Sweden has a long history of producing world-class goalies.
Before the likes of Henrik Lundqvist, Robin Lehner, Linus Ullmark, and Jacob Markström, there was Pelle Lindbergh, who won the Vezina Trophy in 1985 as the first European ever but tragically died at just 26.
But there has also been Peter Lindmark.
He never played in the NHL but had a successful international career, representing Team Sweden in the Canada Cup in 1981, 1984, and 1987.
He also won one World Championship and was named the best goaltender in the world by the IIHF twice. But he had a tough time playing Wayne Gretzky.
When Sweden played Canada in the 1987 Canada Cup, he played against a line consisting of Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Dale Hawerchuk.
But before the game against Canada, Peter Lindmark thought he had everything in control.
”Peter told oss before the game in Montreal, ’Gretzky doesn’t shoot the puck that well, he shoots it pretty poorly actually. So just make sure you got the other two covered,’” said Swedish teammate Håkan Södergren.
But as it would turn out, he was completely wrong about that.
Peter Lindmark had never played in the NHL, and his assessment of Gretzky’s shot was completely false.
After just less than a minute played of the game, he had been proven wrong, and it led to a hilarious moment between the goalie and his teammates, whom he had told to ignore Gretzky before the game.
”After 50 seconds, Gretzky shoots the puck in the top shelf. After that, Peter skated over to us and said, ’By the way, mark Gretzky as well.’”
