Hampus Lindholm

Lindholm played out his first full campaign with the Bruins in 2022-23 and fit in perfectly, providing a career-high 53 points (10 goals) along with a plus-49 rating, 56 PIM, 78 hits and 100 blocked shots in 80 contests. Part of the reason for his offensive jump from 27 points in 71 outings during the 2021-22 campaign is because Boston gave him ample power-play ice time (an average of 2:26 per game), which led to him recording 17 points with the man advantage last season, up from five points the year before. It also helped that he had so much more to work with, going from playing with the rebuilding Ducks to the juggernaut Bruins, who had the second-best offense last season with 3.67 goals per game. The 29-year-old defenseman is entering the second campaign of his eight-year, $52 million contract, so his circumstances will be largely the same as they were in 2022-23, which should lead to him having a similarly successful year.

Lindholm's nine-plus year run in Anaheim came to an end following a mid-March deal to the Bruins. He struggled to get on track with his new club, missing time in both the regular season and postseason due to multiple ailments. Clearly not deterred by what they saw, Boston signed the Swedish rearguard to a new eight-year, $52 million contract extension. Lindholm should be good for his usual 30 points, with a slight bump in value possible early in the season as Boston's No. 1 defenseman, Charlie McAvoy, recovers from offseason shoulder surgery.

A mainstay on the Anaheim blueline over the past eight years, Lindholm is coming off his worst season to date, as a wrist injury limited him to just 18 games in 2020-21. The Swede was productive (two goals, six points) whenever he was able to suit up, but fantasy owners expecting Lindholm to produce big offensive numbers on a rebuilding Anaheim team are likely to come away disappointed. Lindholm has topped the 30-point mark three times in his career, so there could be some deep league value here, but he's also likely to lose power-play time to second-year man Jamie Drysdale, and he also has veterans Cam Fowler and Kevin Shattenkirk to compete with. You can likely do better in the final rounds of your draft.

Lindholm lost time due to various injuries in 2019-20, which limited him to 23 points and a career-low 56 games. He was still relatively effective when healthy, although the Ducks' overall poor play stuck him with a minus-10 rating. Lindholm should resume a moderate role on the power play as well as top-pairing duties in 2020-21, and he'll look to return to a 30-point pace. Expect the Swede to chip in with solid totals in blocked shots and shots on goal as well while playing in all situations. Lindholm does carry an injury risk -- he's only reached 80 games played once in seven years.

Lindholm didn't set the world on fire last season, but he was still a solid contributor from the blue line, posting six goals and 28 points while recording a minus-5 rating in 76 games. The 25-year-old Swede has held steady throughout his career, finishing within the 28-to-34 point range in five of his six campaigns -- a level of consistency that's always desirable in fantasy circles. Lindholm should challenge the 30-point mark for a third straight season in 2019-20 while recording 120-plus shots on goal, making him a decent depth option in most formats.

Lindholm is a classic case of real-life value falling short of fantasy expectations. The Swedish blueliner busted into the league and posted a plus-90 rating and an exceptional 52.8 Corsi For percentage through his first five years. Despite mustering a career-high 13 goals, however, the 24-year-old finished 53rd among defensemen with 31 points in 69 games (36.8 points per 82 games). His defensive role is best illustrated in where he starts his shifts, as he began 53.6 percent of them in the defensive zone, putting a cap on his offensive potential. Lindholm's held onto over 22:00 of average ice time in each of the last three seasons, though, so he'll get enough looks to be worth a late-round pick in deep leagues.

Offseason shoulder injury has Lindholm in danger of missing training camp and potentially even some time to start the season. The injury is unlikely to have a significant fantasy impact, though. Lindholm has established himself as an elite shut-down defenseman and driver of possession. He regularly matches up against the opposition's top players and still sports a career 53.1 Corsi For percentage because of his excellent skating ability and capable 6-foot-3, 205-pound frame. Unfortunately, his role has capped his offensive upside and virtual value, and his point total has declined in consecutive seasons. Despite being an anchor and go-to asset on the Anaheim blue line, Lindholm's more of a low-end asset in most fantasy settings.

With three full NHL seasons to his name, Lindholm is rounding into quite the defenseman at just 22 years old. The sixth-overall pick in 2012, he’s managed between 28-34 points in each of his first three campaigns for a total of 92 in 236 contests, all while exuding durability in missing just 10 total regular-season contests. Lindholm’s 10 goals and 149 shots were a nice uptick from his first two NHL seasons, despite the fact that his 28 points were a smidge off the 34 and 30 he registered as a rookie and sophomore. Also, his plus-7 rating – while nothing to scoff at for a young defenseman still finding his way in the NHL – was quite a nosedive from the eye-popping plus-54 he piled up in his first two years, but that can largely be attributed to increased ice time and tougher assignments on the Ducks’ top defensive pairing. It remains to be seen how new head coach Randy Carlyle will use the 6-foot-3 Swede, but it’s a safe bet that he’ll again be a fixture on Anaheim’s secondary power-play unit. Come draft day, if you’re looking for a young, durable, responsible defenseman who’s on the rise with pedigree and a strong supporting cast, Lindholm is your guy.

Lindholm can get overlooked due to all the big names on Anaheim’s roster, but the sixth overall pick from 2012 has blossomed into a fantastic all-around defenseman. He’s cracked 30 points in each of his first two NHL seasons, and has an incredible plus-54 rating in just 156 career games. The Swede logged 21:45 per game as a top-four defenseman in 2014-15, and his plus-25 rating trailed only Tampa Bay’s Jason Garrison among NHL blueliners. Lindholm’s excellent two-way game and ability to stay healthy give him a high floor, but chances are he’s still far from his ceiling at only 21 years of age. While others fawn over big-name defensemen with holes in their fantasy resumes, anyone who drafts Lindholm will get excellent all-around production without the exorbitant price tag.

Lindholm had an electric rookie year, delivering 30 points and an amazing plus-29 rating. He was arguably the most reliable and impressive defender on the Ducks, let alone in the 2013-14 rookie class. Cripes, that plus-minus was the fourth-best for any defenseman in the NHL. He has 50-point upside, but will likely top out between 35 and 40 this season. And he’ll be near the top of the defense class yet again. Wow.