| Esa Lindell | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Lindell in 2014 | |||
| Born | (1994-05-23)23 May 1994 (age 30) Helsinki, Finland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
| Weight | 207 lb (94 kg; 14 st 11 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams | Dallas Stars Jokerit Ässät | ||
| National team |  Finland | ||
| NHL draft | 74th overall,2012 Dallas Stars | ||
| Playing career | 2012–present | ||
Esa Lindell (born 23 May 1994) is a Finnish professionalice hockeydefenceman andalternate captain for theDallas Stars of theNational Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Stars in the third round, 74th overall, of the2012 NHL Entry Draft.
Lindell made hisSM-liiga debut playing withJokerit during the2012–13 season.[1] On 7 May 2014, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with theDallas Stars, the organization that had drafted him in the third round, 74th overall, of the2012 NHL Entry Draft.[2]
Lindell was reassigned to the Liiga for the2014–15 season, joiningÄssät. He established a career-high year, registering 14 goals and 35 points in 57 games with the club, which led all Liiga defencemen in scoring, before on 16 March 2015 he was assigned by Dallas to the organization'sAmerican Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, theTexas Stars.
On 18 January 2016, Lindell received his first NHL call-up.[3] He made his debut the following day on 19 January in Dallas' game against theLos Angeles Kings. On 25 November, in his 17th career NHL game, Lindell scored his first NHL goal, coming in a 2–1 win against theVancouver Canucks.[4]
In June 2017, Lindell signed a two-year, $4.4 million contract extension with Dallas worth an annual salary cap hit of $2.2 million.[5][6]
On 16 May 2019, Lindell signed a six-year, $34.8 million contract extension with the Stars, carrying an annual cap hit of $5.8 million.[7]
In February 2020, Lindell was made analternate captain along with teammateBlake Comeau. Lindell andTyler Seguin served as alternate captains during home games, while Comeau andJohn Klingberg served as alternate captains during road games.[8]
On September 19, 2024, Lindell signed a five-year, $26.25 million extension with the Stars, carrying an annual cap hit of $5.25 million.[9]
Lindell joined the ownership group of Jokerit Helsinki in 2023, following the club's departure from theKontinental Hockey League (KHL) in 2022 and the subsequent restructuring of its operating company. The group includes Jokeritry and a number of players with ties to the team, includingOssi Väänänen andTeuvo Teräväinen, among others.[10]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2010–11 | Jokerit | FIN U18 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 2010–11 | Jokerit | Jr. A | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2011–12 | Jokerit | Jr. A | 48 | 21 | 30 | 51 | 16 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 6 | ||
| 2011–12 | Kiekko–Vantaa | Mestis | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Jokerit | Jr. A | 11 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 6 | ||
| 2012–13 | Jokerit | SM-l | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Kiekko–Vantaa | Mestis | 22 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Jokerit | SM-l | 44 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | Kiekko–Vantaa | Mestis | 11 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Ässät | SM-l | 57 | 14 | 21 | 35 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Texas Stars | AHL | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Texas Stars | AHL | 73 | 14 | 28 | 42 | 56 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 73 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Texas Stars | AHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 80 | 7 | 20 | 27 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 82 | 11 | 21 | 32 | 33 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 2019–20 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 69 | 3 | 20 | 23 | 12 | 27 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 2 | ||
| 2020–21 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 56 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 76 | 4 | 21 | 25 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 82 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 10 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | ||
| 2023–24 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 82 | 5 | 21 | 26 | 12 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | ||
| Liiga totals | 120 | 16 | 24 | 40 | 42 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| NHL totals | 604 | 49 | 142 | 191 | 144 | 85 | 5 | 17 | 22 | 18 | ||||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Finland | ||
| Ice hockey | ||
| World Championships | ||
 | 2022 Finland | |
 | 2016 Russia | |
| World Junior Championships | ||
| 2014 Sweden | |
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Finland | IH18 | 4th | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14 | |
| 2012 | Finland | U18 | 4th | 7 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2014 | Finland | WJC |  | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | |
| 2015 | Finland | WC | 6th | 8 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2016 | Finland | WC |  | 10 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2016 | Finland | WCH | 8th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2022 | Finland | WC | | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2025 | Finland | 4NF | 4th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Junior totals | 19 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 22 | ||||
| Senior totals | 28 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 2 | ||||