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Why the Bruins are turning to Hampus Lindholm to fix their power play

Pabio November 12, 2024

“I think he’s someone on our team that has some offensive confidence right now.”

Hampus Lindholm will look to spark Boston’s power play. Riche Gagnon/Getty Images

The Bruins’ lackluster 7-7-2 start to the season is the result of several deficiencies all over the ice.

Boston has undoubtedly was the worst team in the third periodwhile the team’s 5-on-5 scoring has worked since the puck first dropped in Florida on Oct. 8.

But the Bruins’ potent power play — once a foundation of Boston’s success during this extended window of competition — has been downright listless thus far in the 2024-25 campaign.

“I’m still fighting,” Jim Montgomery said Saturday morning. “It’s not smooth. The entries (in the offensive zone) are not what we want. Guys know what they’re going to do with the puck – whether it’s shooting it or passing it – and the speed of the “next play” isn’t where it should be.

After failing to capitalize on two more power play deals in their 3-2 overtime loss to the Senators, the Bruins are currently tied with the Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals for the second-worst success rate on the power play, or 12.5 percent (8 for 64). Only the Blues (10.8 percent) struggled more as a skater.

This is a crushing development for a Bruins team that already struggles to consistently shoot pucks through the string.

Boston was no stranger to scoring issues at 5-on-5 under Bruce Cassidy. But those struggles were offset by a lethal power play anchored by top-tier playmakers like David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and Torey Krug.

Even though Krug and Bergeron are no longer wearing black and gold sweaters, Pastrnak and Marchand are still in place on Boston’s power play.

New signing Elias Lindholm is a solid replacement for Bergeron at the “bumper” position, while Montgomery has several options to turn to at the net front – including Charlie Coyle, Pavel Zacha and Justin Brazeau.

So what does that give?

“We definitely need to shoot more pucks” Pastrnak said Tuesday. “Honestly, get the puck after the shot, right? We cannot be one and finished. We have to shoot the puck. And the kills are so good in the NHL these days that you have to shoot and then get the puck. That’s when the holes open up, you know? So we have a lot of work to do there.

As talented as the Bruins personnel are on the power play, Boston’s punch during these critical 5-on-4 situations has diminished significantly due to indecision with the puck and lack of shots navigating high-danger zones .

Enter Hampus Lindolm.

Montgomery and the Boston staff made their first significant adjustment to the power play Monday, replacing Charlie McAvoy with Lindholm as the team’s power play QB at the blue line.

It’s a necessary move at this point, especially given Lindholm’s willingness to move the puck and pepper goalies without hesitation.

“I think he’s a person on our team that has some offensive confidence right now,” Montgomery noted. “I just want it to be direct. We find our power play has been slow, so we just want him to shoot or move pucks quickly.

Although Lindholm doesn’t have a powerful shot, the 30-year-old defenseman moves the puck with authority and has a knack for finding shooting lanes.

Much like Krug, a left-handed D like Lindholm can also easily direct the puck to Pastrnak in his usual spot in the left circle. It may not seem like much, but that half-second can sometimes be enough to beat a goalkeeper or catch a PKer out of position.

The results speak for themselves when it comes to Lindholm’s presence on the top power play unit.

Since the start of the 2023-24 season, McAvoy, Pastrnak and Marchand skated together on the power play for 276:57 of ice time. During that stretch, the Bruins have scored 28 goals — which equates to a goals-per-60-minute rate of 6.07 — while giving up six shorthanded goals.

When you trade McAvoy for Lindholm in the same circumstances?

The Bruins have outscored teams, 8-0, in just 21:52 of power play repetitions where Lindholm has skated with Pastrnak and Marchand since last season – which equates to a goals-per-60-minute rate of 21.95 .

It’s a surprising jump in offensive power when Lindholm took McAvoy’s place — one Boston hopes to continue Tuesday when the team looks to get back on track with a road matchup against the Blues.

“I think he’s a lot more assertive,” Montgomery said of Lindholm, who has already matched his performance from last year with three goals in 16 games. “He has a shoot-first mentality, that’s for sure.

“I think in the other two zones, when he moves the puck, he moves it and gets to it – so when he gets it, he has more time. Instead of trying to beat the first or second forecheck, he moves and jumps next to those guys, so when he joins the play, he has more time.