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Flyers & #31, time to pass it along or retire it officially?

November 12, 2018, 8:17 AM ET [37 Comments]
Eklund
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It was 33 Years ago yesterday that my favorite all-time hockey player, Pelle Lindbergh, died in a car accident after drinking and driving his Porsche into a cement wall about 5 miles from the house I grew up in. The house I was sleeping in when the news came over the radio.

Pelle was the greatest. A hell of a goalie, and a wonderful person. Our own Bill Meltzer shared my admiration for Pelle so much that he traveled to Sweden, met with everyone important in Lindbergh’s life, and wrote the definitive biography on # 31. Pelle was amazing and beloved. Lindbergh’s iconic mask was a copy of his idol’s Bernie Parent, and Pelle always wore #1 before he came to the Flyers, in Sweden and the AHL, because of his love for Bernie. But #1 was retired in Philly so he switched to #31 which he wore proudly during his shortened career.

I was kid at the time and I fell in love with Pelle watching the 80s Olympics. I too had formerly idolized Parent, but I was so young when Bernie and the Flyers won their Cup, so the idea of Lindbergh, wearing that mask and playing so much like Bernie was amazing. I had always worn #1 until Pelle, but I switched to #31 because of Pelle when he entered the league. I still wear #31 whenever I suit up and play in a charity tournament or in the NHL media games...because I wear #31, my daughter wears #31 as a high level high school soccer goalie, so Pelle Lindbergh’s legacy most definitely lives in in my family. The number 31 is sacred to our family.

Since Lindbergh’s death, 33 years ago, no Flyer has worn #31. Plenty of goalies have been on the Flyers in that period of time who could have worn 31, but none have ever taken it out of respect for Pelle Lindbergh. 33 Years. No 31. There has really never been much talk of retiring #31.

Now however the Flyers goalie of the future, Carter Hart, is marinating in the AHL. Hart is the most highly touted Flyers goalie to come along in the 33 years since Pelle’s death. Carter is one of the best goalie prospects to come into the NHL itself in years. He is a great kid too; mature beyond his years. Hart has led Team Canada to Junior Championships and has torn apart the record books in juniors. And he has done a lot of this wearing the number #31. He did wear #70 in juniors... He is currently playing for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and wearing...you guessed it #31. So far, for the Flyers in preseason games he has worn #79. But of course he hasn’t made the team yet. He is a class act all the way, and I am guessing he won’t even ask for #31 and may not even understand the significance. Hart was born more than a decade after Pelle died.

But if ever a player was worthy to being back Pelle’s number...it is Carter Hart.

Bill Meltzer wrote about this back in August and here are his thoughts:

For sentimental reasons, I would personally prefer if the Flyers maintain the tradition of keeping Lindbergh's number out of circulation. Maintaining that tradition is a way to honor not just Pelle, but also the likes of Dave "Sudsy" Settlemyre, son Derek Settlemyre, Kevin Cady, Jim "Turk" Evers and Harry Bricker, who have all helped preserve Lindbergh's memory through the years. Sudsy, Derek (as a child), Kevin and Turk were all close with Pelle during his lifetime, and Derek and Harry are, of course, still with the team.

That said, I do not believe that Lindbergh himself would have been offended by the notion of another Flyers goalie someday wearing his old number....

Despite my admiration of Pelle as a goalie and as an impossible-to-dislike human being, I do not think the Flyers should retire his jersey officially. It is not due to the circumstances of his death. It's due to the shortness of his career.

Lindbergh only played three full seasons plus six weeks in the NHL before his passing. Yes, the pedigree was there for a Hall of Fame type of career -- a progression from WJC All-Tournament Team to 1980 Olympic standout to AHL MVP/Goalie of the Year/Rookie of the Year honors to NHL All-Rookie Team and NHL All-Star to Vezina winner and Hart Trophy finalist to getting off to an even better start the next year. But as blindingly bright as his future likely would have been, that future never happened.

Lindbergh's memory is officially recognized by the Flyers through the team award that bears his name. The Pelle Lindbergh Memorial Trophy, which commemorates Lindbergh's Vezina winning/ Hart Trophy finalist 1984-85 season following a terrible struggle in his second NHL campaign one year prior, is given annually to the Flyers most improved player.

So that's how I see it. Lindbergh's place in team history already has an official means of being recognized. The tradition of keeping his jersey number out of circulation is a credit to the team staff members with whom Pelle was just as close if not even closer than with his teammates. Thus, I am in favor of keeping that tradition going. However, if the number someday went back into circulation, whether with Hart, some future Flyers goalie from Sweden or someone else, I don't think the easy-going Lindbergh would have personally minded it. More likely, he'd have been amused that the notion of someone else wearing his number caused a fuss.


Bill, of course makes some great points. And I get his opinion and could share it as well. Now there is a goalie worthy of this number...and there has been a great deal of time that has passed. While I love the Flyers gesture and completely get it, I think everyone would be better served with something concrete. Retire the number 31 or don’t.

This in between spot made sense for a while...but 33 years have passed.

I am surprised to hear myself saying it, but I believe it is time. I would be fine with it NOT being time, but if Pelle's number is never to be worn again, I do believe it's time that the Flyers either retire Lindbergh’s #31 officially, or allow the great number to be passed on to the best goalie prospect since Pelle, Carter Hart. I have no doubt that Hart would completely be able to understand the great honor this is. He is that great of a kid.

There is no bigger fan of Pelle or the number itself than I am.. but I feel it’s time for the number to either live again or hang in the rafters.

What say you?



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