Lindholm , Treliving agree on new 6-year extension
23-year-old forward and GM Treliving both focused on getting term to fit right
When discussing a contract extension with the Calgary Flames, Elias Lindholm indicated last month he would prefer a long-term deal.
General manager Brad Treliving made that happen Monday, inking the 23-year-old forward to a sixyear pact with an average annual value of $4.85 million.
Lindholm was part of a newsworthy trade at last month’s NHL draft that sent blue-liner Dougie Hamilton, feisty forward Micheal Ferland and defensive prospect Adam Fox to the Carolina Hurricanes. Along with Lindholm came fellow restricted free-agent defenceman Noah Hanifin.
“It’s always nice to know where you’re going to be for a couple years,” said the Boden, Sweden, native following a quiet family dinner with his parents and brother.
“The long-term deal was always my first priority. But I’m glad we got it done and I know where I’m going to be for the next six years.”
The contract’s length and amount are within the expectations of what both sides anticipated for the former fifth overall pick.
“With this one, right from the start, we were both focused on getting term,” Treliving said. “And then trying to find a number that fit for both sides. We think Elias is a real good player, obviously. We still think there is growth, specifically from his offensive game and his offensive production.
“Really, on both sides, it’s trying to manage that. They’re trying to manage if Elias pops, like they’re hoping he will. They’re trying to mitigate the risk as we are as well. At the end of the day, it fell in line with what we were obviously trying to accomplish from the start.”
Treliving called these the prime years of Lindholm’s career. He could have been an unrestricted free agent for four of them.
Both parties, however, were committed right from the start.
“I think he’s just hitting his stride here and we still think there is upside,” he said.
“You look at different types of terms and different approaches, we just think this one fit well. He’s still a young man when he’s through with this contract. But we just thought it fit. He fits with our group in terms of his age. He’s going to have an important role on this team.”
Last season, the versatile rightshot forward had 16 goals and 28 assists in 81 games, playing a mix between centre and wing.
Over the span of five seasons with the Hurricanes, the six-footone, 192-pound Lindholm scored 64 goals and added 124 assists for 188 points in 374 games.
Early indications suggest Lindholm will suit up on the first line with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, but those decisions will come in a few months. He calls the new deal motivating.
“The highest expectations have always been on myself,” Lindholm said. “I’m happy for the challenge. In Carolina, I played OK, but I know I can play way better. This long-term deal can help me to take the next step in my career.
“My main goal this year is to make the playoffs. Five years in the league now and I haven’t made the playoffs. I said it already: the first couple years, it’s fun and cool to play in the NHL. But then you realize you want to win.”
Treliving also kicked off his restricted free-agent signings Sunday when Morgan Klimchuk put pen to paper on a one-year, US$700,000 pact.
Still remaining? A lengthy list including Hanifin, forwards Mark Jankowski, Garnet Hathaway and Hunter Shinkaruk, defenceman Brett Kulak and backup goaltending options in Jon Gillies and David Rittich.
While Lindholm’s experience dictated his arbitration rights, the two sides avoided a hearing that was scheduled on Aug. 1 in Toronto. Four other players are set to have hearings: Kulak (July 23), Jankowski (July 27), Rittich (July 28) and Hathaway (July 30).
But just because players have filed for salary arbitration doesn’t mean they’ll actually follow through. Last year, for example, 30 players filed for arbitration and only one (Nate Schmidt) went through the process.
“What it does do is put things on a clock,” Treliving said.
“At the end of the day, you either get a deal put together or you go through the arbitration process — and we don’t look at it as something we’re necessarily fearful of. But it puts a deadline on it ... it’s part of the process, it’s part of their CBA right and you deal with them as you deal with them.”
Because Calgary has at least one player filing for salary arbitration, they will have a second buyout window open later this summer — three days after their final arbitration date. The period will be open for 48 hours.
It’s always nice to know where you’re going to be for a couple years. The long-term deal was always my first priority. But I’m glad we got it done.