Pontus Holmberg

Pontus Holmberg (born 9 March 1999) is a Swedish professional ice hockey player who is a left winger for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 156th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2018 NHL entry draft, and has played for the Växjö Lakers of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

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.

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. 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, 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. Holmberg was demoted to the Toronto Marlies and played seven games with them before being recalled to the Maple Leafs. He played his first NHL game on 2 November versus the Philadelphia Flyers, and scored his first NHL goal on Vítek Vaněček on 23 November versus the New Jersey Devils in New Jersey.

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. He played in seven games with the Maple Leafs before being returned to the Marlies. He made the Maple Leafs out of the 2024 training camp, playing on third line with Max Pacioretty and Nick Robertson.

Upon the conclusion of the 2024–25 season, Holmberg was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Maple Leafs to retain his rights and subsequently released to unrestricted free agency, largely due to the arbitration rights Holmberg would have been privy to as an experienced restricted free agent. On 1 July 2025, the opening day of free agency, Holmberg signed a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning, carrying an average annual value of $1.55 million.

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. He represented Sweden at the 2022 Winter Olympics, where Sweden was defeated by Slovakia in the bronze medal game. 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.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2015–16 VIK Västerås HK J18 32 9 25 34 8 2 2 0 2 0 2016–17 VIK Västerås HK J18 8 9 11 20 6 — — — — — 2016–17 VIK Västerås HK J18 Allsv 2 0 0 0 0 8 4 4 8 0 2016–17 VIK Västerås HK J20 45 6 12 18 10 — — — — — 2017–18 VIK Västerås HK J20 12 5 6 11 4 — — — — — 2017–18 VIK Västerås HK Div.1 36 7 13 20 10 8 2 4 6 2 2017–18 Växjö Lakers SHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2018–19 Växjö Lakers SHL 47 3 7 10 12 7 0 0 0 2 2019–20 Växjö Lakers SHL 52 7 10 17 14 — — — — — 2020–21 Växjö Lakers SHL 45 9 14 23 16 14 7 7 14 8 2021–22 Växjö Lakers SHL 46 11 30 41 44 4 0 1 1 2 2021–22 Toronto Marlies AHL 6 2 2 4 2 — — — — — 2022–23 Toronto Marlies AHL 38 10 12 22 18 7 6 2 8 2 2022–23 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 37 5 8 13 18 — — — — — 2023–24 Toronto Marlies AHL 11 6 4 10 4 — — — — — 2023–24 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 54 7 10 17 18 7 0 0 0 2 2024–25 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 68 7 12 19 27 12 0 1 1 4 2025–26 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 70 11 11 22 31 — — — — — SHL totals 192 30 61 91 86 25 7 8 15 12 NHL totals 229 30 41 71 94 19 0 1 1 6

International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2019 Sweden WJC 5th 5 0 0 0 0 2021 Sweden WC 9th 2 0 0 0 0 2022 Sweden OG 4th 6 0 2 2 0 2024 Sweden WC 10 0 6 6 0 2026 Sweden OG 7th 5 0 0 0 2 Junior totals 5 0 0 0 0 Senior totals 23 0 8 8 2

Awards and honours Award Year SHL Le Mat Trophy (Växjö Lakers) 2021 Stefan Liv Memorial Trophy 2021