Eric "Big E" Lindros

Birthdate: 28 February 1973
Birthplace: London, Ontario
Height: 6'4
Weight: 229 lbs.
Sweater Number: 88
Position: Center
Drafted/Acquired: Selected by the Quebec Nordiques in the first round (first overall) of the 1991 Entry Draft. Traded to the Flyers for a lot of players and a lot of money.
Marital Status: Single

Career Notes

1991-92: Drafted by Quebec Nordiques.
1992-93: Traded to Philadelphia for Ron Hextall, Mike Ricci, Peter Forsberg, Steve Duchesne, Kerry Huffman, 1993 first round pick, cash, and future considerations on 6/20. Named to All Rookie Team. Collects 1st and 2nd NHL hat ticks on 11/16 and 12/26.
1993-94: Named to NHL All-Star team. Has a 6 pt night on March 10; his 5 assists ties a team record set by Bobby Clarke. Awarded the Bobby Clarke Trophy by local media as the team MVP.
1994-95: Named team captain on Sept. 6. Has hat tricks in consecutive games. Named to the NHL, The Hockey News, and The Sporting News All-Star teams. Awarded the Bobby Clarke Trophy, the Hart Memorial Trophy, and the Lester B. Pearson Award. Named the Sporting News Player of the Year and The Hockey News Player of the Year.
1995-96: Named to Second All-Star team.
1996-97: Named to NHL All-Star team.
1997-98: Named to NHL All-Star team as a starter. Named captain of the Canadian Olympic team.
1998-99: Missed the playoffs with a life-threatening lung injury. Signed 8.5 million dollar 1 year contract after the season, upholding his end of the handshake deal.
1999-2000: Bad, bad year. Concussions, squabbling with Bob Clarke, stripped of his captaincy. Returns to the Flyers in Game 6 of the Conference Finals against New Jersey. He's subsequently gets squashed by Scott Stevens, getting another concussion.
2000-01: Lindros recovers at home, waiting for a trade.

Profile

At this point in the game, so much has been written and said about Eric Lindros that's there's not much more to say. As your average fan, without any "inside information," there's no way that I'll ever know the whole truth of the Lindros-Clarke fiasco. I am pretty sure about one thing: Both sides screwed up. At this point, I just want the whole thing to be over.

Whatever your opinion of Lindros's personality and character, his talent is undeniable. He is the complete package except for a Stanley Cup ring. He has a devasting combination of a mean streak, breathtaking skill, and brute strength. He's also got brittle health, at best. I'm a bit confused by his insistence on returning to the game. With a brother like Brett, one would think Lindros would know better than to risk his health any more.

When I first wrote this Lindros profile, I said, "I'm not looking at Lindros through rose colored glasses. I'm very aware that he's mean and that sometimes he plays to hurt people. He's a hockey player, after all, and one of the best. He is the captain of the Flyers, however, and our franchise player; the team's transformation from pathetic to elite is primarily due to his play. They can whine about his slightly lower numbers this year or the controversy surrounding his captainship of the Olympic team, but as long as the Flyers win, I'm behind him all the way."

But now everything's changed. He's lost my support. First and foremost, I am a Flyers fan--and I think Clarke is a bit right when he says that Lindros quit on his teammates. I root for Recchi and Gagne--guys who play the game and don't make unreasonable demands. Sure, it's Lindros's right to request a trade, and Clarke should honor that request. But Lindros has no right to demand a trade to only one team. If he loved the game, he'd want to play anywhere. As it is, I just want him to become another city's media problem. I hope he regains his health--and even plays again, as long as it's safe--but I don't want him in Philadelphia.

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