VANCOUVER – The trade reports and rumours arrived right after his family did, disrupting the stability Elias Lindholm sought to ease his difficult transition to the Vancouver Canucks.
Traded from the Calgary Flames on Jan. 31, Lindholm scored twice in his Canuck debut and twice again in the first home game for his new team. But since the 4-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 15, the 29-year-old centre has recorded only two assists in 12 games, managing just 14 shots on net while going minus-five.
Changing teams mid-season for the first time in his National Hockey League career has been difficult for Lindholm. But the arrival in Vancouver late last month of his partner, Annica Englund, and the couple’s year-old son, Levi, was helping the transition, making the city feel more like home.
Three days before last Friday’s NHL trade deadline, reports surfaced that the Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins were discussing a potential three-way trade that would see Lindholm flipped to the East Coast and Jake Guentzel land in Vancouver.
“It wasn’t upsetting,” Lindholm said after Friday’s practice at the University of B.C. “I was more nervous, kind of. I mean, you never know in this business right? It was just rumours, but it definitely affected me a little bit. I just got here and then it looks like you’re on your way out again? It was kind of good it just lasted for a couple of days. These days, you know, it’s tough to not see and hear everything. But it definitely affected me a little bit.”
At his post-deadline press conference one week ago, Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin was upset that Lindholm’s name surfaced publicly.
“I don’t think that’s the respect or integrity of the league,” Allvin said. “Sometimes it’s just very unfortunate it is a guessing game. Yeah, it’s not fair.”
Both Allvin and coach Rick Tocchet spoke with Lindholm to reassure him he was part of the Canucks’ playoff plans. Lindholm is an impending unrestricted free agent whose final season under contract has been tumultuous and disappointing.
“I always pride myself on being honest with the player,” Tocchet told Sportsnet on Friday. “Patrik, we have a great relationship, and he never sat me down and said we were shopping him. Now, whether a team inquired about him or something, that’s a whole different animal. I think that’s really what it came down to. So I just really tried to be honest with Lindy. He’s trying to be a pro. But I’ll tell you, it can affect players.”
At least that uncertainty has passed, and Lindholm knows he’ll be finishing his contract with the Canucks and going to the Stanley Cup playoffs next month.
He also knows he needs to play much better offensively than he has.
“I’m not happy with the way I’ve performed here,” Lindholm said point-blank. “But I think the last three or four games have been better and I’m on the right track. I just need to take that next step offensively and help the team more that way.
“I know what I can do defensively and offensively and right now the offensive stuff, it’s just not there. And that’s a little frustrating. You’ve just got to work hard and get through it. There’s going to be an important stretch coming down the road here and obviously trying to get ready for the playoffs and playing your best hockey then.”
In 67 games with the Flames and Canucks, Lindholm has 13 goals and 39 points.
It was just two seasons ago that the Swede had 42 goals and 82 points playing in Calgary on a line with Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk. Lindholm was the Selke Trophy runner-up to Boston Bruin Patrice Bergeron.
Lindholm is regarded as one of the best two-way centres in hockey. But in compensating for his lack of points, Lindholm has been especially conservative with the Canucks, focussing so much on defending and being the first forward back that he is not giving himself chances to score.
The Canucks are much better than the Flames this season and averaging 3.5 goals per game, but Lindholm is also centring the third line in Vancouver instead of the first line in Calgary.
“I’ve got to try to get him in situations to make him feel comfortable,” Tocchet said. “He wants to elevate his game. And I think there will be an elevation; I think he’s too smart of a guy (for it not to elevate). He’s in great spots (defensively), which is great. But there’s times where we want to attack where he’s got to get going, too. I don’t think he’s far off.
“You’ve got to find that … sweet spot — when to go and when not to. He’s a 200-foot guy. There’s some times that maybe he should take off.”
Lindholm concedes confidence is an issue.
“Like I said, it hasn’t gone the way I wanted here, and so then you start thinking more,” he explained. “You want to help the team and, kind of, show them why they brought you here. But when that doesn’t go your way, you start thinking more and the confidence is definitely coming into play then. But I feel like the last couple of games, it’s coming, it’s getting better. But there’s definitely room to be better.”
He is expected to play again Saturday with energetic wingers Conor Garland and Vasily Podkolzin, guys who can forecheck and get Lindholm the puck, when the Washington Capitals visit Rogers Arena.
“The defensive part has always been there,” Lindholm said. “It’s just the offensive part, I think, can improve a lot. I can be more involved.”
(left bullit heer pleez) After a skirmish with teammate Filip Hronek during a two-against-two battle drill on Thursday, Garland spoke to the media Friday and said the altercation was “nothing.”
“That’s what the drill is basically made for,” he explained. “I think my helmet came off so it probably looked worse than it was. But it’s nothing. Usually after losses, a lot of teams have that drill, and it’s a high level of compete. It’s good for us to have that; we’ve got to play like that. It’s good to have those type of days.”