Oskar Lindblom - LW - 6'0" - 185 - Brynas Jr. Sweden Jr. - 2014 pick (5-138)

[flyersjim73]

Just scored to make it 2-0.

Carried puck from centre ice, as entered zone looked to set to pass cross ice, made Dman back in, then got to circle and sniped the puck high glove, went right in top corner.

I think I remember you posting this before so I apologize, but has anyone at his age averaged a point per game in that league? Wayyyyyy early to say this but this is looking like a close to datsyuk level steal for the Flyers...

 

[Appleyard]

I think I remember you posting this before so I apologize, but has anyone at his age averaged a point per game in that league? Wayyyyyy early to say this but this is looking like a close to datsyuk level steal for the Flyers...

Not for over 20 years... when Forsberg did in 93-94.

Zetterberg came closest in mean-time, got 46 in 47 in 2000-01.

 

[kelmitchell]

So who is a good comparison for him? Also what exactly do you think his potential is? I really don't have access to his games so I only see what you post

 

[Appleyard]

So who is a good comparison for him? Also what exactly do you think his potential is? I really don't have access to his games so I only see what you post

Hard to pinpoint.

He is a cross between a Powerforward and two-way winger...

Somewhere in-between guys like Hartnell, Franzen & Ladd and guys like Landeskog, Steen and Sharp stylistically.

I only thought of it today... but this season he has played a lot like Blake Wheeler does, but slower and smaller... great on boards and two-way, great around the net, but is also good play-maker.


I think his realistic upside is a ~20-25 goal, 50 point winger. But this year the numbers alone say it could be higher than that... he is so smart.

 

[kelmitchell]

Hard to pinpoint.

He is a cross between a Powerforward and two-way winger...

Somewhere in-between guys like Hartnell, Franzen & Ladd and guys like Landeskog, Steen and Sharp stylistically.

I only thought of it today... but this season he has played a lot like Blake Wheeler does, but slower and smaller... great on boards and two-way, great around the net, but is also good play-maker.


I think his realistic upside is a ~20-25 goal, 50 point winger. But this year the numbers alone say it could be higher than that... he is so smart.

Thanks appleyard, and that'd be great of he turned out like any of those guys, definitely a steal for us if he can keep improving, is his skating that bad though?

 

[Appleyard]

Thanks appleyard, and that'd be great of he turned out like any of those guys, definitely a steal for us if he can keep improving, is his skating that bad though?

Not really.

He has good edgework, very good balance and his speed and acceleration is pretty average.

Put it this way... I have never seen him out of position or beaten due to skating. His stride itself is fine, he is just not 'explosive'. He is so smart too that he has a step on most to start!

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

Not really.

He has good edgework, very good balance and his speed and acceleration is pretty average.

Put it this way... I have never seen him out of position or beaten due to skating. His stride itself is fine, he is just not 'explosive'. He is so smart too that he has a step on most to start!

You know what's funny, unless I am remembering incorrectly, back in the day when a guy was coming out in the draft, if his skating was terrible people spoke about it like a foregone conclusion. There were skating coaches around obviously, but the way people spoke about prospects' skating was like it was the finished article. There was a place for muckers back then, so it wasn't a death sentence, but you didn't really hear people talking about skating getting better - it just was what it was. Of course, having the internet and all of our access to games and all of the people involved in the sport with a web presence changed everything too, so maybe it was just a lack of access to information back then.

 

[kelmitchell]

Not really.

He has good edgework, very good balance and his speed and acceleration is pretty average.

Put it this way... I have never seen him out of position or beaten due to skating. His stride itself is fine, he is just not 'explosive'. He is so smart too that he has a step on most to start!

Thank you! That's awesome to hear! I'm really rooting for this kid

 

[Appleyard]

His game today was just awesome.

17:59 TOI, 1g, +1.

Here is the goal



But he could have easily had ~4 points he created so much.

Made an awesome pass in the 1st to set up great chance for linemate in the slot that forced a great save.

Made great play off the wall in the second to cut to middle of ice and draw penalty.

Also on the second was denied on the doorstep, twice jammed puck in crease in one sequence, goalie somehow made both saves... Lindblom was almost in the net at the end of it.

Was also denied on a booming one-timer from the right circle in the second. Forced a really nice save.

Could not settle down a hard pass from Clark cross-ice after he got virtually all alone on edge of left circle.

Was also involved in setting up Clark twice for great chances, once in 2nd, once in the 3rd period. One ended up being 1v0 but he could not finish.


He has just looked completely un-containable this year. Every game he is involved in creating like ~4 good chances.

 

[TheKingPin]

Hard to pinpoint.

He is a cross between a Powerforward and two-way winger...

Somewhere in-between guys like Hartnell, Franzen & Ladd and guys like Landeskog, Steen and Sharp stylistically.

I only thought of it today... but this season he has played a lot like Blake Wheeler does, but slower and smaller... great on boards and two-way, great around the net, but is also good play-maker.


I think his realistic upside is a ~20-25 goal, 50 point winger. But this year the numbers alone say it could be higher than that... he is so smart.

Wow. Anything higher than that is amazing. If he was redrafted this year where would he go?

 

[Appleyard]

Wow. Anything higher than that is amazing. If he was redrafted this year where would he go?

1st round for sure. Heck, if there was a re-draft in summer 2015 of the 2014 draft he would have likely gone 1st round.

 

[deadhead]

Not really.

He has good edgework, very good balance and his speed and acceleration is pretty average.

Put it this way... I have never seen him out of position or beaten due to skating. His stride itself is fine, he is just not 'explosive'. He is so smart too that he has a step on most to start!

Actually, doesn't that sound a lot like how Simmonds skates? He's not fast, but certainly fast enough.

He strikes me as a complementary player who could play on any of the top 3 lines, he won't be the star, but a solid linemate who'll make his linemates better.
Really no one currently on the Flyers who is comparable it seems, maybe a slower Raffl with better playmaking skills, a less physical Simmonds who was a better passer, Schenn if he had his head out of his butt . . .

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Lindblom is certainly shaping up to be the kind of 5th round pick steal that the Flyers have historically struggled to find.

When was the Flyers' last true late round steal? Cechmanek in the 6th in 2000?

 

[FLYguy3911]

Actually, doesn't that sound a lot like how Simmonds skates? He's not fast, but certainly fast enough.

Simmonds isn't fast?

 

[MacDonald4MVP]

Actually, doesn't that sound a lot like how Simmonds skates? He's not fast, but certainly fast enough.

He strikes me as a complementary player who could play on any of the top 3 lines, he won't be the star, but a solid linemate who'll make his linemates better.
Really no one currently on the Flyers who is comparable it seems, maybe a slower Raffl with better playmaking skills, a less physical Simmonds who was a better passer, Schenn if he had his head out of his butt . . .

So he compares favorably to 60 point wingers in Schenn and Simmonds, huh?

 

[Tripod]

Seidenberg...we just did not get to enjoy it.

 

[FatTugboatFlahr]

Actually, doesn't that sound a lot like how Simmonds skates? He's not fast, but certainly fast enough.

What?

 

[Striiker]

Simmonds is definitely above average at skating speed.

No idea what you're watching.

 

[Appleyard]

Skating wise, in terms of current Flyers I would say Schenn is the one he resembles the most.

I.E. His skating will likely never be talked about until he can't beat someone 1v1 or is caught from behind on a long breakaway... and like Schenn he has good balance and edge-work.


The only time this season him not being an amazing skater has had any kind of drawback was with the breakaway he forced the other game... he stole the puck inside his own zone and the Dman caught up a stride by the time he got to the circle and was breathing down his back. Had he had the break from neutral ice he likely never gets caught there. And he still managed to force a really nice save with a snapshot from the hashes that was going top corner.

Play in question:

As can be seen he had the wheels to beat two of the three players chasing... one lost ground and the left Dman stayed equal distance whole way... but winger caught him.

The guy who caught him was Oscar Möller... who was pretty fast by NHL standards when he was here. And he only got a stride on him over ~120ft with a similar starting point.

 

[Appleyard]

Just named to Sweden senior roster for Channel One cup in Moscow. Well deserved.

 

[Flyerfan13]

In the 2 phantoms games I caught live at the end of last year he really stood out in his puck posession and board work... he is really strong on the walls and difficult to get it away from him when he has the puck...

 

[Ghosts Beer]

I've watched Lindblom at two development camps. Like many of the bigger players, skating agility drills were not his forte. Strength, hands, and shot were.

 

[Appleyard]

Practising on PP1 with the national team, in net-front role. http://bloggar.expressen.se/ek/2016/12/tre-kronor-tranade-powerplay/

Also pretty nice back-hand in this drill from NT training! (he is 2nd guy up, ex-Thrasher/Jet Carl Klingberg is the first.)

 

[Roo Mad Bro]

Filthy backhand. So hard to read where it's going to end up.

 

[deadhead]

Simmonds isn't fast?

Compared to whom?
Voracek and Konecny could skate circles around him.
I think Giroux could beat him, and certainly Raffl.
Simmonds is faster than Schenn or Couts but not by a huge margin.

So what's fast?