Last summer, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney made two big free agent signings, Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov, two former Vancouver Canucks teammates who were also together with the Calgary Flames. It's not that they were signed, but it was the deal that was handed out to Lindholm that opened some eyes.
Sweeney gave the center a seven-year, $54.25 million contract with an AAV of $7.75 million. When the dust settled on a disappointing 2024-25 season, Lindholm struggled, to say the least. In his defense, he was injured in training camp, and it was an injury that hampered him all season long.