Philadelphia Flyers forward Oskar Lindblom has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and will miss the rest of the season to focus on treatment, the team announced.
23-year-old Lindblom is a rising star in the NHL -- he already has 18 points in 30 games this season ... impressive for someone so young.
But, Friday the team announced Lindblom has been diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma -- which is described by St. Jude's as "a cancerous tumor that grows in the bones or in the tissue around bones (soft tissue)."
Only about 200 children and young adults are diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma each year in the United States.
The good news ... the cancer is treatable and people diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma have a good chance of beating it, according to WebMD.
The Flyers say Lindblom "will undergo further testing and evaluation next week and begin treatment immediately thereafter."
"He is not expected to return to play for the remainder of the season."
The team added, "The Flyers will do everything possible to support Oskar and assist him in securing the best care available."
"Out of respect for Oskar and his family the team will have no further comment at this time and asks that Oskar be afforded a period of privacy so that he may focus his efforts on his treatment and a return to full health."