16 July 2018). "Lindholm signs six-year contract with Flames". National Hockey League. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
7. "2019-20 Player Report Card: Elias Lindholm". Matchsticks & Gasoline. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
8. Blackburn, Pete (21 August 2021). "Stanley Cup Playoffs 2020: Five reasons the Flames were eliminated by the Stars". CBS Sports . Retrieved 17 May 2022.
9. "NHL teams in new divisions for 2020-21 season". NHL.com. 20 December 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
10. "2021 Report Card: Elias Lindholm". Matchsticks & Gasoline. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
11. Krauss, Brett (7 July 2021). "Flames 2020-21 Report Cards: Elias Lindholm". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
12. Salvian, Hailey (25 April 2022). "Inside Elias Lindholm's rise to 40 goals: 'This is not a surprise'". The Athletic . Retrieved 17 May 2022.
13. Francis, Eric (29 April 2022). "Flames' Gaudreau ensures his line joins exclusive 40-40-40 club". Sportsnet . Retrieved 16 May 2022.
14. "Barkov, Bergeron, Lindholm named as Selke Trophy finalists". Sportsnet . 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
15. Luszczyszyn, Dom; Goldman, Shayna (1 May 2022). "2022 NHL playoff preview: Flames vs. Stars". The Athletic . Retrieved 16 May 2022.
16. "Lindholm scores lone Flames goal in win over Stars in Game 1". Sportsnet . 4 May 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
17. "Johnny Gaudreau's overtime goal lifts Flames to Game 7 win over Stars". The Athletic . 16 May 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
18. Boylen, Rory (16 May 2022). "Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 2 Preview: Flames vs. Oilers". Sportsnet . Retrieved 16 May 2022.
19. https://www.tsn.ca/connor-mcdavid-edmonton-oilers-eliminate-calgary-flames-1.1805107
20. "Canucks Acquire Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames". NHL.com. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
21. Johnston, Patrick (31 January 2024). "Canucks pick up Elias Lindholm in trade from Calgary Flames". The Province. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
22. "Game Notes: Canucks vs. Bruins". National Hockey League. 24 February 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
23. "Lindholm Named 2024 NHL All-Star". NHL.com. 4 January 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com , or  Eliteprospects.com , or  Eurohockey.com , or  Hockey-Reference.com , or  The Internet Hockey Database

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Ryan Murphy	Carolina Hurricanes first round draft pick 2013	Succeeded by Haydn Fleury
Preceded by William Karlsson	Viking Award 2019	Succeeded by