By: Chad Jones | Follow me on Twitter/X @ShutUpChadJones
After signing a seven-year deal worth $54.25 million, Elias Lindholm struggled in his first season as a Bruin. Playing in all 82 games for Boston, the center potted 17 goals and dished out 30 assists.
One particularly concerning statistic was that Lindholm only netted two power play goals. While Boston did not bring him in due to his elite production on the man advantage, he has put up some power play points during his career. As a member of the Calgary Flames during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, he posted consecutive campaigns scoring ten power play goals.
After developing some chemistry with David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie towards the end of last year, the Bruins needed Lindholm to carry that play into this season. Early on, the forward has picked up where he had left off.
Through three games of the 2025-2026 season, Lindholm has already lit the lamp twice on the man advantage. It is an encouraging sign that both goals were quite different.
On opening night against the Washington Capitals, David Pastrnak flew into the offensive zone while Boston skated five against four. The talented winger whipped a pass perfectly in the slot to Lindholm. The forward made a great fake and quickly maneuvered the puck from his forehand to backhand. The move froze Washington’s netminder Logan Thompson, and Lindholm then buried the attempt and what ended up being the game-winning goal.
During Boston’s home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks, Pavel Zacha was looking to make a play with the Bruins on the power play. With the puck just to the left of Chicago goaltender Arvid Soderblom, Zacha saw Lindholm just to the right of the cage. Despite Connor Murphy fronting Lindholm, Zacha snapped a pass toward his teammate. Lindholm then got to work, battled, and eventually whacked the puck home to pick up another goal on the man advantage.
It is an excellent sign that Lindholm has already matched his power play goal total from last year. However, it is also noteworthy that his goals were picked up differently.
He pulled off a nifty sequence on his first score and potted a goal with skill. On the second, Lindholm got his nose dirty and found a way to get the puck across the line. The fact that he scored a pretty and ugly goal in back-to-back games, on the power play no less, is a massive deal for Boston.
With how the Bruins’ roster is structured this season, two aspects are crucial for Boston’s success. They will have to consistently capitalize on the man advantage, and their top players must be productive throughout the year.
Boston cannot afford to let its power play dry up and only rely on Pastrnak to consistently put up points. Lindholm will have to be a key part of the Bruins’ offense all season long, on the power play and skating at even strength.
While it is still very early in the season, it is encouraging that Lindholm has been finding the back of the net. If he continues to play a significant role in Boston’s offense, especially on the man advantage, the Bruins will be more complicated to game plan for. The better Lindholm plays, the more ice Pastrnak gets to work with.
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