You know, I was sitting on the toilet and doom-scrolling through my phone. I was looking to see what the latest brain-rotting dance was. Was it the fat Turkish guy who danced when he got a buffet of food, going "Skibidi dop dop dop?" Maybe Brad Marchand was chasing some people with a broom.
It wasn't any of these things. What did catch my attention was Carl Lindbom's excellent season with the Henderson Silver Knights. Just check out the stat output he had with the AHL club in 2024-25.
Looking at those stats is a mind-blowing affair. First, Lindbom had a GAA of 2.65 and a save percentage of .912. But adding three shutouts on top of that? With this AHL club? Now that's an impressive feat.
That has some fans hopeful for the 23-year-old's future. Could he be a starter for the Golden Knights in the future? Could he form a tandem with Adin Hill in two or three years?
Both seem like realistic possibilities given how well the Swedish netminder has done. But why not look at a possible road map for him to make the main roster next season? After all, it offers Kelly McCrimmon another chance to take on a cheaper option in net (bye bye, Ilya Samsonov!).
The pros and cons of calling up Carl Lindbom to the Golden Knights
For Lindbom, it has been an effortless ride to the top of the NHL hierarchy. He's handled the Swedish Hockey League with ease, after all. He posted a GAA of 2.11 and a save percentage of .913 in three seasons.
He seems to be handling the faster pace of the AHL well, too. His promising season on a bad Silver Knights team is proof enough that the 23-year-old is ready for the next big step.
There's also his quickness and goaltending IQ that stand out. He's much better at tracking pucks and follows the play intently. That's what helps him make up for his lack of size as a goaltender (6'0").
However, some obstacles do remain. For one, Adin Hill signed a six-year deal with the Golden Knights in March. It might be a while before Lindbom gets handed the reins if Hill acts as a consistent goaltending force.
There's also the Akira Schmid factor. The Swiss netminder was solid in his brief time with the NHL club, posting a GAA of 1.26 and a save percentage of .944. Unlike Lindbom, Schmid has a distinct size advantage and stands at 6'5". He doesn't need to move much and is growing into his size in the net.
The verdict on Lindbom's viability
Let's be honest. A lot can change in five months. You could have a goaltender traded for prospects or a young, viable winger. You could also have a prospect completely fall off a cliff (a la Brendan Brisson), making room for another player to take a spot (think Tanner Pearson).
That is enough for Lindbom to stand a chance at making the main roster. He has the skill set and hockey IQ necessary to thrive in the NHL. He's also shown this in the AHL and overseas, handling the fast-paced pressure of hockey with ease.
As it stands, Schmid likely gets the nod based on how well he handled the pressure of being in the NHL. After all, he even played in a Stanley Cup playoff game, albeit for one period. Still, don't count out the Silver Knights star and his limitless abilities.