Prospect Info: Tobias Lindberg (2013, 102nd)

[Man Bear Pig]

Out of curiousity, are you stat watching, or do you watch the marlies regularly...?

I would watch them regularly. I'm a 5 minute walk from the rink.

 

[Nithoniniel]

All those guys had shown progression as prospects. That's the difference.

I would say that's the issue as well. Nothing has really happened with Lindberg, and it's quite clear that the organization isn't very high on him anymore.

 

[Barilko14]

Actually he's quite good. I could see him reaching 40-45 points in the NHL if used in the right way.

The thing about Lindberg that makes him so special is that you can ask him to do anything and he will do it and do it well. He does not have any super plus qualities from what I know, but being above average in pretty much every category you can think of is special on its own.

His stats are misleading. He only picked up 16 points in 44 games last year (I seriously remembered that), but that was in a grinding role mostly. The year before, in a more scoring role, he got like 22 points in 34 games on a terrible Binghamton squad, and then came here and put up another 11 in 22 in a lesser role. Plus 2 goals in 6 games in the bottom 6 of a crap Leafs team. All as a rookie. 33 points in 56 games is not a bad AHL debut for a two-way forward not always used in a scoring role.

Next year, given the lack of size in the lineup, I would not be surprised to see him in a top 6 role. He can shutdown top lines (he shut down McDavid in the OHL) and can more than keep up offensively while giving some size to a smaller forward group. After that, I can definitely see him replacing Komarov. He's not as physical, but I think he's more talented. That role is his role in the NHL.

The only question marks are with his injury last year. He apparently also had one in his rookie year, but he did not miss much time because of it. He also apparently but heads with Binghamton coaching, but that does not seem like his character and they say he "matured" since then (I doubt he had issues in the first place, but incompetent coaching can bring out the worst in players sometimes). The same article I read that also ragged on him for his rookie production not being better and being benched in the AHL playoffs in favour of Kapanen... so I question their knowledge of AHL hockey.

Don't sleep on Lindberg. Don't sleep on a lot of the lesser known guys... it is tough to see beyond the lack of flashiness or production, but many of the guys that looked like head scratchers have a lot more game than you think.

You are becoming the King of over the top prospect statements!

Guy will be lucky to crack the the NHL full time, and you have him scoring like a top 6 W.

Edit: You are also wrong about his grinding role for most of the year. In Nov-Jan before his injury his most common linemates by far were Leipsic and Froese. He also played some games with Kappy, Smith, Tima and Johnsson. It was Rychel that played the first half of the year on the checking line with Cliche.
When he returned he was pushed down on the depth chart and played on the checking lines.

 

[showtime8]

Solid 2 way game.

Skating needs to improve. Solid on his skates though.

Enough talent to play on the 2nd line, but better suited to play on 3rd and 4th lines.

 

[saltming]

He's looking more and more like a bust. If he's not even looking CLOSE to being NHL ready by 22 it isn't a good sign.

But maybe he'll be one of those rarer cases of a guy turning things around by his mid 20s, but it's also issue of opportunity. The Leafs already have 3-4 young wingers ahead of him who haven't been able to lock down lineup spots yet with the Leafs AND the fact that younger and higher skilled wingers are about to start trickling onto the Marlies.

I thought he looked very good with Nylander in their short NHL cup 2 years ago.

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

It's his make or break year. I thought at one time he might be the replacement for Komarov. Now I doubt if he is an NHLer for any team.