The first free agent signing of the year for the Tampa Bay Lightning landed on Tuesday. The Bolts brought in former Toronto Maple Leaf forward Pontus Holmberg, signing him for two years at a $1.55 million average annual value (AAV).
The 26 year old Swedish forward played 68 games last season, recording 7 goals and 12 assists for 19 points, as well as 12 playoff games, in which Holmberg recorded 1 assist. Holmberg has played in three total seasons with the Maple Leafs appearing in 159 games whilst having 19 goals, 30 assists, for 49 points.
Holmberg is a forechecking forward with a strong motor and just a dash of skill. He has a knack for trying to get pucks to the net, and is very skilled at drawing penalties. Although he does not dole out punishment physically, which is something he could surely work on at 6’ 200lbs, Holmberg has shown he can take a bruising without getting slowed down, tiring opponents with his sheer lack of quit.
Though he has yet to be the kind of player to consistently put the puck in the back of the net, Holmberg managed to become a dependable presence in his own end. Throughout the year Holmberg fell into the good graces of new Leafs coach Craig Berube, which saw him reach a career high games played.
Lightning add an element every coach appreciates
Though primarily playing on the Leafs fourth line, Holmberg’s defensive dependability and north south style gave Berube enough confidence to move him around in the lineup when needed, even at points in the season playing in the Leaf’s top six. Holmberg saw ice time on the Maple Leafs’ penalty killing unit all throughout the season.
As he was for Berube, Holmberg should be a player that Jon Cooper will fall in love with among his bottom-six forwards. Holmberg’s game is reminiscent of a Wish.com Yanni Gourde: a hard-working, defensively minded forward who can play all positions, penalty kill, and will always be trying to get the puck to the net.
Sure this signing is not what most Lightning fans may have had on their personal bulletin boards when free agency opened up, but there is never a downside to adding more reliability and depth to the bottom end of the lineup. Holmberg should be able to slot in very nicely alongside Gourde or Paul, and provide just an extra bit of steadiness and low event hockey to a team bursting out the seams with offensive capability.
