IceMen Sign Scoring Champion Nicklas Lindberg
Published on August 3, 2011 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Evansville IceMen News Release
EVANSVILLE, IN.--- Moving forward systematically and emphatically, the Evansville IceMen of the Central Hockey League are staying the steady course of roster formation as they continue to make their plans pointing to the upcoming 2011-12 season and occupancy in the new Downtown Evansville Arena.
One more giant step forward was achieved today by the Evansville club with the announcement from General Manager/Head Coach Rich Kromm that the IceMen have agreed to terms with last season's team scoring king NICKLAS LINDBERG on a new one-year contract for the approaching campaign. Adhering to club policy, terms of the pact were not disclosed.
LINDBERG, 30, will be embarking on his ninth pro season, his fourth in the CHL and his second full campaign operating under the IceMen banner. The 5-11, 190lb slick, sleek centerman returns to the IceMen following an extraordinary initial campaign with the inaugural AA/CHL franchise in 2010-11.
Crowned as the team individual scoring kingpin, averaging over a point a game in 65-games, the import from Stockholm, Sweden adeptly and adroitly authored 69-points on 15-goals and career and team-best 54-assists. Lindberg ranked among the CHL's top scoring elite, finishing 19th overall in point-production and circuit seventh in total helpers. In addition, he topped the CHL in two more major departments offensively including being the best "deadeye" around the loop in OTSO goal-scoring artistry, connecting on a league-high 5-OTSO goals in 8-attempts for an OTSO/PCT of a sterling .625. His 5-SHA tied for the league leadership in that category as well.
As far as his own IceMen team was concerned, the "Slick Nick Stick" was integral and instrumental on the power play as he led Evansville in power play goals with 8, PP/assists with 20 and PP/points totaling 28. His 6-FG also were foremost and his 1-GWG was delivered dynamically in an IceMen gigantic, dramatic 1-0 shutout triumph on Thanksgiving Night, 11/25/10 at Dayton. A polished and precision playmaker extraordinaire, the swift "Swede" maestroed 25-assists in his team's last 28-games while attaining the club's two longest point-scoring streaks of the season at 7-consecutive games; 7(3-11-14) and 7(4-8-12). In the CHL's annual "Best of the Best" Poll, Lindberg ranked #3 in the league under the category of "Most Gentlemanly Player."
GM/Coach Kromm salutes his top point-maker from last season and is looking forward to having him back in the IceMen lineup. "This has been a long awaited announcement for the IceMen organization and our many great fans. We wanted to get our leading scorer back with us as a key part of putting together this team for our second season. Nick is a very valuable player in our organization and is coming off an outstanding season for us last year. With the kind of team that we are assembling for the upcoming season, we look for Nick to continue to contribute as much as ever before and even more. He makes our team that much better."
Prior to his arrival in Evansville, Lindberg starred for two years in the IHL with the Port Huron Icehawks, finishing in the top 10 in league-wide scoring in each season. In 2009-10, he ranked ninth with 67-points in 76-games on 18-goals and team-high 49-assists, finishing fifth in the league overall in the all-important playmaking department. Moreover, he added a superb +10 rating with his 19-PPA topping the Icehawks and ranking fifth best in the league. Lindberg led the IHL in FG that season with a prolific 10.
In 2008-09, the left-hand shooting pivot finished seventh in the IHL scoring derby with 75(29-52-81), ranking runner-up on the squadron with 18-PPA while carding a superlative +15 rating.
Lindberg previously performed his craft in the CHL for two seasons with the since-extinct Corpus Christi Rayz as well as in the ECHL with the Pensacola Ice Pilots.
His pro career numbers read: 467-games; 126-goals; 255-assists; 381-points.
Today's signing of center NICKLAS LINDBERG increases the IceMen roster to 15-players with 8 of those listed as returnees from last season's debuting AA/CHL team. The IceMen signed players: goaltender BRIAN GILLIS; defensemen MATT GENS, ADAM KNOPP, JORDAN LITTLE, STEVE MAK-WAY, JAKE OBERMEYER, PHILIPPE PLANTE, NICK SCHNEIDER; left wings JOSH BEAULIEU, MARK CODY, MATT PIERCE; centers BRIAN BICEK, TODD ROBINSON; right wing DUSTIN JOHNSON.
Central Hockey League Stories from August 3, 2011
- Mavericks to Host Press Conference Friday at 2pm - Kansas City Mavericks
- IceMen Sign Scoring Champion Nicklas Lindberg - Evansville IceMen
- Quad City Mallards in the Community - Quad City Mallards
- Ornelas Returning for Third Year with Gems - Dayton Gems
- Americans Bring Back Graham - Allen Americans
- Komets Sign Defenseman Simon Mangos; Roster Grows by Three - Fort Wayne Komets
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