Bruins Brass Identified ‘Bergeron Qualities’ In Top Free-Agent Signing

The Boston Bruins were never going to find a player who could replicate exactly what Patrice Bergeron did on the ice.

But the Bruins believe they now have a centerman who has a similar skill set and can fill some of the void left by Bergeron retiring last offseason

The Bruins signed former Vancouver Canucks center Elias Lindholm at the outset of NHL free agency Monday and Lindholm will try to do his best Bergeron impression as he brings with him to Boston a 200-foot, two-way game.

"Way back in the draft, we identified Elias as a player who has a lot of Bergeron qualities," Bruins general manager Don Sweeney told reporters, per NESN.

After being drafted fifth overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2013, Lindholm really morphed into one of the top centers in the league when he was with the Calgary Flames. It was with the Flames that Lindholm finished in the top 10 in Selke voting three times.

Lindholm almost won the award for the 2021-22 campaign when he put together a career season with 42 goals and 40 assists for 82 points. He placed second in Selke voting that year, finishing runner-up to the one and only Bergeron, who won the Selke a record six times in his illustrious career.

The Bruins are looking for Lindholm to deliver a version of what Bergeron provided on the ice for years. Sweeney envisions Lindholm playing in Bergeron's old role, whether that's skating on the top line flanked by David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand or setting up in the bumper position on the team's top power-play unit.

"You get into a playoff environment, you start to realize depth at that position and he's only played in a top-line role in situations," Sweeney said. "And now he's got a chance to go play with (Pastrnak) like he might have had with (Johnny) Gaudreau and (Matthew) Tkachuk (with Calgary). I think the bumper spot in our power play is an area that Elias is going to fit in seamlessly in that regard and he wins his draws. So, you start to realize, like, 'OK, that's a little bit of what we had and what we missed.'"