Ht/Wt: 6' 0"/190 lbs
Position: C/RW
Team: Brynäs (SWE)

Elias Lindholm's Player Profile

Elias Lindholm first caught the attention of HockeyProspect during the 2011 World Jr. A Challenge Tournament. He was undoubtedly the best player, and has since been touted as the best player available in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft from Sweden by many scouts.

It is difficult to not notice Lindholm when he is out on the ice. He always seems to be around the puck and plays with such a high intensity at all times. He positions himself properly without the puck to give himself a chance to be a target for a pass or to make a great defensive play. Lindholm battles hard for loose pucks, and backchecks extremely hard. He makes smart stick checks from behind and is able to create takeaways after takeaways and get a quick transition play started for his team.

Offensively, Lindholm is a very skilled playmaker. He sees the ice extremely well, and seems to be very aware of everything around him. He is very patient and allows the play to develop before he makes a play with the puck, and he is able to do so because of his good stickhandling abilities and his quickness out in open ice. In terms of his passing ability, he can make tape to tape saucer passes in traffic if necessary, or quickly send a backhand pass to a teammate in the slot from behind the net through a few sticks. He really makes his linemates look better because he is able to find them anywhere out on the ice and give them a chance to score. One area of improvement for Lindholm with the puck would be his ability to finish off plays. He gets very good chances around the net, but just does not seem to be able to score on them as often as he should, and he should also try to look to shoot more often. He could get a little predictable and opponents may start to anticipate passes and intercept them more easily.

Defensively, Lindholm is a very polished player without the puck. Not only does he play with a lot of intensity, but he also possesses a high level of hockey sense. He seems to be able to pick off passes easily as he puts himself in good position, and anticipates the play quite well. He will block shots fearlessly, and displays his high level of competitiveness again and again during battles for loose pucks.

It is only a matter of time before Lindholm is thought of as a star in the NHL by fans and media. His combination of skill and work ethic will allow him to be a fan favorite for a long time, and be a player that coaches can trust in any situations, whether it be to protect a lead or to score a game tying goal late in the game. He has already proven himself to a be a good offensive player in the Elitserien, and we are sure that Lindholm will do the same at the NHL level soon.
Submitted by: Hockey Prospect ... from their Black Book

Lindholm, like Barkov, is a uniquely advanced player for his age. He had a special season for an 18-year-old in the Swedish Elite League, often recording over 20 minutes per game as a premier scoring option for Brynas. He has high-end offensive skills, displaying plus skating ability. He regularly shows his speed in transition, and he can pressure defensemen quickly on the forecheck. Lindholm has great hand-eye coordination and he can really dangle with the puck. His ability to make plays in tight spaces is very impressive. Lindholm's two-way hockey sense is also high end, as he is a great offensive playmaker. He sees the ice at a high level, and he knows where to position himself in the offensive end. In his own zone, he makes good reads, and he commits to staying with his assignments. As with most young players, he needs to continue to get stronger. That said, he is fairly firm on the puck, and he can muscle players off of it defensively as well. He is a tad undersized, and that is his one notable weakness.
Submitted by: Corey Pronman of Hockey Prospectus. Click here for Pronman's draft rankings

If you haven’t noticed, teams looking for a forward at the top of the draft will be very happy this summer. The second international born player to hit our rankings is 6-foot Elias Lindholm. Already a very polished player at 18, the late 1994 birthdate is a very effective player in all 3 zones. Lindholm has already proved himself capable of logging heavy minutes in Sweden’s top level of professional competition and should be ready for the NHL when his domestic contract expires in 2014.

Lindholm is a very good playmaker who controls the pace of play quite well. His competitiveness and positioning are additional assets that provide all around value. At this point, his shot and goal scoring are the main areas of development.
Submitted by: The Scouting Report

When thinking of Lindholm, consider the ultimate Swedish centre. Intelligent, creative, excellent skating ability, work ethic and 3 zone acumen. Elias embodies all aspects of the game well, and possesses a some degree of offensive flair. He'll need to add strength at the next level but has a projectable frame for a centre, and is already 185 pounds. Will also need work on his skating technique, stance is often too wide and doesnt No concerns about his ability to play in the NHL, though if he were to be knocked, it would be his ceiling, which might not have the height of some other top 5 potential draftees. A best case scenario would be Henrik Zetterberg: an all around #1 centre. Worst case would be akin to a Rich Peverley, a good two way, swift skating 2nd/3rd liner.
Submitted by: Nigel Bradford

Would you like to write a player profile for any prospect that may be entering the 2013 NHL Draft? Email profiles of any player (even players not on our list) to our Webmaster. Credit will be given to the author of the profile.

ISS Top 30#10 Elias Lindholm @lindholmeliasSuperior hockey IQ. 2-way player. Work ethic 2nd to none. Complete player in all 3 zones.

— ISS Hockey (@ISShockey) December 10, 2012

Elias Lindholm Videos

Elias Lindholm's first SEL goal

Elias Lindholm


Click here to return