Pelle Lindbergh

Göran Per-Eric "Pelle" Lindbergh ( May 24, 1959 in Stockholm, Sweden – November 11, 1985 in Somerdale, New Jersey, United States) was a Swedish professional goaltender who played parts of five seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Playing career
Having gained fame while playing for local team Hammarby in his youth, and especially making his debut in the highest Swedish hockey league with AIK (Stockholm) leading him to the Swedish National Team in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, Lindbergh set his sights on the North American game. Lindbergh owns the distinction of being the goaltender on the only team which did not lose to the gold-medal winning Team USA at the 1980 Olympics, as his Team Sweden and Team USA played to a 2-2 tie in the first game of the tournament. 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.

Death
On November 10, 1985, he drove his car into a wall in front of a New Jersey, elementary school, fatally injuring himself and also injuring two others. Lindbergh died the next day, November 11.

Lindbergh topped the fan voting for the 1986 NHL All-Star Game. It would mark the first time a player was chosen posthumously for an all-star team in a major North American team sport.

Though his number 31 was never officially retired by the Flyers, no Flyer has worn the number 31 since Lindbergh's death.

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
 * 1982-83 NHL All-Star Game
 * 1984-85 NHL All-Star Game
 * 1984–85 Vezina Trophy
 * 1984–85 NHL First-Team All-Star
 * 1985–86 NHL All-Star Game (awarded posthumously)

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.