The Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs rivalry has a new storyline to follow.
Earlier this offseason, the Boston Bruins signed top free-agent center Elias Lindholm to a seven-year, $54.25 million contract. With this move, the Bruins have landed their much-needed first-line center.
He is now the second Lindholm on the Bruins, as they also, of course, have defenseman Hampus Lindholm. While the center and defenseman share the last name, they are not related.
However, the new Bruins center is cousins with Toronto Maple Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok. This should create a fun storyline in the Original Six clubs' big-time rivalry next season.
Barring any sudden moves, the cousins could play on division rivals for multiple years. Jarnkrok is under contract with the Maple Leafs until the end of the 2025-26 season, carrying a $2.1 million cap hit. In 52 games last season with the Maple Leafs, he had 10 goals, 21 points, and a plus-16 rating.
Interestingly, Lindholm and Jarnkrok have also been teammates before at the NHL level. During the 2021-22 season, Jarnkrok was traded by the Seattle Kraken to the Calgary Flames. At that juncture, Lindholm was also with the Flames and one of their most important players, recording 42 goals and 82 points in 82 games. Now, they will experience playing against each other on big-time rival clubs.
Nevertheless, it should be another fun year of hockey between the Bruins and Maple Leafs. It will be interesting to see if Lindholm and the Bruins have the upperhand over Jarnkrok and the Leafs in 2024-25 from here.
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