Pelle Lindbergh

Pelle Lindbergh
Born	May 24, 1959 Stockholm, SWE
Died	November 10, 1985 Somerdale, NJ, USA
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight	198 lb (90 kg; 14 st 2 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Played for	AHL  Maine Mariners NHL  Philadelphia Flyers
NHL draft	35th overall, 1979 Philadelphia Flyers
Playing career	1980–1985

Per-Eric "Pelle" Lindbergh (May 24, 1959 – November 10, 1985) was a Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender who played parts of five seasons in the NHL for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Playing career

Having gained fame while playing for local team Hammarby in his youth and for the Swedish National Team in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, Lindbergh set his sights on the North American game. After being drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft (2nd round, 35th overall), he started out his North American career during the 1980-81 season by playing a couple seasons for the Maine Mariners of the AHL before playing his first games for the Flyers in 1981-82. In 1982-83, he was named goalie of the NHL All-Rookie Team. He led the NHL with 40 victories during the 1984-85 season and won the Vezina Trophy, the first European goaltender to do so in NHL history. That same year, he was also named a First Team All-Star. On November 10, 1985, he drove his customized Porsche 930 Turbo into a wall in front of a Somerdale, NJ elementary school, fatally injuring himself and injuring two others. At the time, he was returning from the Coliseum, the former practice center for the Flyers located in Voorhees, NJ. Law enforcement disclosed that he was intoxicated at the time of the accident, with a blood alcohol level of .24, above the NJ legal limit of .1.

In 2006 a Swedish biography titled "Pelle Lindbergh; behind the white mask" was written by author Thomas Tynander. There are plans for an English version.

Awards

• 1980-81 Les Cunningham Award
• 1980-81 Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award
• 1980-81 Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award
• 1982-83 NHL All-Rookie Team
• 1984-85 Vezina Trophy
• 1984-85 NHL First-Team All-Star

The Philadelphia Flyers named an award, the Pelle Lindbergh Memorial, in his honor. Since 1993-94, it has been annually awarded to the most improved player on the team.

Career Statistics

Regular season

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA
1980-81	Maine Mariners	AHL		51	31	14	5	3035	165	1	3.26
1981-82	Maine Mariners	AHL		25	17	7	2	1505	83	0	3.31
1981-82	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		8	2	4	2	480	35	0	4.38
1982-83	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		40	23	13	3	2333	116	3	2.98
1983-84	Springfield Indians	AHL		4	4	0	0	240	12	0	3.00
1983-84	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		36	16	13	3	1999	135	1	4.05
1984-85	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		65	40	17	7	3858	194	2	3.02
1985-86	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		8	6	2	0	480	23	1	2.88
NHL CAREER TOTALS				157	87	49	15	9151	503	7	3.30
AHL CAREER TOTALS				80	52	21	7	4780	260	1	3.26

Post season

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA
1980-81	Maine Mariners	AHL		20	10	7	0	1120	66	0	3.54
1982-83	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		3	0	3	0	180	18	0	6.00
1983-84	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		2	0	1	0	26	3	0	6.92
1984-85	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		18	12	6	0	1008	42	3	2.50
NHL Totals				23	12	10	0	9151	63	3	3.11
AHL Totals				20	10	7	0	1120	66	0	3.54

International Play

Olympic medal record
Men's ice hockey
	1980 Lake Placid	Ice hockey

1980 - Played for Sweden in the XIII Olympic Winter Games

References

• Official biographical homepage
• Flyers History Bio
• Pelle Lindbergh in Fatal Car Crash
• Legends of Hockey Profile
• Pelle Lindbergh 31 Campaign
• Tribute to Pelle Lindbergh