Prospect Update - Oskar Lindblom 12/27/17

"It's only a matter of time." - head coach Scott Gordon on Phantoms forward Oskar Lindblom

ALLENTOWN - The excitement among fans and media alike is building rapidly for Philadelphia Flyers prospect Oskar Lindblom over the past month while his numbers offensively have begun to climb at a similar pace as that excitement.

"Like I've said all along, I'm not worried about his points - they're going to come," head coach Scott Gordon reiterated after last Saturday night's win over Wilkes-Barre, referencing his scoreless first six games. "When he didn't have any [points in his first six games], he was generating his opportunities and was just snake bit."

Gordon pointed to Lindblom's getting accustomed to the smaller rink and the adjustment to North America for his slow start offensively to begin the season, similar to his first stint with the Phantoms at the tail end of the 2015-16 season. Lindblom went goalless in his first three games with the Phantoms that year before finishing with seven points (two goals, five assists) in eight games.

"It's only a matter of time. He's just so well-schooled in everything," Gordon added of Lindblom. "A little less puck possession and trying to find your offense in different ways by being around the net and getting rebounds and not necessarily trying to be an option on the perimeter as much as being an option in the high-scoring areas."

The smaller rink size in the North American game often gives those transitioning from overseas some difficulties at first. It's commonplace. There's less open ice, things happen quicker, decisions need to be made faster and more assertively and the list goes on.

As the season approaches its midway point in the coming weeks, it's easy to see Lindblom's adjusting well on this side of the pond.

"You start to read the play a little bit better," Lindblom said in a recent 1-on-1 interview with Inside AHL Hockey. "You have to be in those hard areas - that's where you score [from]."

Getting into those 'hard areas' of the ice have been no problem for Lindblom since his arrival to North America. His game is predicated upon getting to the net and when asked, Gordon agreed with the sentiment that Lindblom's game is better translated here in the North American pro game than it was when he played pro hockey in his native Sweden.

"He's probably one of the best players that we have as far as his ability on the walls to not only to protect the puck, but be able to make plays under the pressure coming in front of him or at his side," Gordon said, adding, "For me, he works in tight areas as well as anybody on our team. It's a little skill, but to know you only need about a two-foot area to work around and be able to make plays and get your shots off. That's a hard thing to do."

The points are coming in bunches for Lindblom in December. In his last eight games entering this weekend's games with Charlotte, Lindblom has tallied four goals and five assists - including his first career three-point night last Saturday in Wilkes-Barre.

"I felt very good [Saturday]," Lindblom told Inside AHL Hockey after the game. "A little lucky with the points I got, but I'll take them every day."

Flyers GM Ron Hextall referenced a lack of consistent offensive production from Lindblom in the preseason as to what ultimately led to the decision to send him to the Phantoms prior to the start of the season, but if Lindblom continues his strong play it won't be long before he cracks the Flyers lineup.

"Yeah, of course. The more you score, the more confidence you get," Lindblom said when asked if he's making a case for a call up with his recent offensive surge. "I just have to keep going and do my thing out there."