Centering focus on finding role
Newcomer Lindholm fitting in with Bruins
NEWARK, N.J. — Out of all the questions surrounding the Bruins entering the season, the center position might have the least.
Most likely the Bruins return the same set of four centers with which they finished out last season. There always is the possibility Charlie Coyle or Sean Kuraly move to wing, and that would open up everything else.
One of the roster wild cards is 27-year-old Par Lindholm. The Swedish center signed with the Bruins in the offseason, and there’s enough intrigue that he’s a candidate to be on the NHL roster. He played 61 games in Toronto and then was traded Feb. 25 for Winnipeg, where he appeared in only four regular-season games and two more in the playoffs.
His position is a logjam, but he still came to Boston and is ready to work to try to find a role.
“I’m coming in now as a guy who hasn’t been around,” he said. “I’m not the only one, but it’s special they’re treating me so well.”
Lindholm had three days of training camp to get acclimated to the team and any new systems before playing in the Bruins preseason opener last night against New Jersey. It’s not a ton of time before being thrust into everything, but after a long summer off — unlike most of the group, who went to the Cup Final with the Bruins — he feels ready to get to work in games.
“It’s not rocket science,” Lindholm said of getting used to the systems. “It’s kind of the same as other teams. There’s some different things. I think I got it for the most part, but I’m sure there’s going to be stuff I need to work on or stuff I need to think about.”
Lindholm tallied one goal with 12 assists last season between the Maple Leafs and Jets. Most of his game is on the penalty kill or playing a defensive forward type of style, but he would like to get his offense going as well.
But his bread and butter is that bottom-six, two-way style of play, and that’s something the Bruins always have valued in a player.
“If I make the team, I’m not going to play 20 minutes a game, I know that,” Lindholm said. “I think I can contribute with hard work and play as a solid two-way player. Of course I want to show some offense and skill, but most of all I think I need to play the best I can on that defensive end and see where it takes me.”
Last night was the first look at Lindholm’s game in live situations. He played alongside Chris Wagner and Anton Blidh, centering a mix of the veteran Bruins winger and a future roster hopeful.
The Bruins have five more preseason games after New Jersey, and Lindholm is going to get a chance to show he’s worth a roster spot. It just depends on what direction the Bruins decide to go, and it’s really early to tell what that might be.
Either way, Lindholm is excited to show the group what he can bring after a long offseason of waiting.
“Been kind of a long summer waiting for games to start,” he said. “Really happy it’s here.”