Elias Lindholm possesses a very rare trait, one that is invaluable in the NHL and in small rinks in particular and that is his ability to put it into overdrive – the 6th gear and the ability to make plays in very tight spaces with very little time, his vision is as good as there is in this draft but coupled with his aggression and the ability to make plays out of nothing with limited space and time makes him a special player.
The willingness to attack the dirty areas of the ice with agression and the elusiveness coupled with the elite vision and very good hands to capitalize on those situations brings back the memories of another Swede – Peter Forsberg. Though expecting Lindholm to reach that level is a bit optimistic, I fully expect him to wreak havoc on opposition in much the same way stylistically.
The combination of the willingness to play in the dirty areas of the ice, the elite vision, and the ability to switch into overdrive should be enough to put Lindholm into the discussion with the top forwards in this draft, I would go as far as putting him directly behind MacKinnon among forwards in the 2013 NHL entry draft.