1985 Stanley Cup Final different outcome with healthy Pelle Lindbergh?

yzerman

Registered User
Apr 23, 2017
1,272
797
Sweden
This was a few years before i started to follow NHL but i have seen little of it on Youtube and read a lot about it ,but how good was Pelle Lindbergh that season in Philadelphia?

And compare his season 84/85 with a more modern goaltender last 20 years so we can get a comparison?and do you think if the tragic accident never happened do you think he would been rated among the absolute best goaltenders in history?

And last if he never got hurt in the final series -85 could he stopped Gretzky and the Oilers that year?

Rip Pelle
 

VanIslander

A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
Sep 4, 2004
35,130
6,428
That year...

Gretzky 73 goals, 208 points
Kurri 71 goals, 135 points
Coffey 121 points
Anderson and Krushelnyski 40+ goals each.

In the playoffs, six Oilers over a point a game, with Messier "only" 5th in team scoring with 25 points in 18 games (Flyers had ZERO at a point per game average, with Propp close but no cigar).

The Oilers lost only two games in three series to get to the finals and lost only one to Philly.

Hasek standing on his head and spinning would have only gotten the Flyers into Game 6 OT (he's been there).
 

quoipourquoi

Goaltender
Jan 26, 2009
10,123
4,126
Hockeytown, MI
The window was there for the Flyers to grab all the momentum in Game 2, but Fuhr closed it.


Top Four-Round Performances (EvE), 1975-2017
1. Patrick Roy, 1993 (55.7% on 647 shots)
2. John Vanbiesbrouck, 1996 (58.8% on 735 shots)
3. John Davidson, 1979 (59.2% on 535 shots)
4. Jean-Sebastien Giguere, 2003 (59.3% on 697 shots)
5. Tuukka Rask, 2013 (59.4% on 761 shots)
6. Richard Brodeur, 1982 (60.4% on 594 shots)
7. Jonathan Quick, 2012 (60.4% on 538 shots)
8. Dominik Hasek, 1999 (60.7% on 587 shots)
9. Patrick Roy, 1986 (61.3% on 504 shots)
10. Patrick Roy, 2001 (62.6% on 622 shots)
11. Olaf Kolzig, 1998 (62.6% on 740 shots)
12. Pelle Lindbergh, 1985 (62.6% on 487 shots)
 

Rebels57

Former Flyers fan
Sponsor
Sep 28, 2014
76,364
122,629
Lindbergh would have certainly made it a more interesting series.

The bigger question mark to me is what would that 1986 Flyers team have done. They started the season 12-2 and then Lindbergh died in the accident. They ended up losing in the 1st round of the Playoffs despite a 53 win season.

They were able to get back to the Finals in 1987 with a rookie Hextall in net.
 

tony d

Registered User
Jun 23, 2007
76,589
4,548
Behind A Tree
Pelle is a definite what if. Got to think he was so good he would have led the Flyers to at least 1 Cup. The 1986 Cup perhaps? What then becomes of Patrick Roy's legacy?
 

quoipourquoi

Goaltender
Jan 26, 2009
10,123
4,126
Hockeytown, MI
It would take one hell of a playoff series to knock-off the Rangers in 1986. Best-of-5, and Vanbiesbrouck put together 30/32, 31/33, 34/36, and 42/44 games.
 

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