The 2014 fifth round pick has played some great hockey for the Philadelphia Flyers and is emerging as a real two-way threat this season.
Coming into the 2018-19 campaign, the Philadelphia Flyers needed their young players on the roster to take the next step in their development in order to help with depth scoring. While this specific player didn’t get off to the best of starts, he has emerged as a key piece for the team in the last couple of games.
Oskar Lindblom is beginning to pose as a real threat for the Flyers this year. After scoring just two goals in his first 11 games to start the season, Lindblom has six points (2 Goals, 4 Assists) in his last four games played and is riding a four game point streak as he scored an empty-net goal in the 5-2 victory over the Arizona. He’s already passed his point total from last year in less games played and is showing nearly no signs of letting up.
Lindblom has also been one of the Flyers best players in terms of possession metrics. He ranks tenth on the team in Corsi and Fenwick-For percentages with 51.91% and 51.95% among skaters who have played at least 100 minutes of time-on-ice in all situations . The team possesses the puck more with him on-the-ice, which can help lead to more scoring chances and goals.
The 22 year-old has looked solid on the defensive side of the puck, as well. Lindblom has allowed the fifth least amount of Scoring-Chances Against, the fourth least amount of High Danger Chances Against, and tied seventh least in total Goals-Against among Flyers players with at least 100 minutes of time-on-ice played according to NaturalStatTrick.com. The teams’ save percentage with him on the ice is at a low 86.42%, but the Flyers have just two players over the 90% mark in Travis Konecny and Jordan Weal. The goaltending hasn’t been great this year, so the skaters shouldn’t take all of the blame for such low numbers in-net.
Lindblom is doing all of this while averaging the third lowest time-on-ice minutes among Flyers forwards who have played at least ten games with a mere 13:04. He has played over 15 minutes just four times this season, and at some point Head coach Dave Hakstol has to give him more leeway. It’s possible being a recent mainstay on the second line could eventually increase his ice-time, but we’ll have to wait and see on that.
The second year, Swedish forward is currently on pace for a 43 point (22 Goals, 21 Assists) season. Adding another 20 goal scorer to a team who had five last year would obviously be a plus. Lets just hope Lindblom can keep this production up and doesn’t hit a sophomore slump.