Hampus Lindholm facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hampus Lindholm
Lindholm with the Boston Bruins in 2023
Born	(1994-01-20) 20 January 1994 (age 31) Helsingborg, Sweden
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	216 lb (98 kg; 15 st 6 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Boston Bruins Anaheim Ducks
National team	Sweden
NHL Draft	6th overall, 2012 Anaheim Ducks
Playing career	2011–present

Hampus Lindholm (born January 20, 1994) is a professional ice hockey player from Sweden. He plays as a defenseman for the Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League (NHL). Hampus started his hockey journey with Jonstorps IF and later played for Rögle BK. He spent his first eight seasons in the NHL with the Anaheim Ducks before joining the Boston Bruins.

Hampus Lindholm's Hockey Journey

Starting in Amateur Hockey

Hampus Lindholm began playing hockey at a young age. In the 2009–10 season, he played for the Jonstorps U20 team. He scored three points, which included one goal and two assists, in just three games. The next year, he played 39 games for the Rögle BK U20 team, where he made four assists.

Becoming a Professional Player

In the 2011–12 season, Hampus started his professional career with Rögle. He played 20 games and earned four points. During this time, he was also named the Best Defenceman in the U20 Super Elit League.

Hampus was seen as a very promising player. The NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked him as the fourth-best European skater. The Anaheim Ducks chose him as the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NHL entry draft. Some experts thought he was a "sleeper pick," meaning he might surprise people with how good he became. They even compared him to famous Swedish players like Erik Karlsson and Mika Zibanejad.

Time with the Anaheim Ducks

Hampus Lindholm first played in North America with the Norfolk Admirals. This team was connected to the Ducks in the American Hockey League (AHL). In the 2012–13 season, he played 44 games and scored 11 points, with one goal and ten assists.

He scored his very first NHL goal on November 6, 2013. This goal was against Mike Smith of the Phoenix Coyotes.

Hampus quickly showed he was one of the best defensemen for the Ducks. Because of his great play, he signed a big six-year contract on October 27, 2016.

Joining the Boston Bruins

As his contract with the Ducks was ending, there were many rumors that Hampus might be traded. On March 19, 2022, he was traded to the Boston Bruins. In return, the Ducks received several draft picks and two players, Urho Vaakanainen and John Moore. The very next day, on March 20, Hampus signed a new eight-year contract extension with the Bruins.

During the 2022–23 season, Hampus became a very important player for the Bruins. This was especially true when their star player, Charlie McAvoy, was out injured early in the season. Hampus and the Bruins had an amazing season, winning a record-breaking 65 regular season games. However, they lost to the Florida Panthers in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. After the playoffs, it was shared that Hampus had played with a broken foot. Despite the injury, he finished fourth in voting for the James Norris Memorial Trophy, which is given to the best defenseman. He was also named to the NHL Second All-Star Team.

Hampus hoped to continue his success in the 2023–24 season. However, his scoring dropped, as he recorded three goals and 23 assists in 70 games. Towards the end of February 2024, he got a lower-body injury and missed some games. Despite a challenging regular season, Hampus played much better in the 2024 playoffs. In the first round against the Toronto Maple Leafs, he scored one goal and made three assists in seven games. In the deciding Game 7, he had a great performance. He scored the goal that tied the game and then assisted on David Pastrňák's goal that won the series in overtime.

Hampus started the 2024–25 season hoping to improve after his previous season. However, on November 12, 2024, he was injured while blocking a shot in a game against the St. Louis Blues. He left the game and did not return. The next day, the Bruins' coach, Jim Montgomery, announced that Hampus would be out for several weeks with a lower-body injury. A couple of weeks later, the interim coach, Joe Sacco, said Hampus was still weeks away from playing. Because of this injury, Hampus could not play for Team Sweden in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. On January 14, 2025, the Bruins placed Hampus on Long Term Injured Reserve (LTIR). This means he would be out for a long time. The coach did mention that Hampus was skating, but not in a way that was ready for games. On February 25, 2025, the Bruins' general manager, Don Sweeney, announced that Hampus was unlikely to return for the rest of the season. He also shared that Hampus had fractured his patella (kneecap) against the Blues. Hampus finished the season with three goals and four assists in 17 games.

International Hockey Play

Medal record
Representing  Sweden
Men's ice hockey
World Championships
Gold	2018 Denmark
World U18 Championships
Silver	2012 Czech Republic

Hampus Lindholm has played for Sweden in international competitions. He won a silver medal at the 2012 World U18 Championships. In that tournament, he was chosen as one of the three most valuable players for the Swedish team. He also won the most valuable player award in games against Finland and Switzerland.

Hampus was not able to play for Sweden at the 2013 World Junior Championships because he had a concussion.

Hampus Lindholm's Playing Style

Hampus Lindholm is known as a "two-way defenceman." This means he is good at both defending his own goal and helping his team score. He is also admired for his strong skating skills and his "hockey intelligence," which means he understands the game very well.

Former NHL player and Rögle BK defenceman Kenny Jönsson has been a big influence on Hampus. Hampus has also said that Nicklas Lidström and Scott Niedermayer are other players he looks up to.

Awards and Honours