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Flyers left wing prospect Oskar Lindblom was projected to be a first- or second-round draft pick this year, but a disappointing season of junior hockey in Sweden dropped him to the fifth round.
(Flyers)
VOORHEES – The plan for Oskar Lindblom wasn't for these last few days participating in Flyers development camp to be his first in the United States.
The plan for the Flyers youngest prospect, who doesn’t turn 18 until August, was to leave home in Sweden two weeks ago for Philadelphia.
The plan was to be in the stands at Wells Fargo Center hearing an NHL team announce his name as its the first- or second-round pick in the 2014 NHL draft.
That’s what was expected before this nice-sized left winger with impressive offensive skills went out last season and played his way into being a late rounder.
"It happens,” Flyers director of scouting Chris Pryor said.
Playing for Brynas in the J20 SuperElit, Sweden's top junior league, Lindblom scored 13 goals and 33 points in 43 games, good numbers for a lot of players but not for the kind of talent this 6-foot-2, 187-pounder has. The result was a disappointing final pre-draft ranking by Central Skating, which listed him as the 23rd best European skater available.
Flyers' Swedish scout Joakim Grundberg watched the kid’s tumble firsthand quite a bit, yet unlike others, never stopped being intrigued, never stopped being a believer that Lindblom could blossom into an NHL player.
“Joakim Grundberg really liked him a lot," Flyers co-player development director John Riley said. "He went to bat for Oskar in our meetings. Our guys do a real good job of identifying guys that they want to get and where they think we can get them, which is equally important.”
The Flyers drafted Lindblom in the fifth round, and in time they think this kid who didn't live up to expectations last season someday could become a goal scorer, perhaps even a top-6 winger.
“In a couple years, the goal is to play here in the NHL,” Lindblom told NJ.com. “If next season goes well, maybe I’ll come over the following season.”
Lindblom definitely doesn’t lack self confidence.
“I’ve scored many goals and points, but I think I'm an all-around player,” Lindblom says.
Becoming an NHL player in just two or three years might be a stretch because Lindblom is so young and so raw.
Next season will be a big jump, as Lindblom is expected to play with grown men in one of the top leagues in the world, the Sweden Hockey League. He got four games in there last season, and although he didn't score a point, he came away thinking he belongs.
“Their bigger and stronger and all that, but it went good for me in the games I played,” Lindblom said.
This has been a fun first trip to the United Staes for Lindblom, whose experience included a night out to take in a Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park.
“It’s really fun being here,” he said. "To be here in the Philadelphia Flyers (practice) building, I'm taking it all in.”
He says that he doesn’t know much about the Flyers, although he’s aware that they’re always regarded as a tough team.
“I don’t search for a fight, but I will when I get angry,” he said with a smile.
Lindblom sure has made a good first impression the last few days at develop camp – on and off the ice.
"He's been great here," Riley said. "He's very young, so h's obviously got to get stronger and improve in certain areas, but he wants to learn. He wants to get better, and that's what this week is all about. It's coming here, stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things and working to incorporate some of our core values into your game moving forward.
"He's a very impressive kid. He's well spoken, even with the language barrier. He has a lot of qualities that you look for in the limited time I've been with him character wise. He looks you in the eye when you speak to him. Firm handshake. He's engaging. He's gregarious. He's a really good kid."
Lindblom's hometown is Gavle, which is 100 miles north of Stockholm on Sweden's East Coast.
Gayle was a childhood home to 1970s singer Cat Stevens, whose mother is from there. Gayle also is home to Lindblom's hockey hero, Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom, one of the NHL's top playmakers.
Two other hockey players Lindblom looks up are his father (Johan), a 1997 fifth-round draft pick of the Rangers, and older brother by 18 months (Marcus), a teammate last season who is an undrafted center.
"I would think that probably helped him,” Riley said. “Typically those hockey families can help you understand the culture of the game and some of the things that you need to do to be successful in your career.”
That’s a plan that hasn’t changed for Lindblom.
His short-term plan is to do everything in his power to improve.
"I need to get stronger and faster,” he said. "I need to work on my skating. I try to push myself because I want to play in the NHL."
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