Pontus ’The Backpack’ Holmberg: Strength earns new Bolt new nickname

Pontus Holmberg has built himself a reputation around the Tampa Bay Lightning locker room now that he’s been with the team for nearly half of a regular season.

It was on full display in the team’s 4-1 win over the St. Louis Blues last Monday before the holiday break, when he scored the fastest goal to open any Lightning game this season.

The Lightning forward won a puck battle in the offensive corner, holding off the check of Blues defenseman Cam Fowler from behind before turning to make a pass. He then found open ice in front of the net, fought through a stick check and redirected the puck home for a 1-0 lead only 21 seconds into the game.

Holmberg’s teammates have nicknamed him, ‘The Backpack’, a compliment to his strength and ability to repel defenders from fighting their way to the puck, just as he did on Monday.

“He can hold onto the puck,” Lightning forward Zemgus Girgensons said of Holmberg. “He can put guys on his back and he sees the ice well, and he fits into this group very well.”

Holmberg has played much of this season on a line with Girgensons and Yanni Gourde as a physical, defensive trio that has also found ways to chip in on offense.

‘The Backpack’ is a well-earned nametag filler according to Gourde, who was proud to admit he tabbed Holmberg with the moniker.

“It’s just the way he plays. He likes to hold onto the puck and protects it, and then he puts guys on his back and he protects it most of the time with just one hand,” Gourde said. “So I started doing the motion of wearing a backpack, and I’ve been calling him that ever since. It’s a good nickname, and he lives up to it.”

Holmberg, 26, has scored four goals and 10 points in 29 games this season, his first with the Lightning since signing a two-year deal in free agency this July.

His +7 rating in plus/minus sits fourth-best among all Lightning forwards behind only Anthony Cirelli, Brandon Hagel and Nikita Kucherov, while his 12 points at even-strength rank sixth.

The 6-foot, 201-pound wing spent the first three seasons of his NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs after being a sixth-round pick by the Maple Leafs in the 2018 NHL Draft. He is averaging 12 minutes, 52 seconds of ice time per game in 2025-26 with the Lightning, more than any season in Toronto.

He has already tied his career-high for game-winning goals (two) this season.

“It feels like home now, so it’s good,” Holmberg said of his start in Tampa. “Everything has been really good so far, and I’m really happy to be here.”

‘He does some amazing stuff'

The Swedish forward laughed when asked to reflect on his new nickname, one he considers a compliment.

“That’s pretty nice, actually,” he said. "It’s a good name. It’s fun.”

Holmberg has collected 59 career points over 188 total NHL games between Toronto and Tampa Bay. Despite being one of the later selections of the 2018 draft class, he ranks near the group’s top 30 in career goals, points and games played.

Those numbers don’t surprise Holmberg’s new teammates.

Gourde was playing for the Seattle Kraken in the Western Conference when Holmberg first entered the NHL, so he used to only see Holmberg play twice a year. He has quickly grown to appreciate Holmberg’s game in their time as teammates, leading to the new nickname.

“When I started playing against him during training camp, I noticed how strong he was on the puck and how strong of a skater he was,” Gourde said of Holmberg. “He holds onto the puck, and he does some amazing stuff with it.”

Gourde isn’t the only one who has appreciated it.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper has also complimented Holmberg’s strength with the puck.

“I think that's a big thing when you have the ability to protect (the puck), and now guys have to basically cheat to get it off you,” Cooper said of No. 29. “He's a really hard player to defend. And because of his patience and his awareness around the ice, he has that ability, and he just puts himself in those situations.”

Holmberg and the Lightning will return from their holiday break with a weekend back-to-back, beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday at Amerant Bank Arena against the Florida Panthers.

They then face the Montreal Canadiens at 5 p.m. Sunday at Benchmark International Arena in their final home game of 2025.