Carl Lindbom has some of the loftier expectations in the world. He's one of the hottest prospects in the Vegas Golden Knights farm system and he's made his way to North America. One would expect him to deliver in his debut with the Henderson Silver Knights, especially after posting ridiculous numbers in Sweden.
That's exactly what happened as the Silver Knights defeated the Texas Stars in Austin, 5-4. Now, I know what you're thinking.
"How can a goaltender have a great night while allowing four goals?"
Here's the thing, dear reader. When you stop 43 of 47 shots in a high-scoring affair, you're afforded the luxury of getting praised in such a situation. Sure, the AHL team had Tanner Laczynski scored two goals while Robert Hagg added another. However, the Swedish netminder showed he could handle the workload in a faster-paced environment.
Lindbom's save percentage amounted to .915, making matters even more impressive. Although allowing four goals will hurt his GAA, it doesn't matter as much when he's taking on a high volume of shots. It helps that his skaters picked up the tab, contributing significant offense in the victory. Some potential ramifications loom with the Silver Knights netminder putting on a solid performance as well.
What Carl Lindbom having a solid debut could mean for the Henderson Silver Knights... and Vegas Golden Knights later
The obvious take is this will help Carl Lindbom and his goaltender stock as he progresses. Saturday's contest proved he can handle a large workload, especially when the shots pour in. When his blue line couldn't contain the opposition from an onslaught of scoring opportunities, he still held serve.
If things stay on track, it could mean a future goaltender controversy is in everyone's hands. Either that or the Vegas Golden Knights will have a formidable one-two punch with Lindbom and Akira Schmid.
His Swiss counterpart is a traditional netminder, carrying a 6'5" frame with him during each game. Lindbom is smaller, yet more agile. These contrasting styles balance each other out, giving the Golden Knights a solid future combination.
As for the Henderson Silver Knights, they will enter the new AHL season with arguably one of the better goaltending tandems around. Having Lindbom, Schmid, and Jesper Vikman provides them the necessary depth for success. In an improved Pacific Division, Henderson has a fighting chance with a stable group.
Enough about how well the Swedish netminder has done during his tenure in the Golden Knights farm system can't be said. From putting up jaw-dropping numbers overseas to having an impressive debut for the Silver Knights, fans should be excited for the upcoming years. In fact, that excitement should bleed over to the AHL club, bringing more fans to watch Lindbom play.