Sweden Lindholm played with
Brynäs IF's under-20 team, he played four games for the under-20 team and was the second-leading scorer for the under-18 team. Lindholm was selected in the fourth round (86th overall) by
SKA St. Petersburg in the
2011 KHL Junior Draft. In the
2011–12 season, Lindholm joined Sweden's
Elitserien, and played in 14 games, including two playoff games for Brynäs IF. Once again a key offensive force for Brynäs IF's under-20 team and also the
2011 World Junior A Challenge and
2012 World U18 Championships tournaments. By scoring his first NHL goal at 18 years and 311 days, Lindholm became the youngest Swedish-born NHL player to score a goal, beating
Gabriel Landeskog's previous record of 18 years and 324 days. On 8 March 2015, Lindholm scored his first career
hat trick in a 7–4 win against the
Edmonton Oilers.
Calgary Flames (2018–2024) On 23 June 2018, Lindholm was traded to the
Calgary Flames along with teammate
Noah Hanifin in exchange for
Dougie Hamilton,
Micheal Ferland, and prospect
Adam Fox. He signed a six-year contract with the Flames on 16 July. In the
2018–19 season, his first in Calgary, Lindholm mostly played top-line minutes with
Johnny Gaudreau and
Sean Monahan; all three scored career highs in points, with Lindholm scoring 27 goals and a total of 78 points. In the
following season he set another new high in goals (29) despite the season being prematurely concluded due to the onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic. He was by this point establishing himself as one of the Flames' most important forwards. When the
2020 Stanley Cup playoffs were belatedly held in a
bubble in the summer, the Flames defeated the
Winnipeg Jets in the qualifying round before falling to the
Dallas Stars in the first round. Lindholm managed two goals and four assists in 10 playoff games. In light of the pandemic, the
2020–21 season was held with a revised format, with all Canadian teams playing in the temporary
North Division. The Flames had a tumultuous year, in the course of which coach
Geoff Ward was replaced midway through the season by
Darryl Sutter. Sutter made significant changes to the team's approach, and returned Lindholm to the
centre position after two seasons primarily playing on the
right wing, now paired on a top line with wingers Gaudreau and
Matthew Tkachuk that proved an immediate success. He scored 19 goals and 28 assists in only 56 games. The Flames did not qualify for the
2021 Stanley Cup playoffs. of the
Seattle Kraken battle for the puck in 2023. The NHL's divisions and format returned to their pre-pandemic norms for the
2021–22 season, the Flames' first full season for returning coach Sutter. It would prove to be one of the most successful regular seasons in team history. With Gaudreau and Tkachuk, Lindholm formed one of the most dominant forward lines in the NHL, and all three members hit numerous personal and collective milestones over the course of the season. Lindholm scored his 40th goal of the season on 23 April 2022, in a 6–3 victory over the
Vancouver Canucks, hitting that marker for the first time in his career. Gaudreau and Tkachuk also scored 40 goals, the first time in 28 years that linemates had all achieved this, and only the fourth time in that span that a team had three 40-goal scorers. Lindholm finished the regular season with 42 goals and 40 assists for 82 points, while the Flames won the reconstituted
Pacific Division. He was voted a finalist for the
Frank J. Selke Trophy, awarded to the league's best defensive forward. The Flames drew the
Dallas Stars in the first round of the
2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, a rematch of the bubble playoffs two years prior, and a matchup in which the Flames were considered the favourites. Lindholm immediately distinguished himself by scoring the lone goal in the Flames' 1–0 victory in game 1. The Stars proved a greater challenge than many had anticipated, largely due to an exceptional performance from goaltender
Jake Oettinger, but the Flames eventually won the series in game 7. The Flames drew the
Edmonton Oilers in the second round, the first playoff "
Battle of Alberta" in 31 years. The Oilers defeated the Flames in five games.
Vancouver Canucks (2024) On 31 January 2024, with the Flames not in contention for a playoff spot, and in the final year of his contract, Lindholm was traded to the
Vancouver Canucks in exchange for
Andrei Kuzmenko, unsigned prospects
Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo, and first-round and conditional fourth-round picks in the
2024 NHL entry draft. Immediately upon joining the Canucks, Lindholm became the fifth player in franchise history to score two or more goals in their first game with the team. He also tied the franchise record for most game-winning goals recorded by a player through his first six games with the team.
Boston Bruins (2024–present) Leaving the Canucks as a free agent at the conclusion of his contract, Lindholm signed a seven-year, $54.25 million deal with the
Boston Bruins on 1 July 2024. Lindholm had high expectations entering the
2024–25 season, and was widely seen as the Bruins' first-line center. Although he scored two goals and three assists in his first three games with the team, Lindholm started to struggle soon afterwards. He did not score a goal in 18 straight games afterwards, and managed only four assists during that time period. Lindholm was not alone, as the entire Bruins team was struggling offensively during this period, and not living up to expectations. Lindholm was named to Sweden's roster for the NHL's
4 Nations Face-Off tournament, where he went scoreless in three games. After the break, Lindholm returned to the Bruins with playoff intentions, but these hopes were dashed quickly. Lindholm and the Bruins would lose six of the next seven, and then win the next two before going on a ten-game losing streak, all-but-assuring that they would miss the playoffs, barring a miracle. Despite team's struggles, Lindholm went on a solid run to finish off the season, scoring four goals and five assists in the last eight games of the season. ==International play==