By: Declan Flavin | Follow me on Twitter / X @FlavinDeclan
Hampus Lindholm will always be positionally sound and intelligent as a breakout passer in any system within the National Hockey League. He brought these traits again in the 2025-2026 season for the Boston Bruins, and it goes unrecognized by the masses at times.
However, the league continues to key in on a Bruins’ defense roster that collectively fails to withstand pressure, and Lindholm is in the thick of it. Add in the injury bugs that hit Lindholm somewhat consistently and the writing is on the wall for what the player is facing.
Reality: Lindholm Must Speed Up
Every time an opposing forward chips a puck in with Lindholm on the ice, specifically in the playoffs, fans know the situation will be mayhem. Not in a hyperbolic way, either, because what it ensues is a case of Lindholm having to swat or pass the puck away blindfolded from the skater bearing down on him.
Has he ever been naturally gifted at handling situations where a modern-day forechecker is barreling down at full speed toward his back? Not many are, but his mental processing of the game has worn down from repetitive situations like those, and it suggests a degrading trend in his game.
It’s also not easy for a player to just turn an imaginary switch on and lean towards physical attributes to compete better, as any fan knows. So there’s seemingly an ultimatum for a player like this eventually, if he can’t at least chip away at the indecisiveness of his decisions in the defensive zone.
Quite disappointing to say that moving on from a person and player like Lindholm could be addition by subtraction, but the current NHL is ruthless. Its counter-attack trends spare no one, and Lindholm will have to adjust before it’s too late in what has been a put-together career.
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