Photo Credit: Katelynn Reiss
Oskar Lindblom had his fair share of ups and downs last season, more ups than downs as he beat cancer, and returned to doing what he loved to do which is play hockey.
At the exit interviews, Lindblom said he was looking forward to the Summer as he was going to work hard, and train, train, train. Well for his efforts, it has paid off as he has looked a little more like his self with board battling, and battling for pucks in general. Moreover, Lindblom is still cancer free, as Alain Vigneault with a thumbs up said on Friday following practice, “One last thing…Oskar went in for his scan,” Vigneault said. “I don’t know if he told anybody, but he’s cancer-free still. That’s real positive. I don’t know if I was supposed to tell anybody that.”
He just looks bigger and stronger, like he was before his diagnosis in December of 2019, “I forgot to say, I don’t know if you’re going to ask me that, but his test results conditioning-wise were pre-cancer,” Vigneault said. “That’s a real positive sign he’s physically back to when we tested him my first year. What he did on the ice and off the ice, he’s back to that. That’s a real positive sign with obviously improvement moving forward.”
“I’m glad I’m on the same line with him and hopefully we can make it work,” Derick Brassard said yesterday. While Joel Farabee said Oskar will be improved this year, and breakout this year.
The 25-year-old in Lindblom struggled to gain his consistency back, but this should have been expected with all the trials and tribulations he dealt with last year. He tallied a big goal against the New York Islanders on March 22, 2021, as he was trying to develop some consistency. For his efforts, Lindblom finished the season strong, and there is little doubt in my mind he can return to being the player he was before his unfortunate diagnosis.
His skating has improved, and Lindblom is not shying away from contact. He’s battling for pucks in the corners, and in general. Lindblom has that stride in his skates back that made him effective before his diagnosis, “We’re obviously banking that the Oskar that we’re going to see this year is the Oskar pre-cancer,” Vigneault said. “If you remember that time, when we told him that he had cancer, I think it was our top scorer at the time. Our top goal scorer. Him, Coots and TK were coming together as a line and they were playing extremely well. They were playing together on the power play. Oskar and Coots were killing penalties together. They were a good NHL line, real good NHL line. I’m hoping with everything that I’m hearing that he’s back to where he was prior to it.”
“Obviously, we’re going to have to show a little bit of patience here but when you talk to him, you see that he feels good,” Vigneault said. “I don’t want to say he was frustrated last year, but he was because he had the mind going. The body just wasn’t doing what the mind was thinking.” He has a world of talent, and a bit more patience is required, but Lindblom has looked good at camp thus far, and we should all trust him that he returns to his old form this season.
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