Flyers buy out Oskar Lindblom’s contract to help clear room for a big move

The Philadelphia Flyers are trying to make room to make a big move on Wednesday when free agency opens up. On Tuesday the team announced they were buying out the final year of Oskar Lindblom’s contract with the team.

In doing so, the Flyers start to clear up a bit of cap space to make a move on Wednesday when free agency opens up at noon eastern. The only real issue in buying out Lindblom’s contract is the fact that the team now has to say goodbye to a fan favorite who has been through a heck of a lot during his time in Philadelphia.

Oskar Lindblom was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma in December of 2019 and battled back to the ice after missing time that season. He has been a big presence on the Flyers the past few seasons and this buyout seems to just be a decision for the future of the franchise with the cap space it creates.

Lindblom has been the Flyers nominee twice for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy given out to the player who best embodies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the game of hockey.

Here are his stats so far in his career:

Lindblom is still relatively young and is coming off of one of his best performances during a full season in the NHL. Some team is going to snatch him up on a good deal, I just hope a true contender makes the move as Lindblom deserves to win a Stanley Cup.

As for the Flyers, the rumor is that this team is going to do everything in their power to go out and sign Johnny Gaudreau, but this move does not nearly give the Flyers enough room to get a deal like that done.

According to CapFriendly, the Flyers are working with a little over three million in cap space for next season. In order to go out and bring in a big-name player like Gaudreau, this team is going to need some more moves before anyone is added.

Maybe a guy like James van Riemsdyk is traded as that would clear up seven million in cap space for the Flyers. The only issue in getting a deal done there has to be what the Flyers are willing to give and get for Riemsdyk.

The Flyers are going to miss Oskar Lindblom, and on behalf of all fans, best of luck wherever you land next!