The Flyers have a big boost heading their way as Oskar Lindblom has arrived in the Toronto bubble.
Something that didn’t seem possible months ago came true just a few days ago. Oskar Lindblom has made his way to Toronto to join the Flyers. He was back home in Sweden visiting family and keeping himself in shape.
He had been skating and taking part in practices with his old SHL team. That was another big step to see him on the ice in what was likely full capacity.
He will have to quarantine for a bit and receive eight consecutive negative tests before he can join the team. Everyone from Alain Vigneault down to the players cannot wait to see Lindblom back on the ice.
"“Every one of us is really happy to have Oskar around. Can’t wait to see him, can’t wait to see him on the ice with the team. That’s going to be a big positive for our group.”"
And if the Flyers make it to September, they may even be able to have Lindblom in the lineup. They would likely be in the midst of the second round and potentially vying for the Eastern Conference Final.
That is a big if and a lot of things would have to go right. But even having Lindblom around and able to practice would be a huge boost. Having included him on the 31-man roster gave Lindblom the ability to come practice and even play if it came to that.
The chances of him playing could be a stretch. If the Flyers make it that far, it likely means their lineup is rolling and wouldn’t need a change. However, Lindblom’s addition could make that lineup even stronger. His ability to play would no doubt make the Flyers want to play even harder for him than they already are.
No matter what, the team will be ready for him when he hits the ice. He had spent some brief time skating with them during Phase 2. He also had multiple visits during the season. But this would be the first time he is able to skate with the whole team since December.
It will no doubt be an emotional and exciting time whenever Lindblom is deemed ready. We could see that in just a few days.