At $3 million, Oskar Lindblom could be a bargain next season | On the Fly
Notebook items include Wade Allison and the 2016 draft, Patrick Marleau, and the birth of Comcast SportsNet.
Colleague Sam Carchidi took a look at some stuff to keep an eye on over these last 11 games of the Flyers season. Things like Carter Hart, how the expansion protected list should look, and what to do about the special teams.
I’d like to add seeing whether Ivan Provorov runs his consecutive-games played streak from 360 to finish at 371, and whether his minutes — currently a career-high 25:15 — get curtailed a little bit. Provorov played a total of 52:28 of a possible 122:23 in two games over the weekend.
How about you? Anything you’re looking out for over these final three weeks? See below on how to send feedback.
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— Ed Barkowitz (flyers@inquirer.com)
Not fair to judge Oskar Lindblom this season
The thing that always impresses me about Oskar Lindblom is how well he’s handled the attention, unwanted as it may be.
The initial cancer diagnosis in December 2019 interrupted what had the makings of a career season — in a contract year, no less. This time last year, his future was perilous. But with nurses and doctors, his girlfriend and a legion of fans, he battled for his life. He lost weight and hair, then rang the bell.
He is the face, at least locally, of the Hockey Fights Cancer campaign. It is remarkable how smoothly he has handled this identity switch. All in a foreign country. Lindblom, a native of Gavle, Sweden, was asked the other day whether all of the attention could sometimes be a little tiresome.
His response, in a nutshell, was just the opposite.
I wish I “could post more on social media and try to spread awareness of cancer to more people,” he said. “But at the same time, we’re playing hockey here and have a lot of games. ... [I] want to be the person to send positive vibes more than I have done lately. As long as I can spread awareness a little bit, and help some people, then I’m happy.”
Obviously, Lindblom isn’t the player he was at the beginning of 2019-20 when he had 11 goals in 30 games before his Ewing’s sarcoma was diagnosed. He has six goals in 39 games this season, and had a bout with COVID-19. He’s skating on the fourth line, but let’s see where he’s at after a full summer off to build his strength and stamina.
Lindblom turns 25 in August and will have two years left on a deal that is worth $3 million per. If he’s a top-9 forward, that’s reasonable. If he’s a top-6, then it’s a bargain.
What can’t be measured — in analytics or in legal tender — is Lindblom’s value in the locker room.
“Some of the flashbacks I have is him being around the team with no hair, smiling and being positive,” coach Alain Vigneault said. “I think it made everybody in our group ... realize how important every moment is, and to make sure you’re always at your best and doing the right things.”
Things to know
Still work to be done on this season, even if the playoffs are a longer shot than a horse running backward. Sam Carchidi untangles some salient subjects, including who the Flyers should be thinking about protecting from the expansion draft.
Matt Lomazoff used to see Oskar Lindblom while both were being treated at Penn’s cancer center. Lindblom rang the ceremonial bell on July 2, Lomazoff passed away on July 3. Today, the Lomazoff family is using Lindblom’s fight as a source of hope and inspiration.
The defense was tight, and Brian Elliott was sound in net, but it still wasn’t enough for the Flyers to beat the Islanders. “I had a lot of jump tonight, but unfortunately couldn’t capitalize,” said Travis Sanheim, who unwittingly deflected in the deciding goal, “and ended up putting it in my own net,”
It was a rough ending, but Yong Kim’s photos from Sunday night were on the mark. Think the Scott Laughton one is my favorite.
From the notebook
Wade Allison is the fifth skater from the 2016 draft to make it to the Flyers, and the sixth player overall of the 10-member class. Only one has made a significant contribution however. The list: German Rubstov (22nd overall), Carter Hart (48th), Allison (52nd), Carsen Twarynski (82nd), Connor Bunnaman (109th), and Tanner Laczynski (169th).
Recent Flyers draft picks to make it to the big club by draft year:
GM: Paul Holmgren — 2010 (0 of 6), 2011 (2 of 6, Sean Couturier, Nick Cousins), 2012 (4 of 7, Scott Laughton, Anthony Stolarz, Shayne Gostisbehere, Taylor Leier). 2013 (3 of 6, Samuel Morin, Robert Hagg, Tyrell Goulbourne).
GM: Ron Hextall — 2014 (4 of 6, Travis Sanheim, Nic Aube-Kubel, Mark Friedman, Oskar Lindblom). 2015 (4 of 9, Ivan Provorov, Travis Konecny, Mikhail Vorobyev, David Kase). 2016 (6 of 10, see above), 2017 (3 of 9, Nolan Patrick, Morgan Frost, Maxim Sushko). 2018 (1 of 8, Joel Farabee).
GM Chuck Fletcher — 2019-2020 (0 of 12, though Cam York, Bobby Brink, Zayde Wisdom and Tyson Foerster are considered top prospects).
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Line of the week: “Kuznetsov and Ovechkin are so good they’ve turned Tom Wilson into a set-up man.” — Flyers radio announcer Tim Saunders
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Sunday’s shutout loss to the Islanders was the 11th game in a row the Flyers have failed to score fewer than four goals. They’re 16th in offense (2.80 GPG). They were 7th last season (3.29).
Marleau & Me
San Jose’s Patrick Marleau, 41, on Monday broke Gordie Howe’s NHL record by playing in his 1,768th regular season game, most of the them (1,596) with the Sharks.
His first game against the Flyers came five games into his 1997-98 rookie season; a 3-2 Philadelphia win led by Garth Snow’s 43 saves and goals by John LeClair, Rod Brind’Amour and Eric Lindros (in overtime).
Ron Sutter and Murray Craven were teammates of Marleau that season.
Three Inquirer headlines on Oct. 1, 1997 when Marleau made his debut: 1) “Rodney Peete might be Eagles’ starter” ... 2) “New-look Flyers won’t settle for less than Stanley Cup” (They were eliminated in the first round.) ... 3) “Your World Is Going to Change.” Comcast SportsNet debuted at 5 p.m.
Marleau played 35 games against the Flyers, scoring 13 goals with 14 assists. Feels like Patrice Bergeron has put up the same numbers this season alone.
Howe’s final regular-season game was April 6, 1980. He had a goal and an assist in Hartford’s win over Detroit. He was 52 years old.
Flyers’ next 5
Thursday: at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m. (NBCSP)
Friday: at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m. (NBCSP, NHLN)
Sunday: vs. New Jersey, 6 p.m. (NBCSP)
Tuesday, April 27: at New Jersey, 7 p.m. (NBCSP)
Thursday, April 29: at New Jersey, 7 p.m. (NBCSP)
From the mailbag
If all works well, the Kraken take either Voracek or JVR in the upcoming expansion draft. Addition by subtraction. I would like to keep Ghost and Myers, though. I expect the Kraken to pick up Ghost if unprotected, considering his age, contract and offensive skill set.
— Inquirer.com user Dominic Berlemann
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How can a team go from first place in the beginning of March to out of the playoffs, while being blown out by one of the worst teams in recent history and all the coaches are safe? They have the second-worst penalty-kill, and are in the bottom-third in power play. Really, Chuck?
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I don’t care if they all had malaria. They are a flawed team whose management team fell asleep at the wheel.
Send questions or observations via Twitter to beat writers Ed Barkowitz (@EdBarkowitz) or Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) or columnist Mike Sielski (@MikeSielski).