Oskar Lindblom’s courageous return to the ice was bigger than hockey

In hockey, perseverance is widely celebrated. Whether it's coming back from a big injury or a personal tragedy, the hockey community will come together to celebrate one of its own. No one knows that better than Oskar Lindblom.

While his NHL days are behind him, Lindblom's story will always bring a smile to anyone's face. It was the same smile that never left his face during his career. It felt like you couldn't have a bad day when you were around Lindblom. One look at his smile and it would bring a smile to your face.

A fifth-round pick in 2014, Lindblom carved out a rather solid career for himself. He has the second most career points from a Flyers' draft pick that year, only behind Travis Sanheim. Seven seasons and over 330 games is rather impressive from a late-round draft pick. And if it wasn't for what happened to him in 2019, there's a chance his NHL career could've lasted longer.

Lindblom debuted full-time in North America during the 2017-18 season. He split time between the Flyers and Phantoms, beginning his season in the AHL. Things didn't get off to a good start as Lindblom struggled to adjust and was held pointless in his first six games. Something clicked, and he rattled off eight points in the next five.

His longest pointless drought after that was four games. He figured something out at the AHL level and turned that into an All-Star appearance and his first call-up to the NHL. Aside from a playoff run after the Flyers were eliminated, Lindblom would not return to the AHL. A full-time NHL'er in 2018-19, Lindblom broke through with 17 goals and 33 points, appearing in all but one game.

Things were looking up for the young Swede. He was poised for a breakout season the following year, collecting 11 goals and 18 points in his first 30 games. His 11 goals were tied for the team lead. And then his season was brought to a screeching halt. Nothing else mattered once Lindblom received a diagnosis of Ewing's Sarcoma in December. The real battle would begin off the ice.

Lindblom approached it with the same smile on his face that he came into the rink with. And while it was surely grueling to go through the various treatments, the support he felt from the entire hockey community no doubt made it all worthwhile. After months of treatment, Lindblom opted for surgery in March and was given some of the greatest news afterward: no cancer was visible and it had not spread.

The best news of all came three months later. Lindblom completed his final treatment.

The story doesn't end there. The NHL had paused its season not long after Lindblom went in for surgery. They would return for a bubble version of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Flyers heading to Toronto as the Eastern Conference hub. While Lindblom had stepped on the ice with his teammate toward the end of June, it was unknown if he would be able to return to action that season.

Return he did. Lindblom would join the Flyers in the bubble and, after quarantining in the hotel, stepped on the ice for a mid-August practice. That turned into coming on the ice for warmups during their second-round matchup against the Islanders. And when Game Six came, Lindblom did more than skate during warmups. For the first time in nearly nine months, he played a game for the Flyers.

The Flyers game into that sixth game on the brink of elimination. The Islanders had won three of the first five games. Philadelphia kept itself alive with a Game 5 overtime victory. While Lindblom did not record a point in his return, it's hard to believe that his return didn't give the Flyers the energy they needed to win in double overtime to send the matchup to a decisive Game 7.

Unfortunately, Lindblom and the Flyers would bow out to the Islanders in the final game, getting shut out 4-0. But the important part for Lindblom was that he made it back on the ice. He received news the following year that he remained cancer-free, and that remains true to this day.

It's a shame that the diagnosis and treatment took a toll on Lindblom and he wasn't able to return to the player he was becoming. He looked like a young star in the making.

The Flyers would buy out his contract after one more season, and he would sign with the Sharks, playing one year in the NHL and the next in the AHL. He returned to Sweden to play for his hometown team, Brynäs IF, this past year.

No one will forget the courageous battle Lindblom went through. That is why we all remain "Oskar Strong."