Bruins sign Hampus Lindholm to 8-year extension
The Boston Bruins didn't waste any time securing their newest acquisition for the long term, signing defenseman Hampus Lindholm to an eight-year contract extension carrying a $6.5-million cap hit Sunday.
Boston acquired Lindholm in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday. The Bruins dealt a 2022 first-round pick, second-round selections in 2023 and 2024, and blue-liners Urho Vaakanainen and John Moore to the Ducks for Lindholm and rearguard Kodie Curran.
Lindholm spent his first eight-plus NHL seasons with the Ducks, who drafted him sixth overall in 2012. The 28-year-old has five goals and 17 assists over 61 games in 2021-22.
Boston needed a defensive upgrade, and Lindholm can slot into the club's top two blue-line pairings, as head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed Sunday:
Bruce Cassidy makes it clear: It will be some combination of Hampus Lindholm, Charlie McAvoy, Matt Grzelcyk, and Brandon Carlo in the top four.
— Fluto Shinzawa (@FlutoShinzawa) March 20, 2022
Lindholm will not play vs. Montreal tomorrow.
Lindholm is in the final season of a six-year deal he signed with the Ducks in 2016 and was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. His contract carries a cap hit of approximately $5.2 million, but Anaheim retained 50% of that in the trade.