Last year the Flames were faced with turmoil surrounding a bunch of soon-to-be free agents. The Flames made contract offers to a number of them, but they ultimately chose to play elsewhere. None was bigger than Elias Lindholm.
Lindholm reportedly rejected an eight-year offer that was close to $8.5M AAV. On the flip side, the Flames were so busy with other players that Nikita Zadorov reportedly never received a contract offer from the club. This was his reasoning for Zadorov requesting a trade. Both Lindholm and Zadorov were sent to the Vancouver Canucks during the 2023-24 season.
After the Canucks’ second-round exit to the Edmonton Oilers, both Lindholm and Zadorov decided to test the free agent market. Both players decided to sign with the Boston Bruins on July 1, 2024. Lindholm signed a seven-year, $7.75M AAV deal while Zadorov inked a six-year, $5M AAV deal. Lindholm has a No-Move Clause (NMC) for the first five years of his deal while Zadorov has a NMC for this season, and a No-Trade Clause (NTC) for next season. So, neither player is going anywhere, anytime soon. How have both players been performing so far?
Lindholm and Zadorov have not performed to expectation
Lindholm has just two goals and nine points in 20 games. Zadorov has five assists in 20 games and has been stapled to the third pairing. With Hampus Lindholm injured, Jordan Oesterle (another former Flame) was recalled and is playing ahead of Zadorov in the lineup.
Zadorov’s metrics are fine, but he’s being paid a lot of money for a lot of years to be a third pairing defenceman. Lindholm’s metrics show real concern.
Of the 19 Bruins who have played more than 70 minutes at 5v5, Lindholm ranks 13th in CF% (46.06%), ninth in xGF% (51.91%), 14th in SCF% (47.83%), and 17th in HDCF% (44.43%), per NaturalStatTrick. Tie in that with his production and it has been a very rough start for Lindholm.
Taking a look at Lindholm’s Isolated 5v5 Impact, courtesy of HockeyViz.com, shows just how much Lindholm has fallen off:
Lindholm was a solid defensive centre but that has completely evaporated since the 2023-24 season began. He was never a quality offensive player, but he has completely dried up to the point where he is hampering his team. So, let’s see what Bruins fans think of both Lindholm and Zadorov’s performances so far
Bruins fans reaction to both players’ performances so far
The Calgary Flames aren’t complaining
Considering the Flames have all of the following assets from the Lindholm and Zadorov deals, I’d say things are looking pretty good right now:
- Andrei Kuzmenko
- Hunter Brzustewicz
- Matvei Gridin
- Luke Misa
- Joni Jurmo
- Eric Jamieson
- 2026 third-round draft pick
The best part? The Flames have all of those assets and they aren’t locked into long-term deals with these underperforming players.
Thanks for rejecting the contract offers from Calgary, Elias 🙂
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