Bruins Lose Hampus Lindholm In 5-3 Loss To Red Wings

The injury bug is starting to hit the Boston Bruins hard. Already playing without wingers David Pastrnak and Trent Frederic, the Bruins lost Hampus Lindholm to a lower-body injury after the second period of their 5-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings Tuesday night.

Following the game, Boston Bruins head coach seemed confident that Lindholm’s injury wasn’t serious but he cautioned that Lindholm would likely need x-rays to make sure.

“I don’t know. It’s a lower-body. He left the game, didn’t come back,” Cassidy told reporters in his post-game media availability. “When you don’t come back there’s usually going to be an X-ray or an MRI. He seemed OK in there, so I don’t think it’s serious. But obviously when you don’t come back, then you don’t know until you get better information.”

Further good news: Joe Haggerty was on the road in Detroit for Boston Hockey Now and reported that Lindholm looked okay walking out of Little Caesar’s Arena postgame.

The good news: Lindholm walked right by me postgame on his way to the Bruins bus and there was no limp at all, no boot, no crutches or anything to indicate a serious injury https://t.co/6u2jcVwmWN

— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) April 6, 2022

Late in the second period, Hampus Lindholm and Red Wings forward Pius Suter collided leg-on-leg with Lindholm returning to the Boston Bruins bench rather gingerly. He would not return for the third period and finished with one shot, one hit and three blocked shots in 16 shifts and 13:52 TOI.

The Boston Bruins acquired Hampus Lindholm from the Anaheim Ducks just hours before the NHL Trade Deadline on March 21. In exchange for the 28-year-old rearguard, the Bruins sent defensemen John Moore and Urho Vaakanainen, a first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. The Bruins then locked Lindholm up to an eight-year, $52 million contract that carries a $6.5 million cap hit. Lindholm was in the final season of a six-year contract and could have become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

Since Lindholm arrived, Cassidy has paired him on the left side of the top defensive pairing with Charlie McAvoy. The two have blended together seamlessly and Lindholm has four assists in seven games since joining the Boston Bruins. Lindholm has five goals and 21 assists in 65 games this season between the Bruins and Ducks.

The Bruins top 4 defensive pairing has settled into place since Lindholm arrived and the team is playing much better coming through the neutral zone. As a result, the NHL odds for the Boston Bruins to win the Stanley Cup have increased as they head down the stretch run.