Flyers stand pat at trade deadline, show faith in Oskar Lindblom

MONTREAL — By standing pat at Monday's 3 p.m. trade deadline, the Flyers showed confidence in left winger Oskar Lindblom's ability to be a factor down the stretch.

Lindblom didn't score, but he played well in his first three games after being recalled from the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms, getting a promotion to the Flyers' second line in just his second game.

Even when Wayne Simmonds returns from an injury in a week or two, there's a chance Lindblom will remain in the lineup if he continues his strong play.

"We feel like we got better right now with Oskar," general manager Ron Hextall said. "Whether that continues or not, we'll see. It's a lot sometimes for a younger player, but he's done a good job. … He's got to maintain his level, or maybe get even better."

Lindblom, 21, was adept at winning board battles and was in the middle of several scoring chances in his first three games.

Before the Flyers played Montreal on Monday, Lindblom was asked if he thought the Flyers had shown trust in him by not adding a veteran winger at the trade deadline.

"I haven't thought about it that much," he said. "I'm just trying to play as good as I can and see how far it goes."

He has looked comfortable on a line with Nolan Patrick and Jake Voracek.

"Both of them are very smart players, and both can handle the puck, so I think we have pretty good chemistry out there so far," Lindblom said.

Lindblom scored 16 goals with the Phantoms this season and was an AHL all-star. It helped him get accustomed to the smaller rinks in North America.

"I like the small ice better," he said, adding that Phantoms coach Scott Gordon played a huge role in helping him make a smooth transition. "It's a totally different game, but I like it because you go to the net faster and that's where I want to be, and I just want to get some goals in front of there."

The first-round draft pick the Flyers could receive from St. Louis this June keeps looking better because the Blues have faded and have dropped out of a playoff spot.

It is the second first-round selection the Flyers will receive from St. Louis in the Brayden Schenn trade. The Flyers got a first-rounder (27^th overall) last June and took speedy center Morgan Frost, who is tearing up the Ontario Hockey League with 37 goals, 98 points, and a plus-60 rating in 58 games

St. Louis has the option of keeping this year's No. 1 pick that they dealt to the Flyers if it's a top-10 selection. If the Blues keep that pick, the Flyers would instead get a first-rounder from the Blues in 2019, along with  a third-rounder in 2020.

St. Louis would have the 16^th overall pick in the draft if the season ended before Monday's games. But the Blues dealt center Paul Stastny to Winnipeg on Monday and might continue to fall.

Stay tuned.

Injured goalie Brian Elliott should be back on the ice in a week, and will then need a couple of weeks before he is ready to return, Hextall said. … The Flyers recalled winger Matt Read from the Phantoms to add some depth. … In paper moves, Lindblom and goalie Alex Lyon were sent to the Phantoms to make them eligible for the AHL playoffs, but they remained with the Flyers. … The Flyers have three post-trade deadline recalls left, if needed. … Shayne Gostisbehere has invited members of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High hockey team, which won a Florida state title recently, to be his guests at Sunday's Flyers game in South Florida against the Panthers. Gostisbehere attended the school. Seventeen people were killed there in the Feb. 14 shootings.