When the Carolina Hurricanes selected Elias Lindholm fifth overall in June's NHL entry draft, they knew they had chosen a player who would make an immediate impact.
“This is a player who will have a chance to play with us next year,” said GM Jim Rutherford to reporters back on June 30.
With his stellar performance in the Swedish Elite League over the past two seasons, the 6'1", 181-pound center had impressed team scouts enough to be penciled initially into a 2013-14 NHL roster spot.
Sixteen days later, when Lindholm inked a three-year entry-level contract, Rutherford's mantra remained the same.
"The opportunity is there for him to start with the Hurricanes," he declared at a press conference. "I will be shocked if he doesn't, based on...what I've seen."
The 18-year-old has done and said all the right things to support that optimism. A minor shoulder injury cut his Hurricanes' Development Camp appearance short last month, but he nonetheless impressed in limited ice time earlier in the week.
Lindholm should, if all goes well, be a lock for the Hu ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Mark Jones
Carolina Hurricanes: Where Will Elias Lindholm Fit in 2013-14 Depth Chart?
August 11th, 2013 by Mark Jones Leave a reply »
Advertisement