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

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

CAREER PLAYOFF STATISTICS

SEASONTEAMGPGAP+/-PIMPPGSHGGWG
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

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.
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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

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.
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“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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