Patrick Williams delivers FloHockey AHL Power Rankings every week throughout the regular season.
Get Karl Lindbom in net for the Henderson Silver Knights, a team that can scare — and more — the top teams in the Western Conference.
Lindbom, 22, is in his second season with the Silver Knights and may be the most unknown prospect in the AHL. Lindbom was drafted by the Vegas Golden Knights in the seventh round of the 2021 NHL Draft and is quickly becoming someone who could challenge for an NHL job in the near future.
Lindbom is a product of the Djurgårdens project in Stockholm and was born out of this system. Just after becoming a seventh-round pick, he really started to take off in the 2021-22 season. He made his SHL debut with Djurgårdens and was selected to represent Sweden at the IIHF World Youth Championship. A season later, with Djurgårdens moving into the second-tier AllSvenskan circuit, he made 36 appearances and was once again selected for the WJC.
He was loaned to SHL club Färjestad for the 2023-24 season, a task he accomplished brilliantly with a 17-7-0 lineup. 2.11 | 2.11 .911 performance. Before that season, the Golden Knights had signed him to a three-year entry-level contract in May 2023. They chose to bring him to North America before last season to further develop alongside Henderson.
He did it.
He played 36 games last season with the struggling Silver Knights, which meant a lot of work to do. He leads all AHL rookie netminders with 1,061 shots on goal, and he's doing a great job. His .912 save percentage ranks him second among AHL rookies behind Nikke Kokko of the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
His absence was also felt by the Silver Knights this season when he was recalled to the NHL club. After the game against Henderson on October 17, he did not return to the team's position until December 5. He had appeared in his first eight NHL games and endured another month-long absence in January and February, with the Silver Knights winning just two of eight games (2-3-3-0) without him. He was selected to play with the team in the AHL All-Star Classic last month, but ultimately had to withdraw.
But he returned to Henderson's net on February 14 in San Jose and quickly stabilized the team's situation. He can handle a heavy workload and has made five of seven starts since then. He led the team to a 6-2 win over the Firebirds on the road last Wednesday, and returned home two days later to shoot 37-of-39 from the field against the powerful Colorado Eagles.
For now, Lindbom's demands are not abated. The Silver Knights will return to action Wednesday night at home against Coachella Valley. They will then face the Pacific Division-leading Ontario Reign in a home series that begins Friday. Next week they begin a 10-day, six-game stretch with trips to Tucson, Abbotsford and Calgary.
2026 Coachella Valley Firebirds vs Henderson Silver Knights
They've had to lose him at various points this season and they've felt the pain of his absence. With Carter Hart still out for the Golden Knights, Lindbon is just one recall away from the injury in Vegas.
Henderson could be a threat if he stays put, though.
1) Grand Rapids Griffins(–)
Fittingly, the powerhouse Griffins clinched their first Calder Cup playoff spot last week. Nearly three-quarters of the way through hockey, they're holding a .811 scoring percentage, and they're still in position to challenge the league-record .775 scoring percentage set by the 1992-93 Binghamton Rangers. They'll get a good test this Friday and Saturday in Cleveland with two games.
2) Providence Bruins (–)
The brief “slump” the Bruins went through in February clearly got them back on their feet. They traveled to Lehigh Valley and won 6-4 before sweeping the Bridgeport Islanders in a two-game homestand. Despite the Griffins' strong showing so far this season, the Bruins are just three points behind Grand Rapids in the AHL. It's conceivable that not one, but two teams will be able to challenge Binghamton's record this season.
3) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins(–)
The Penguins improved to 4-0-2-0 with two wins over the weekend in Cleveland, allowing them to challenge Providence for the Eastern Conference lead. This Friday, they will have a road rematch with the Syracuse Crunch, a team that came to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on February 14th and lost 5-0. Joel Blomqvist and Sergei Murashov are still the kings of the net.
4) Ontario Reign (+2)
It was a very easy week for the Reign, who only played one game. They defeated the Bakersfield Condors 4-2 at home. Defenseman Angus Booth, forward Kenny Connors and winger Jared Wright all have the opportunity to make their NHL debuts this week for the Los Angeles Kings. Booth even scored his first NHL goal in the same game. With the Kings' head coach changing and pressure from NHL clubs, the Reign began to do its own thing.
5) Laval Rockets(-1)
Jacob Fowler remains absent, forcing Kaapo Kähkönen to take on more work last week. Last Friday, they defeated the Rochester Americans 9-3. Kahkonen finally got a break the next night in Syracuse, which lost to Hunter Jones after allowing six goals on 13 shots.
6) Colorado Eagles (-1)
In the team's two games over the weekend, Colorado gave up five goals on Henderson's 10 power play opportunities. They still managed to end the weekend with a penalty shootout win. Their eight-game road trip continues Friday and Saturday in Abbotsford.
7) Chicago Wolves (+2)
Kayden Primo was outstanding in goal for Wolves, while Amir Miftakhov struggled. The Wolves conceded 12 goals in three games last week despite allowing just 52 shots in total. They need better goaltending than this. Looking at the rankings, this team finds itself in a strange position. First place in the Central Division is long gone, but the second-place Wolves have a sizable lead over their other neighbors in the division. Unless one of those teams rises up or the Wolves fall apart, Chicago isn't likely to make much of a move.
8) Bakersfield Condors (-1)
The Condors are dealing with the fallout from several moves by the Edmonton Oilers. Guard Alec Regula is back. He will be joined by forward Andrew Mangiapane, who has been cleared off waivers. Josh Samansky went to Edmonton. Calvin Pickard joined the Condors last month. A lot is happening.
9) San Jose Barracuda (+1)
Laurent Brossoit has provided the Barracuda with a .906 goaltending so far, which is solid enough but probably not enough for them to truly be among the top teams in the Pacific Division in the playoffs unless the NHL veteran can find the next level. Gabriel Carriere was traded to ECHL affiliate Wichita Thunder. But as Matt Davis recalls, Carriere's successor allowed five goals in last Sunday's loss to the Tucson Roadrunners. The Barracudas lead the AHL in scoring and can beat other teams on some nights, but they must step up defensively without the puck.
10) Charlotte Checkers(-2)
The 10-game road trip continues. Two games are scheduled for this weekend at Lehigh Valley, but the wear and tear is already showing. Still, clearing such a large portion of the road schedule means the Checkers will likely be in good shape as March and April progress. When they return home, they will play six games at home against the Bridgeport Islanders, Hartford Wolfpack and Lehigh Valley.
11) Syracuse Crunch (+1)
After back-to-back home wins, the Crunch can further reduce Laval's lead in the North Division with a successful trip to Bell Place on Wednesday. Then the Penguins return to Syracuse on Friday. What they really need to do, they figure, is avoid disappointment in their Sunday afternoon visit to Utica. They have lost their last three road games to the last-place Comets.
12) Cleveland Monsters(-1)
The Monsters have won four of their last five games and are looking like a real team again. How true is that? The Griffins will welcome both in town this weekend, which is a good barometer.
13) Toronto Marlies (-3)
Parent team the Toronto Maple Leafs are in chaos as the NHL trade deadline approaches on Friday, but the Marris are quietly taking care of their business. Facing two top teams in Laval and Chicago, the Marlies picked up two wins and a penalty shootout victory. How much will the parent team's lineup change this week? What impact, if any, will any of this have on the Marlies as they face a 31-night, 13-game schedule in March?
14) Coachella Valley Firebirds (-1)
While Victor Osterman has had some bright spots in Nick Koko's absence, it may ultimately need to be Koko's net. Koko's 33 saves helped the Firebirds beat Bakersfield in a shootout on Saturday. After a quick trip to Henderson, they will face the Calgary Wranglers on Friday and Saturday.
15) Texas Stars(+1)
Last weekend's game against the San Diego Gulls gave the Stars a glimpse of where they were in March and April – with a very similar opponent competing for a playoff spot. In addition to the Wolves, who will face them six times, the Stars will face the Pacific Division exclusively next month.
16) Henderson Silver Knights (+3)
the rest
17) San Diego Gulls (–)
18) Rochester Americans (-3)
19) Manitoba Moose(-1)
20) Hershey Bear(+1)
21) Tucson Roadrunners(-1)
22) Lehigh Valley Phantom (+2)
23) Bridgeport Islanders(–)
24) Belleville Senators (-2)
25) Springfield Thunderbirds (+1)
26) Milwaukee Admirals (-1)
27) Comet Utica (+2)
28) Calgary Wranglers (-1)
29) Abbotsford Canucks (+1)
30) Rockford IceHogs (-2)
31) Iowa Wild(–)
32) Hartford Wolf Pack (–)
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