Why Elias Lindholm is the forward fix for the Flames

TORONTO — With Auston Matthews limited to cardio and weight work deep in the Scotiabank Arena underbelly, a clash between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames that the national broadcaster and fans alike had circled on the calendar was cheapened Monday.

But that wasn’t just due to the simple fact that one of the best players in the world was forced to sit his first game in what’s expected to be a month-long process of nursing another shoulder injury back to playing shape.

Because it’s possible that we also missed out on the full extent to which Elias Lindholm can transform the once-(very)-limited forward dynamics in Calgary, too.

With much of the sting taken from the centre-ice spot for the Leafs with Matthews out of the lineup, Lindholm’s versatility was, in some respects, kept under wraps by Flames coach Bill Peters.

It’s a shame, too. His teammates can sure talk it up.

“It’s been a treat to watch this guy, honestly,” said captain Mark Giordano before the game. “In my opinion he’s been our best all-around player.”

This is not to say that Lindholm’s impact wasn’t felt in Toronto. On the left side on the top line with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, Lindholm was Calgary’s driving force offensively with a primary assist and goal in a span of 55 seconds in the third, which set the table for a 3-1 victory. He also finished at 62.5 percent possession.

It’s just that under normal circumstances it’s likely that we would have seen the adjustment the Flames were unable to turn to last season. Taking a top-line, power-play weapon and turning him into a shutdown centre on the third unit, with Lindholm the Flames are now equipped to match a talent-rich team like the Maple Leafs down the middle. When they’re at full strength, that is.

This shift to a secondary function for Lindholm was Peters’ tactic in a win over the Washington Capitals after the Pittsburgh Penguins (probably still the deepest team down the middle) absolutely chewed up the Flames with their centre depth last week.

It’s a luxury Glen Gulutzan never had.

It could be the key to Calgary’s season.

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After taking a step back last year by missing the playoffs for the second time in his four seasons, the mandate was clear for Flames GM Brad Treliving. With the top-line partnership coming off a career-best campaign from a production standpoint and possession-driving second unit continuing to tilt the ice against top competition, the Flames could no longer see these efforts wasted by insufficient support at the forward position.

There were free-agent signings; James Neal came aboard on a big ticket from the Vegas Golden Knights, and Derek Ryan and Austin Czarnik signed on to be part of the revamped bottom six, too.

But to acquire the player that could remedy the rigidity, and to provide the Flames with a transformative element to best adjust to opponents’ strengths and weaknesses, they boldly shipped out one of its top performers from a season ago in a blockbuster trade with the Carolina Hurricanes — the team Peters happened to coach last year.

Dougie Hamilton has arrived as advertised on the blue line in Carolina. So far though, the high-stakes, Peters-endorsed gamble to acquire and commit long-term dollars to the ever-adaptable Lindholm has paid considerable dividends.

Even if this wasn’t always so certain in the Flames room.

“I didn’t know how good of player he was,” admitted Giordano.

“I thought he was just a skilled guy,” echoed Mikael Backlund.

Aside from Peters, the one Flame that knew best as to what to expect from Lindholm was defenceman Noah Hanifin — the other return piece in the Hamilton trade. He explained that one of Lindholm’s primary roles under Peters before was to bounce around the lineup to create favourable matchups.

In those instances, Hanifin says, Lindholm is at his best.

Scoring at such a high rate, it’s been tough to take him off the top line that he’s gelled with so seamlessly, but lending the versatility Hanifin alluded to is something we should see more of from Lindholm.

Whether it’s at wing or centre, working on the boards or in key moments at the faceoff dot, Hanifin has learned to trust Lindholm in all situations.

“As a defenceman, I love playing with him because he’s so reliable.”

This is quickly becoming a shared sentiment.

“(His versatility) definitely helps our team, and the way coach can approach other teams,” said Backlund.

“A true 200-foot player,” Mathew Tkachuk offered. “He’s great offensively, but his defence is just as good. He snaps them back on draws, he’s good on the walls, and he’s responsible as a center and winger.

“He’s brought a lot to us so far.”

Included in that is production like we haven’t seen in Lindholm’s previous five NHL seasons.

With eight goals and 12 points in as many games, Lindholm is on pace to shatter through the 45-point glass ceiling that has prevented him from becoming a household name.

Many will attribute his production boost to being the third piece to the always-lucrative Monahan-Gaudreau partnership, but that would be both minimizing his impact and overlooking the fact that his primary linemate last season was one of the brightest young stars in the NHL, Sebastian Aho.

Lindholm’s run on points will naturally tail off; even in optimal conditions for an entire season he wouldn’t hit 54-plus goals or register a point per game — two inflated marks he’s currently on pace to achieve.

And perhaps his production will regress at an accelerated rate should Peters be forced to deploy him more as shutdown centre over first-line weapon more and more.

But it seems he’s taken a step in a career that one point oddly seemed to be stalling.

While with him the Flames hope to get moving again themselves.

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