Pontus Holmberg Explained

Pontus Holmberg
Birth Date:1999 3, df=yes
Birth Place:Västerås, Sweden
Height Ft:5
Height In:10
Weight Lb:174
Position:Left wing
Shoots:Left
League:NHL
Team:Toronto Maple Leafs
Prospect League:AHL
Former Teams:Växjö Lakers
Ntl Team:SWE
Draft:156th overall
Draft Team:Toronto Maple Leafs
Draft Year:2018
Career Start:2018

Pontus Holmberg (born 9 March 1999) is a Swedish professional ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career

He made his debut for Växjö Lakers in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) in 2018, playing two games. In the 2020–21 SHL season, the Växjö Lakers were the top team in the regular season. They won the Le Mat Trophy as the playoff winners, with Holmberg awarded the Stefan Liv Memorial Trophy as the playoff MVP with seven goals and 14 points in 14 playoff games.[1]

He was drafted 156th overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2018 NHL entry draft after the team traded for the opportunity to select him.[2] On 4 June 2021, Holmberg was signed by the Maple Leafs to a two-year, entry-level contract. He would remain in the SHL with the Växjö Lakers on loan from Toronto for the 2021–22 season,[3] but after his team's SHL season ended, he played the last six games of the Toronto Marlies season, scoring two goals and four points.

Holmberg joined the Maple Leafs for training camp before the 2022–23 season. He was considered among the young players who could make the team out of camp.[4] Holmberg was demoted to the Toronto Marlies and played seven games with them before being recalled to the Maple Leafs.[5] He played his first NHL game on 2 November versus the Philadelphia Flyers,[6] and scored his first NHL goal on Vítek Vaněček on 23 November versus the New Jersey Devils in New Jersey.[7]

Holmberg took part in the Maple Leafs' 2023 training camp but failed to make the team. He was assigned to the Marlies to begin the season. However, after Tyler Bertuzzi was injured, Holmberg was recalled on 20 October.[8] He played in seven games with the Maple Leafs before being returned to the Marlies.[9] He made the Maple Leafs out of the 2024 training camp, playing on third line with Max Pacioretty and Nick Robertson.[10]

International play

Holmberg was selected for Sweden's junior team at the 2019 World Juniors where the team was upset by Switzerland in the quarterfinals of the tournament.[11] [12] He represented Sweden at the 2022 Winter Olympics, where Sweden was defeated by Slovakia in the bronze medal game.[11] [13] At the 2024 IIHF World Championship he won a bronze medal, while playing on a line with Lucas Raymond and André Burakovsky. He appeared in ten games, registering six assists.[11]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Team League GP GPG A Pts PIM
2015–16VIK Västerås HKJ183292534822020
2016–17VIK Västerås HKJ188911206
2016–17VIK Västerås HKJ18 Allsv2000084480
2016–17VIK Västerås HKJ20456121810
2017–18VIK Västerås HKJ201256114
2017–18VIK Västerås HKDiv.136713201082462
2017–18Växjö LakersSHL20000
2018–19Växjö LakersSHL4737101270002
2019–20Växjö LakersSHL527101714
2020–21Växjö LakersSHL4591423161477148
2021–22Växjö LakersSHL461130414440112
2021–22Toronto MarliesAHL62242
2022–23Toronto MarliesAHL381012221876282
2022–23Toronto Maple LeafsNHL37581318
2023–24Toronto MarliesAHL1164104
2023–24Toronto Maple LeafsNHL54710171870002
SHL totals1923061918625781512
NHL totals91 12 18 30 367 0 0 0 2

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2019SwedenWJC5th50000
2021SwedenWC9th20000
2022SwedenOG4th60220
2024SwedenWC100660
Junior totals 50000
Senior totals 180880

Awards and honours

AwardYear
SHL
Le Mat Trophy (Växjö Lakers)2021
Stefan Liv Memorial Trophy2021

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Vaxjo go 3-for-3 in SHL finals . . 13 May 2021 . 13 May 2021.
  2. Web site: Toronto Maple Leafs Trade For 156th Pick, Select Pontus Holmberg. Pensionplanpuppets.com . Stewart . Brian . 23 June 2018 . 23 June 2018.
  3. Web site: Maple Leafs sign Pontus Holmberg . . 4 June 2021 . 4 June 2021.
  4. Web site: Maple Leafs training camp notebook: Competition, Sandin's absence, Matthews' contract . The Athletic . Kloke . Joshua . 21 September 2022 . 7 November 2022.
  5. Web site: Maple Leafs loan Simmonds to Marlies, recall Holmberg . Sportsnet . 1 November 2022 . 7 November 2022.
  6. Web site: Rookie Pontus Holmberg will make his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs against the Flyers . Zwolinksi . Mark . Toronto Star . 2 November 2022 . 7 November 2022.
  7. Web site: Devils' 13-game win streak halted by Maple Leafs amid hat trick of disallowed goals . CBC Sports . Canavan . Tom . Associated Press . 23 November 2022 . 24 November 2022.
  8. Web site: Maple Leafs look to shake up bottom six by recalling Pontus Holmberg . Sportsnet . Fox . Luke . 20 October 2023 . 23 October 2023.
  9. Web site: Maple Leafs' Pontus Holmberg: Dropped to AHL . CBS Sports . 6 November 2023 . 6 November 2023.
  10. Web site: New-look Maple Leafs set for regular season opener in Montreal. What you need to know . CityNews . Casaletto . Lucas . 9 October 2024 . 15 October 2024.
  11. Web site: Maple Leafs' Pontus Holmberg Leads Sweden to Bronze, Triumphs Over John Tavares and Team Canada at World Hockey Championship . The Hockey News . Alter . David . 26 May 2024 . 15 October 2024.
  12. Web site: Switzerland upsets Sweden in world junior quarterfinal . Sportsnet . The Canadian Press . 2 January 2019 . 15 October 2024.
  13. Web site: Teen sensation scores pair as Slovakia blanks Sweden for Olympic men's hockey bronze . CBC Sports . Reuters . 19 February 2024 . 15 October 2024.