TOP 100 OILERS: WILLY LINDSTROM (89)

8 years ago

The Willy Lindstrom fans of the Edmonton Oilers saw after he arrived in town was distinctly different than the player they watched score a bushel of goals for the Winnipeg Jets in the WHA and NHL, but he was nonetheless a significant player with Edmonton’s first two Stanley Cup teams.

Lindstrom was 31 by the time he was acquired from the Jets for Laurie Boschman during the 1982-83 season. He had nine straight seasons of 20-or-more goals and three AVCO Cups from his WHA days on his resume, and he’d settle in nicely as a checker and complementary player to all that young talent Glen Sather’s Oilers had up front.

Willy Lindstrom #19

Right Wing

NUMBER:	19	BIRTHDATE:	May 5, 1951
HEIGHT:	6′ 1″	BIRTHPLACE:	Grums, Sweden
WEIGHT:	180

BY THE NUMBERS

CAREER REGULAR SEASON STATISTICS

SEASON	TEAM	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	GWG	S	S%
1979-80	JETS (1979)	79	23	26	49	-19	20	5	4	243	9.5
1980-81	JETS (1979)	72	22	13	35	-28	45	7	1	163	13.5
1981-82	JETS (1979)	74	32	27	59	11	33	5	5	236	13.6
1982-83	JETS (1979)	63	20	25	45	-5	8	5	3	204	9.8
1982-83	OILERS	10	6	5	11	5	2	0	0	21	28.6
1983-84	OILERS	73	22	16	38	17	38	2	3	116	19.0
1984-85	OILERS	80	12	20	32	5	18	1	1	98	12.2
1985-86	PENGUINS	71	14	17	31	0	30	0	1	87	16.1
1986-87	PENGUINS	60	10	13	23	9	6	1	1	93	10.8
	NHL TOTALS	582	161	162	323	-5	200	26	19	1,261	12.8

CAREER PLAYOFF STATISTICS

SEASON	TEAM	GP	G	A	P	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG
1981-82	JETS (1979)	4	2	1	3	2	0	0	0
1982-83	OILERS	16	2	11	13	4	1	0	0
1983-84	OILERS	19	5	5	10	10	3	0	0
1984-85	OILERS	18	5	1	6	8	0	0	1
1988-89	BRYNAS IF GAVLE-SWEDEN	5	3	1	4	4
1989-90	BRYNAS IF GAVLE-SWEDEN	3	0	0	0	0
	NHL TOTALS	57	14	18	32	24	4	0	1

NOTABLE

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Lindstrom’s offensive pinnacle as a pro in North America came in 1976-77 with the Jets in the WHA when he scored 44-36-80. With the Oilers boasting the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Glenn Anderson up front and playing a secondary role, Lindstrom wouldn’t post those kinds of numbers in Edmonton, and he wasn’t expected to.

His best season with the Oilers came in 1983-84, when he scored 22-16-38 in 73 games, mostly as a third- and fourth-line player. Once the money was on the table, when the playoffs began, Lindstrom was at his best as a checker who could turn the puck up ice and get something done when chances arose.

The Oilers first trip to the Stanley Cup final ended in a 4-0 sweep at the hands of the New York Islanders. Lindstrom scored 2-11-13 in 16 games. In the 1984 playoffs, Lindstrom had 5-5-10 in 19 games as the Oilers won their first Cup, ending New York’s four-year reign as champions.

THE STORY

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When the Oilers hoisted the Stanley Cup for the second time in 1985, Lindstrom scored just 5-1-6 in the post-season, but three of the goals he scored came in the Cup final against the Philadelphia Flyers, including the game-winner in a 3-1 victory in Game 2 that tied the Cup final 1-1.

“It was a wonderful feeling to win,” Lindstrom said of beating the Islanders in 1984. The first time was the best, but from a personal standpoint I scored more important goals when we won the Cup the second time.

“I scored three important goals in the finals and when we won the second game against Philadelphia I scored the most important goal of my entire hockey career.”

This series will look at the top 100 Edmonton Oilers from the NHL era 1979-80 to 2014-15, starting with 100 and working up.

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