PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — In a year filled with sad and tragic headlines, Oskar Lindblom’s story keeps getting better.
“We’re very excited to watch him continue his career and rejoin his teammates and be a very productive player for the Flyers for years to come,” Flyers President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Chuck Fletcher said.
Fletcher announced the team signed Lindblom to a three-year, $9 million contract extension (an average annual value of $3 million).
There's nobody more deserving!@oskarlindblom is STAYING PUT with the @NHLFlyers. --Read more: https://t.co/lBRLDUCbwc pic.twitter.com/qwo8ciOWFU
— NHL (@NHL)
July 22, 2020 In addition to the welcome news of the almost-24-year-old's contract extension, Fletcher caught the attention of many when he dropped this piece of information during Wednesday’s media availability.
“We’re hopeful that Oskar will be one of our 31 players that we bring into the bubble in Toronto (for the resumption of the season),” he said.
In December, Lindblom was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone cancer that, at the time, officially ended his 2019-20 season. It was a breakout campaign for Lindblom, who was tied for the team lead with 11 goals through 30 games.
The news hit the Flyers, Philadelphia and the hockey community hard. Lindblom, very well-liked by his peers, is known for having a kind and up-beat personality. It didn’t take very long for
#OskarStrong to catch on.
Oskar Lindblom is back at the Wells Fargo Center and the crowd gave him a standing ovation. #OskarStrong -- pic.twitter.com/mZJvuqzne9
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly)
January 12, 2020 The warmest of welcomes (and smiles) back to the locker room. #OskarStrong -- pic.twitter.com/Ip9O7WSmit
— x-Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers)
February 22, 2020 Fortunately, on July 2, Lindblom completed his cancer treatments, and got to “Ring The Bell” at Penn Medicine. The video was viewed over one million times on Twitter.
Fight. Inspire. Overcome. Celebrate.Ring that bell, @oskarlindblom!@PennMedicine #OskarStrong pic.twitter.com/RM1PCxHnfY
— x-Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers)
July 2, 2020 On June 23, Lindblom was seen on the ice at the Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees. When asked by KYW Newsradio if Lindblom’s status for the rest of the coronavirus-paused season changed due to that development, a Flyers PR executive texted back “Oskar will not return to play this season.”
A month later, after a reporter was wondering if Lindblom could “theoretically practice, and I guess in theory play—I assume that’s out of the question, but just wanted to get that clarification,” Fletcher said, “Absolutely. I don’t know what’s out of the question. I wouldn’t certainly put any limits on Oskar. We obviously will do everything we can to protect him, but he’s looking forward to restarting his life and his career. Whatever that means, we’ll find out, but we’ll work very closely with his medical team and our medical team and we’ll make the right decisions for him.”
Fletcher on Lindblom potentially joining the team in Toronto: "I wouldn't certainly put any limits on Oskar. We'll obviously do everything we can to protect him, but he's looking forward to restarting his life and his career. Whatever that means, we'll find out." pic.twitter.com/yh6PU1ZV7Y
— x-Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers)
July 22, 2020 Fletcher said Lindblom isn’t skating right now so they can give him more time, but he’s medically cleared.
“He’s been cleared by his oncologist and by the medical team that worked with him and by our medical team to start resuming activities and to train and to skate and he’s getting stronger all the time,” he said.
Whether Lindblom plays in the 2020 resumption or not, his inspiration holds a lot of weight on this hockey club.
“Everyone loves him,” defenseman Matt Niskanen said. “He’s just the greatest kid to have around. He’s a hell of a player. Normally I would say in the playoffs you don’t need any extra motivation, but that’s a nice little story that everyone can rally around. We think about him, we talk about him all the time, so Oskar is with us in this and everyone feels that.”
Niskanen made those comments in response to a question that assumed Lindblom wasn’t going to Toronto.
“I think the way Oskar responded to the news of the diagnosis and how he handled his treatments and how, when he was around every group afterward he was more concerned about his teammates than himself,” Fletcher said. “I think that was really a big factor in bringing our team together. The players really care about him and respect him, and I think that was, again, not that any of us wanted that to be a turning point or have that happen, but certainly the way Oskar dealt with it, I think really resonated in a positive way with our team and helped our team come together.”
In a statement about his contract extension, Lindblom said, “I am very excited to be a part of the Flyers for the next three seasons. The support that the organization, the fans, and the entire NHL has given me has been quite overwhelming. I can’t wait to get back skating with the boys and being the professional hockey player I know I can be. I want to thank the Flyers for giving me this opportunity and I look forward to the day I’m back and contributing to the team’s success.”
“In this flat-cap era, to have that cap certainty for the next three years is great for us, and from Oskar’s standpoint, obviously, after everything he’s been through, the security—I’m sure it was welcomed by him,” Fletcher said. “Hopefully, this is a win-win and, as I said to him earlier today, ’This hopefully is the smallest contract you sign for the rest of your career.’”
Lindblom is one of three finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which recognizes perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
#Flyers Oskar Lindblom is a finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. #OskarStrong pic.twitter.com/CPsydYg6WB
— Dave Uram (@MrUram)
July 16, 2020
