Elias Lindholm Bio
Elias Viktor Zebulon Lindholm is a Swedish professional ice hockey player who plays as a forward for the Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on December 2, 1994, in Boden, Sweden, Lindholm developed through the Swedish junior system with Brynäs IF before being selected fifth overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2013 NHL Draft. Over the course of his career, he has played for the Hurricanes, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, and Bruins, earning a reputation as a reliable two-way forward with top-line scoring ability. He has also represented Sweden in numerous international tournaments, collecting medals at both the junior and senior levels.
Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing approximately 190 pounds, Lindholm is known for his versatility, hockey sense, and ability to play both center and wing. He signed a seven-year contract with the Boston Bruins worth 54.25 million dollars in July 2024, committing to the franchise through the 2030-31 season. Throughout his career, he has remained a consistent contributor offensively while being trusted with important defensive responsibilities, including a Selke Trophy nomination in 2022.
Early Life and Background
Elias Lindholm was born on December 2, 1994, in Boden, Sweden, but grew up primarily in Gävle. His father, Mikael Lindholm, was a former professional ice hockey player who appeared in 404 Elitserien games in Sweden and 18 NHL games with the Los Angeles Kings during the 1989-90 season. Growing up in a hockey household gave Elias early and constant exposure to the sport, and he started playing organized ice hockey at the age of three while his father was playing for the Hannover Scorpions in Germany.
Lindholm is the younger brother of ice hockey player Oliver Lindholm and a cousin of fellow professional Calle Järnkrok. He is not related to NHL defenseman Hampus Lindholm. Coming from a family with deep roots in Swedish hockey, he was quickly identified as a promising young talent and progressed through the youth ranks at Brynäs IF, where he became a key offensive contributor for both the under-18 and under-20 teams.
Path to Hockey
Lindholm’s rise through Swedish hockey was steady and impressive. He played for Brynäs IF’s under-20 team while also serving as the second-leading scorer for the under-18 squad. In 2011, he was selected in the fourth round, 86th overall, by SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL Junior Draft, though he remained in Sweden to continue his development. During the 2011-12 season, he joined Sweden’s top professional league, the Elitserien, appearing in 14 games for Brynäs IF, including two playoff contests.
That same season, Lindholm led all junior players in the Elitserien with 30 points, recording 11 goals and 19 assists. He also represented Sweden at the 2011 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, the 2012 World U18 Championships, and the 2012 World Junior Championships, earning silver medals at each event. His strong play at the junior international level helped establish him as one of the top prospects heading into the 2013 NHL Draft, where the Carolina Hurricanes selected him fifth overall.
Elias Lindholm Career
Early Career (2013-2018)
Following his selection by the Carolina Hurricanes, Lindholm made the team’s opening roster for the 2013-14 NHL season. He scored his first NHL goal in just his fourth game on October 10, 2013. By scoring that goal at 18 years and 311 days old, he became the youngest Swedish-born NHL player to find the back of the net, surpassing a record previously held by Gabriel Landeskog. Lindholm spent his first five NHL seasons with Carolina, gradually developing into a dependable two-way forward.
On March 8, 2015, Lindholm recorded his first career hat trick in a 7-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. He continued to log top-six minutes with the Hurricanes and was part of Sweden’s silver-medal-winning squads at the 2013 and 2014 World Junior Championships. In June 2018, Carolina traded Lindholm and teammate Noah Hanifin to the Calgary Flames in exchange for Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland, and prospect Adam Fox, ending his time with the team that originally drafted him.
Calgary Flames Breakthrough (2018-2024)
After being traded to Calgary, Lindholm signed a six-year contract with the Flames on July 16, 2018. In his first season with the team in 2018-19, he mostly played top-line minutes alongside Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, setting a new career high with 27 goals and 78 points. The following season, he scored 29 goals before the campaign was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, held in a bubble format, Lindholm registered two goals and four assists in 10 games as Calgary defeated the Winnipeg Jets in the qualifying round before falling to the Dallas Stars.
Lindholm’s most productive stretch came during the 2021-22 season, when he formed one of the most dominant forward lines in the NHL with Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk. On April 23, 2022, he scored his 40th goal of the season in a 6-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks, reaching that milestone for the first time in his career. All three linemates finished with at least 40 goals, marking the first time in 28 years that linemates had all achieved the feat. Lindholm ended the campaign with 42 goals and 40 assists for 82 points and was named a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward. That postseason, the Flames defeated the Stars in a thrilling seven-game first-round series before losing to the Edmonton Oilers in the Battle of Alberta.
Vancouver Canucks (2024)
On January 31, 2024, with the Flames out of playoff contention and Lindholm in the final year of his contract, Carolina’s former division rival Vancouver acquired him in exchange for Andrei Kuzmenko, unsigned prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo, and first-round and conditional fourth-round picks in the 2024 NHL Draft. In his first game with the Canucks, Lindholm became the fifth player in franchise history to score two or more goals in his debut, and he tied the franchise record for most game-winning goals through a player’s first six games with the team. His short stint in Vancouver helped stabilize the club’s top-six forward group during the second half of the season.
Boston Bruins Era (2024-Present)
After concluding his time in Vancouver, Lindholm became a free agent and signed a seven-year, 54.25 million dollar contract with the Boston Bruins on July 1, 2024. He entered the 2024-25 season with high expectations as the team’s first-line center, recording two goals and three assists in his first three games. However, his production dipped soon afterward, as he went 18 straight games without a goal and managed only four assists during that stretch. The Bruins, like Lindholm, struggled offensively throughout much of the campaign.
Lindholm was named to Sweden’s roster for the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, where he was held scoreless in three games. After returning from the break, he and the Bruins experienced a difficult stretch, going on a ten-game losing streak that effectively eliminated them from playoff contention. Lindholm finished the season on a stronger note, recording four goals and five assists over his final eight games.
Driving Style and Strengths
Lindholm’s primary strengths lie in his hockey IQ, two-way reliability, and ability to drive play at both ends of the ice. He is comfortable playing center or wing and is trusted in all situations, including the penalty kill and late-game defensive matchups. His scoring touch, combined with his defensive discipline, has made him a complete top-six forward throughout his NHL career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Some of Lindholm’s most notable career moments include becoming the youngest Swedish-born NHL player to score a goal in 2013, recording his first hat trick against the Edmonton Oilers in 2015, scoring 40 goals in a season for the first time in 2021-22, and being named a Selke Trophy finalist that same year. He has also won four silver medals with Sweden at junior tournaments and a gold medal at the 2017 World Championships.
Elias Lindholm Career Wins
Throughout his professional career, Elias Lindholm has accumulated a number of notable achievements and victories across leagues and international competitions. From his early dominance in the Swedish junior ranks to his record-setting campaigns in the NHL, he has consistently been a contributor on winning teams. His international resume includes medals at multiple IIHF tournaments, and he has been a key part of postseason pushes with multiple NHL franchises.
NHL Highlights
Lindholm has been a top-six contributor for the Hurricanes, Flames, Canucks, and Bruins, and was part of Calgary’s deep playoff run in 2022, when the Flames eliminated the Dallas Stars in the first round before falling to the Oilers. He was also part of Carolina’s playoff appearance during his early years and contributed to Vancouver’s late-season push after being acquired in January 2024.
International Wins and Performances
Lindholm has represented Sweden on the international stage on numerous occasions. At the junior level, he earned silver medals at the 2011 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, the 2012 World U18 Championships, and the World Junior Championships in 2013 and 2014. At the senior level, he won a gold medal with Sweden at the 2017 World Championships and led the 2025 World Championships in goals with eight, earning a bronze medal and a spot on the tournament all-star team.
Elias Lindholm Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Elias Lindholm comes from a strong hockey family. His father, Mikael Lindholm, played 404 games in the Swedish Elitserien and 18 NHL games with the Los Angeles Kings during the 1989-90 season. His older brother, Oliver Lindholm, is also a professional ice hockey player, and his cousin Calle Järnkrok has had a long NHL career of his own. Elias is not related to fellow Swedish NHL defenseman Hampus Lindholm.
Personal Life
Lindholm was born in Boden, Sweden, but was raised in Gävle, where he developed through the Brynäs IF youth system. He began playing hockey at the age of three in Hanover, Germany, while his father was playing professionally for the Hannover Scorpions. He continues to be recognized as one of Sweden’s most respected two-way forwards.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024-25 season was a challenging one for Lindholm and the Boston Bruins. Despite a strong start with five points in his first three games, Lindholm endured a prolonged scoring drought, failing to find the back of the net for 18 consecutive games. The Bruins as a whole struggled offensively, and the team went on a ten-game losing streak after the 4 Nations Face-Off break, all but eliminating them from playoff contention.
Lindholm, however, finished the season strong, recording four goals and five assists over his final eight games to provide some optimism heading into the next campaign. On the international stage, he represented Sweden at the 2025 IIHF World Championships, where he led the tournament in goals with eight, earned a bronze medal, and was named to the all-star team. With seven years remaining on his contract, Lindholm and the Bruins will look to bounce back and return to playoff contention in 2025-26.