Bruins’ Hampus Lindholm Looks To Improve This Part Of His Game

Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm saw a dip in his offensive output last season after recording a career-high 53 points in the 2022-23 campaign. The 30-year-old blue liner is hoping to regain his offensive touch this season.

“Finding ways to get more pucks to the net,” Lindholm told reporters after pregame skate at Warrior Ice Arena on Tuesday, per team-provided video. “You look at the D’s who have a lot of stuff happening in front of the net, they funnel pucks and find ways to be shot-ready. As a D-corps and myself, I think we can do a better job of that, but definitely myself, getting more pucks to the net.

“Quality shots too. Getting them, shooting them. Getting them to where you want them to be to maybe create second chances or maybe get one in the net.”

Lindholm said during the offseason he not only worked on getting the puck to the net on the ice but also watched film of his own shots to see where he had success and areas he could improve. Last season, Lindholm generated 99 shots, compared to the 158 shots he took the previous season.

Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said he wants the defensemen to control the pace of the game by pushing the offense up the ice in all three zones. Lindholm is thrilled to accept the challenge.

“You have five guys out there and I’ve always prided myself on trying to make everyone else around me better,” Lindholm said. “That comes a lot from working as a group out there, doing a lot of give-and-go, talking. And with me and (Brandon Carlo) having played a full year together, you learn where you have each other. It’s a partnership. When you play with a D partner, it doesn’t matter if you play one game together or a hundred, you need to work together. It makes a game a whole lot easier.”

Lindholm and Carlo will see their first game action on Tuesday night when the Bruins play the Washington Capitals at TD Garden in a preseason matchup. The duo became a formidable pair for Boston last season.

“Two big guys, both can skate. I don’t think guys like to play against us because of those two aspects,” Lindholm said. “Brando, you really know what you’ll get out of him — big, strong, steady guy. And I think that’s where I can kind of lean on him and try and create even more offense because I always know that I have him there.”