Hampus Lindholm got to experience the playoffs in each of his first five NHL seasons. Then he watched from the outside for the past three years.

So when Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm saw an opportunity to sign on with a Bruins team that reached the postseason almost every year, he was willing to make a long-term commitment.

"They always have that winning mindset," Lindholm said on Sunday, a day after he was traded to Boston and hours after agreeing to an eight-year, $52 million contract extension.

"They find ways to get in the mix and compete," said Lindholm, a 2012 first-round draft pick who had played his entire career in Anaheim. "I've missed it the last three years. There's nothing more fun. I can only imagine playing in Boston. I'm ready to go to battle."

The Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to a three-year contract with defenseman Alex Vlasic, who was the team's second-round pick in the 2019 draft.

The Blackhawks announced the entry-level deal Tuesday. It runs through the 2023-24 season and carries a salary-cap hit of $824,167.