Elias Lindholm called his line with Pastrnak and Geekie one of the NHL’s best, and now Bruins fans are pushing back hard after a failed season.
Lindholm’s quote doesn’t sit well with Boston fans
Elias Lindholm might’ve ended last season on a strong note, but one offseason remark has Boston Bruins fans questioning his awareness, and his accountability.
After signing a seven-year, $7.75 million deal last summer, expectations for Lindholm were sky-high.
The Bruins had lost key veterans, and management believed the Swedish center could help anchor the next competitive core.
Instead, Boston missed the playoffs and traded away multiple top players—including captain Brad Marchand.
So when Lindholm told Swedish reporter Uffe Bodin that his line with David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie was among the league’s elite, the reaction in Boston was swift, and unforgiving.
We were probably one of the best lines in the league,
Lindholm said.
Fans didn’t hold back. Some pointed out that if Lindholm had performed like a top-line center earlier in the year, the Bruins might never have become sellers at the deadline.
Lindholm tries to explain rocky start, but fans aren’t buying it
To be fair, Lindholm did acknowledge that things didn’t go smoothly at first. He cited an early injury as a reason for the underwhelming start:
I had a bit of a rough start to the season with an injury that wasn’t ideal.
Then toward the end, I got a great opportunity to play with (Morgan) Geekie and ‘Pasta’ (Pastrnak), and we were probably one of the best lines, if not the best, in the entire league.
So I came here with good confidence.
he admitted.
The numbers back up his late-season confidence.
Over the final 25 games, Lindholm registered 14 goals and 13 assists—good for 27 points. That surge briefly gave fans hope, but by that point, the Bruins were already on the outside looking in.
Season totals and postseason absence tell a different story
Lindholm’s overall production—17 goals and 30 assists in 82 games—left plenty to be desired, especially given his role and salary.
Even with Pastrnak on his wing, Lindholm struggled to make a consistent impact in the first half.
His playoff absence didn’t stop him from shining overseas.
At the IIHF World Championship, Lindholm led the tournament in goals (8) and trailed only Pastrnak in total points. But even that strong international showing couldn’t fully erase the frustration fans felt from the Bruins’ collapse at home.
A confident Lindholm sets the tone for next season, but must deliver
Whether Lindholm meant it as self-belief or simply pride in his linemates, the quote landed poorly in Boston.
The Bruins are a results-driven team with an unforgiving fan base.
Comments like his, fair or not, come off as deflection when they follow a year without playoff hockey.
The challenge now? Back it up.
If Lindholm wants to win over Boston, it’ll take more than chemistry and late-season stat lines.
He’ll need to be consistent from Game 1 next fall, and show that his confidence wasn’t misplaced.
