A Goalie Gone Too Soon: Pelle Lindbergh

After being drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft, he was drafted in the second round, 35th overall. He started his North American career during the 1980�81 season by playing one and a half seasons for the Maine Mariners of the American Hockey League (AHL) before playing his first games for the Flyers in 1982. Playing 8 games and going 2-4-2.

In 1983, he led the NHL with 40 wins and 65 games played. Incredible statistics for such a young goaltender. During the 1984�85 season, he won the Vezina Trophy, becoming the first European. That same year, he was also named a First Team All-Star.

In his final game on November 7, 1985, he made 18 saves in leading the Philadelphia Flyers to 6-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.

Pelle Lindbergh lost control of his customized Porsche 930 Turbo and struck a wall in front of a Somerdale, New Jersey elementary school, critically injuring himself and severely injuring his two passengers. At the time of the accident, he had just left the Coliseum, the former practice center for the Flyers located in Voorhees Township, New Jersey, where he was attending a team party.

Although declared brain dead a few hours later, he was kept on life support until his father arrived from Sweden late the next day and his parents quickly gave their permission to use his organs for transplant, a 5 hour surgery.

Pelle Lindbergh died on November 11, 1985. He was 26 years old. Lindbergh is buried in Skogskyrkog�rden, a cemetery in southern Stockholm.

There is a street in Far Northeast Philadelphia, was named in his honor when it was constructed in 1986. I grew up about 5 blocks from there and i never knew that.