Eric Bryan Lindros (born February 28, 1973) is a former
CanadianCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional
ice hockeyIce Hockey is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a puck into the opposing team's goal. It is a fast-paced and physical sport...
player. He was the first overall pick in the
1991 NHL Entry DraftThe 1991 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 22 at the Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York. A total of 264 players were drafted. The draft was famous for the controversy surrounding star first overall draft pick, touted by some observers to be The Next One, Eric Lindros, who was drafted by the...
. He retired in November 2007, after playing the 2006–07 season with the
Dallas StarsThe Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded in 1967 as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The franchise transferred to...
.
Personal life
The son of Carl and Bonnie Lindros, Eric has
SwedishSwedes are a Scandinavian people, mostly inhabiting Sweden and the other Nordic countries, with descendants living in a number of countries....
heritage. The name "Lindros" means "
RoseA rose is a perennial flower shrub or vine of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species and comes in a variety of colours. The species form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles...
of the
LindenTilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees, native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere, in Asia , Europe and eastern North America; it is not native to western North America...
tree." His great grandfather Axel immigrated to Canada from Sweden, and Eric is the third generation of the Lindros family to be born in Canada. Carl Lindros received a B.A. from the
University of Western OntarioThe University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario. It was founded in 1878 by Bishop Isaac Hellmuth of Bishop's University and the Anglican Diocese of Huron as The Western University of London Ontario.Huron College, established in 1863 as an Anglican...
and became a Chartered Accountant; he would later be Eric's agent.
Junior career (1989–1992)
As a teenage
power forwardIn ice hockey, a power forward is a forward who possesses above average offensive skills and plays a tough, physical game. Most of the time, power forwards are physically large, but some players are referred to as power forwards despite being no more than six feet tall...
playing minor hockey, Lindros became nationally famous both for his scoring feats and his ability to physically dominate players older than himself. He attended Monarch Park and later
St. Michael's College SchoolSt. Michael's College School is a private, all-boys Roman Catholic day school in Toronto, Canada. Currently administered by the Basilian Fathers, it is the largest school of its kind in Canada, with an enrolment of approximately 1,080 students from grades 7 to 12.- History :The Congregation of St...
in
TorontoToronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America...
with his brother and fellow hockey player,
Brett LindrosBrett Alexander Blake Lindros is a retired professional ice hockey player. He is the younger brother of Eric Lindros.-Playing career:...
. Both brothers at one time or another (Eric in 1988–89) played for the school's
Metro Junior "B"----The Metro Junior "A" Hockey League was a junior level ice hockey league based out of Southern Ontario. The league originated in 1956 as the Metro Junior "B" Hockey League, which lasted until 1991, when it changed its designation from Junior B to Junior A. It remained a Jr...
St. Michael's BuzzersThe St. Michael's Buzzers are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of Central Canadian Hockey League.-History:...
before moving up to the OHL. Lindros' play made him the most highly valued amateur player in North America and he was often nicknamed "
The Next OneThe Next One is a nickname that has belonged to the following ice hockey players:* Eric Lindros* Sidney Crosby* Alexander Ovechkin* John Tavares* Taylor Hall...
", a reference to
Wayne GretzkyWayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is currently a part-owner of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League...
's moniker "The Great One."
Throughout his career, Lindros has been tagged with various other nicknames, including "The Big E", which was originally the nickname of the
USS EnterpriseUSS Enterprise , colloquially referred to as the "Big E", was the sixth aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the seventh U.S. Navy ship to bear the name. Launched in 1936, she was a ship of the Yorktown class, and one of only three American carriers commissioned prior to World War II to...
, the famous
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
aircraft carrierAn aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power great distances without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
. The hype around Lindros during his early career led to an exclusive deal with sports card manufacturer SCORE. Attempting to leverage this arrangement as much as possible, he was even featured on a
baseball cardA baseball card is a type of trading card relating to baseball, usually printed on some type of paper stock or card stock. A card will usually feature one or more baseball players or other baseball-related sports figures...
showing him as a third baseman for the
Toronto Blue JaysThe Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League.The "Blue Jays" name originates from the bird of the same name...
, although the closest he came to a professional baseball career was taking batting practice one day with the Blue Jays.
A controversy arose when Lindros refused to go to the
Sault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsThe Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the Essar Centre. The present team was founded in 1962 as a team in the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. The Greyhounds name has been used by several ice hockey...
after they drafted him from St. Michael's. Lindros had already stated his intention not to join the Greyhounds, but Greyhounds owner
Phil EspositoPhilip Anthony "Espo" Esposito, OC is a retired professional hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers...
drafted him anyway, enabling Esposito to sell his share in the team at a higher price. Lindros was traded to the
Oshawa GeneralsThe Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. The Generals are one of the most successful franchises in Canadian Hockey League...
instead, and when they played the Greyhounds, some Greyhound players wore black armbands in protest of Lindros' antics.
He played parts of three seasons for the
Oshawa GeneralsThe Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. The Generals are one of the most successful franchises in Canadian Hockey League...
of the
Ontario Hockey LeagueThe Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
(OHL) from 1990 to 1992. During that time, he scored 97
goalA goal in ice hockey provides a team with one point. Unlike in American football, where a touchdown is scored if any part of the football crosses any part of the goal line, in ice hockey the entire puck must completely cross the goal line for a goal to be awarded.-Method of scoring:The object of...
s and had 119
assistIn ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal...
s in 95 games played. Lindros helped lead the Generals to the 1990
J. Ross Robertson CupThe J. Ross Robertson Cup is an ice hockey trophy awarded annually to the winner of the Ontario Hockey League playoff championship. It was presented by and named for John Ross Robertson, the president of the Ontario Hockey Association who served from 1899 to 1905.Originally it was awarded to the...
, and a
1990 Memorial CupThe 1990 Memorial Cup occurred May 5-May 13 at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario. Participating teams were the Ontario Hockey League champion Oshawa Generals and runner-up Kitchener Rangers, as well as the winners of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League which were...
victory. During the 1990–91 OHL season, Lindros won the
Eddie Powers Memorial TrophyThe Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the top scorer in the Ontario Hockey League. The trophy was donated by the Toronto Marlboro Athletic Club in memory of Edward Powers, and was first awarded to Tod Sloan of St...
as top scorer, the
Red Tilson TrophyThe Red Tilson Trophy is an annual award given to the most outstanding player in the Ontario Hockey League. The award is voted on by OHL writers and broadcasters, and is named for Red Tilson, a former played for the Oshawa Generals who was killed in service in the Second World War. It was first...
as MVP, the
CHL Player of the YearThe CHL Player of the Year award is given out annually to the player judged to be the most outstanding in the Canadian Hockey League. It is selected from the winners of the Red Tilson Trophy , Michel Briere Memorial Trophy , and the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy .-Winners:* 2008–09 Cody...
award, and the
CHL Top Draft Prospect AwardThe CHL Top Draft Prospect Award is given out every year to the top eligible prospect for the NHL Entry Draft from the Canadian Hockey League. The award was first given in 1991, and was not given from 2003–05.-Winners:*2008–09 - John Tavares, London Knights...
.
On March 6, 2008, the
Oshawa GeneralsThe Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. The Generals are one of the most successful franchises in Canadian Hockey League...
retired his #88, just the second number to be retired by the franchise, and it was declared Eric Lindros Day in Oshawa.
1991 NHL Entry Draft
Lindros' entry to the
National Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league as a joint venture for its self perpetuating membership of 30 franchised member clubs located in the United States and Canada...
proceeded in much the same manner. Lindros was selected first overall by the
Quebec NordiquesThe Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
in the
1991 NHL Entry DraftThe 1991 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 22 at the Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York. A total of 264 players were drafted. The draft was famous for the controversy surrounding star first overall draft pick, touted by some observers to be The Next One, Eric Lindros, who was drafted by the...
. Lindros had signaled in advance that he would never play for the Nordiques, citing distance, lack of marketing potential, and having to speak French. He went as far as to refuse to wear the team's jersey on draft day; the team selected him anyway. The Nordiques president publicly announced that they would make Lindros the centrepiece of their franchise turnaround, and refused to trade Lindros, saying that he would not have a career in the NHL as long as he held out. Because of Lindros' popularity and hype, it is alleged that the NHL President intervened to get the Nordiques to trade him, as it would otherwise damage the image of the league. While he awaited a trade, Lindros spent the time playing with the Oshawa Generals and also participated in the
1992 Winter OlympicsThe 1992 Winter Olympics Ice hockey results in Albertville, France.The venue was the Méribel Ice Palace in Méribel, a ski resort about 45 km from host city Albertville.Source:* Gold - * Silver - * Bronze - -Group A:...
, winning a Silver Medal.
In 1992, the Nordiques worked out trades for him with both the
New York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York, New York, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, and
Philadelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Part of the 1967 NHL Expansion, the Flyers were the first non-Original Six to win the Stanley Cup,...
. Eventually an arbitrator, Larry Bertuzzi (granduncle of
Todd BertuzziTodd Bertuzzi is a Canadian professional ice hockey player with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. His longest tenure was with the Vancouver Canucks, with which he enjoyed his most successful seasons, as well as being involved in the infamous Steve Moore incident in 2004...
), ruled in favour of the Flyers, for whom Lindros played from 1992 to 2000, most of the time as the team's captain.
Many consider this trade a key reason that the
Colorado AvalancheThe Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1996 and 2001. The franchise was founded in...
(the new name of the Nordiques after they relocated before the 1995 season), went on to be an NHL powerhouse. They received in the trade eventual Hart Trophy winner
Peter Forsbergis a Swedish professional ice hockey centre, currently playing for Modo Hockey in Elitserien.His 19-year professional career includes 13 years in the National Hockey League , where he won two Stanley Cups and numerous individual honors. Internationally, with the Swedish national team, he won two...
, as well as
Ron HextallRon Hextall is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League. He is the grandson of Hall-of-Famer Bryan Hextall, the son of former NHL player Bryan Hextall Jr...
,
Chris SimonChris Simon is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for Vityaz Chekhov of the Kontinental Hockey League .-Playing career:...
,
Mike RicciMichael Ricci is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player.-Playing career:Mike Ricci grew up in Scarborough, Ontario playing hockey in the former Metro Toronto Hockey League...
,
Kerry HuffmanKerry Huffman is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Quebec Nordiques and Ottawa Senators in the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
,
Steve DuchesneSteve Duchesne is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the NHL from 1986–87 until 2001–02.-Playing career:...
, a 1st round selection (
Jocelyn ThibaultJocelyn Thibault is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres...
) in 1993, a 1st round selection (later traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, later traded to the Washington Capitals -
Nolan BaumgartnerNolan Baumgartner is a Canadian professional hockey defenceman currently playing for the Manitoba Moose of the AHL as part of the Vancouver Canucks' farm system.-Playing career:...
) in 1994, and $15,000,000 cash. Since the trade, the Avalanche have won eight division titles and two
Stanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club cup trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion. It has been referred to as The Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
championships, due in part to the play of Forsberg, and the later addition of
Patrick RoyPatrick Jacques Roy is a retired ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "St. Patrick", Roy split his professional career between the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League, winning two Stanley Cup championships with each franchise.In 2004, Roy was selected as the...
, whom the Avalanche received in a later package deal that included Thibault.
The trade between the Nordiques and the Rangers that was ruled invalid by the arbitrator had Lindros being traded for
Doug WeightDouglas Weight is an American professional ice hockey player and the team captain of the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League . He previously played for the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks and St...
,
Tony AmonteAnthony Lewis "Tony" Amonte is a retired American professional ice hockey player. He played right wing for the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers and the Calgary Flames, all of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:Drafted 68th overall in the 1988 NHL...
,
Alexei KovalevAlexei Kovalev is a right winger who plays for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League beginning with the 2009–10 season. He has previously played for the Montreal Canadiens, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the New York Rangers, with whom he was originally drafted and won a Stanley Cup in...
,
John VanbiesbrouckJohn "Beezer" Vanbiesbrouck is a retired American professional ice hockey goaltender, who was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007...
, three first round draft picks (
1993The 1993 NHL Entry Draft took place on June 26, 1993, at the Colisee de Quebec in Quebec City, Quebec.-Selections by round:Below are listed the selections in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft.- Round one :- Round two :- Round three :- Round four :...
,
1994The 1994 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Hartford Civic Center on June 28, 1994.- Selections by round :Below are listed the selections in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft.- Round one :- Round two :- Round three :- Round four :...
&
1995The 1995 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Edmonton Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta. The drafting order was now set partially by a lottery system whereby teams would not be guaranteed first pick if they finished last. The Los Angeles Kings benefitted from the new rules for this draft, picking third,...
) and $12 million.
Philadelphia Flyers
With his imposing physical strength and playmaking ability, Lindros established himself as the top player on a Flyers team that had perennially been in contention but always fell short. His time in Philadelphia would see him score points at a phenomenal rate (for much of his first 5 seasons in the NHL, Lindros hovered around 4th all-time in points per game) and become one of the most feared players in the NHL, eventually leading the Flyers to the Stanley Cup finals in 1997 (which they lost to the
Detroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings is a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL....
); he would also suffer frequent injuries and feud with general manager
Bobby ClarkeRobert Earle Clarke, OC , better known as Bobby Clarke but referring to himself as Bob Clarke, is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played his entire National Hockey League career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an Executive with the team...
.
Along with
John LeClairJonathan Clark LeClair is an American professional ice hockey player. He most recently played left wing for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League , who released him on December 14, 2006...
and
Mikael RenbergMikael Renberg is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey player, last playing for Skellefteå AIK in Elitserien. He spent twelve seasons in the National Hockey League and eight in the Swedish Elitserien.-Playing career:...
, he played on the
"Legion of Doom"The Legion of Doom was a forward line for the Philadelphia Flyers who played together between 1995 and 1997 comprising center Eric Lindros, left winger John LeClair and right winger Mikael Renberg. They were given this name not only for their offensive play, but also their ability to dominate games...
line. He scored over 40 goals in each of his first two seasons and won the Hart Trophy as MVP in the lockout-shortened season of 1995 by scoring 29 goals and 41 assists in 46 games. He led the Flyers to the Stanley Cup finals in 1997, handily defeating their three opponents along the way. The Flyers were overmatched against the
Detroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings is a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL....
, however, and were swept in the series, with Lindros managing to score his only goal in the dying minutes of Game 4 to cut the score to 2-1. In 1998, Lindros, only 25 years old, was ranked number 54 on
The Hockey NewsThe Hockey News, commonly abbrieviated to THN, is a North American ice hockey magazine published by Transcontinental. The Hockey News was founded in 1947 by Ken McKenzie and Bill Côté, and has since been perhaps the most recognized hockey publication in North America...
list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players of all time. The only player of comparable age was No. 37-ranked
Jaromir JagrJaromír Jágr is a professional ice hockey right winger, who plays for Avangard Omsk in the Kontinental Hockey League. Jágr formerly played in the National Hockey League with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, and most recently the New York Rangers...
, who was 26 at the time.
Lindros' relationship with Flyers general manager
Bobby ClarkeRobert Earle Clarke, OC , better known as Bobby Clarke but referring to himself as Bob Clarke, is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played his entire National Hockey League career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an Executive with the team...
soon deteriorated. He and Clarke feuded in the media, with Clarke questioning his toughness; Lindros spent many games on the injured reserve and suffered a series of concussions, the first in 1998 from a hit delivered by
Pittsburgh'sThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League and are the defending Stanley Cup champions. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first...
Darius KasparaitisDarius Kasparaitis is a Lithuanian-Russian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League...
that sidelined him for 18 games. During an April 1, 1999, game against the
Nashville PredatorsThe Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Lindros suffered what was diagnosed as a rib injury. Later that night, the teammate he was sharing a hotel room with, Keith Jones, discovered Lindros lying in a tub, pale and cold. In a call to the Flyers, the trainer was told to put Lindros on a plane that was returning to Philadelphia with injured team mate
Mark RecchiMark Recchi is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
. But Jones insisted that Lindros be taken to a nearby hospital and it was discovered Lindros had a collapsed lung caused by internal bleeding of his chest wall. Lindros's father wrote the Flyers a letter in which he stated that if the trainer had followed team orders, Eric would be dead, a statement supported by the doctors who treated him in Nashville.
The following season, he was stripped of his captaincy after criticizing team doctors. Once again plagued by concussions, Lindros returned in the Eastern Conference Finals, in which he played the final two games of the series, the latter of which Lindros suffered yet another concussion after a hit by
New Jersey DevilsThe New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
defenseman
Scott StevensRonald Scott Stevens is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman. Stevens played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, and the New Jersey Devils...
. The Flyers lost the final game and the series, and Lindros became a restricted
free agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player, whose contract with a team has expired, who's eligible to sign with another franchise. The term came into wide use in North America after sports leagues stopped using a "reserve clause" after much acrimonious collective bargaining, which provided a...
during the off-season. He refused to accept a qualifying offer from the Flyers, who still owned his rights. After Lindros was cleared to play in December, the Flyers refused to deal his rights to the Toronto Maple Leafs, as he preferred, and Lindros sat out the rest of 2000–01 NHL season.
New York Rangers
Flyers GM
Bobby ClarkeRobert Earle Clarke, OC , better known as Bobby Clarke but referring to himself as Bob Clarke, is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played his entire National Hockey League career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an Executive with the team...
eventually traded Lindros to the
New York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York, New York, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
on August 20, 2001 for
Jan HlaváčJan Hlaváč is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for Linköpings HC of the Swedish Elitserien.-Playing career:...
,
Kim JohnssonKim Johnsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for and an alternate captain of the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
,
Pavel BrendlPavel Brendl is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, and a 2003 3rd-round draft choice (
Štefan RužičkaŠtefan Ružička is a Slovak professional ice hockey player. He plays right wing for the HC Spartak Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League .-Playing career:...
).
He played for the Rangers for the next three seasons. Though his second season with them was the first injury-free one of his career (albeit his first season averaging under one point a game), in 2004 he sustained his eighth concussion. He was given permission by a doctor to resume training; however, two doctors who had never examined or treated him suggested Lindros retire. He again became an unrestricted
free agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player, whose contract with a team has expired, who's eligible to sign with another franchise. The term came into wide use in North America after sports leagues stopped using a "reserve clause" after much acrimonious collective bargaining, which provided a...
.
Toronto Maple Leafs
On August 11, 2005, after the NHL labour dispute had wiped out the 2004–05 season, Lindros signed a one-year, $1.55 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the 2005–06 NHL season. After a steady start to his tenure with Toronto in which he recorded 22 points in 32 games, Lindros suffered a tear of a ligament in his left wrist against the Dallas Stars on December 10, 2005. After a 27 game absence, Lindros returned to the Toronto lineup on February 28, 2006, against the Washington Capitals. His return was short-lived however, as he re-injured his wrist while taking a slapshot in a game against the Ottawa Senators on March 5, 2006, effectively ending his season. He had surgery on the wrist at the Hand and Upper Limb Centre in
London, OntarioLondon is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada along the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor with a metropolitan area population of 457,720; the city proper had a population of 352,395 in the 2006 Canadian census....
two days after the game.
Dallas Stars and Retirement
Lindros signed a one-year contract for the 2006–07 NHL season with the
Dallas StarsThe Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded in 1967 as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The franchise transferred to...
on July 17, 2006.
Lindros officially announced his retirement on November 8, 2007, in London, Ontario.
Post-playing career
On November 11, 2007, three days after his retirement, the
NHL Players AssociationThe National Hockey League Players' Association or NHLPA is a labor union that represents the interests of the hockey players in the National Hockey League of North America.-First organizing efforts :...
appointed Lindros to the newly created position of NHLPA
ombudsmanAn ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing the broad scope of constituent interests....
. Lindros had been involved with the organization throughout his career. Lindros cut ties with the NHL Players' Association on February 3, 2009, resigning as ombudsman after 15 months on the job.
Transactions
- June 22, 1991 - Quebec Nordiques draft Lindros with the 1st overall pick in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft
The 1991 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 22 at the Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York. A total of 264 players were drafted. The draft was famous for the controversy surrounding star first overall draft pick, touted by some observers to be The Next One, Eric Lindros, who was drafted by the...
.
- June 30, 1992 - Traded by the Quebec Nordiques to the Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Part of the 1967 NHL Expansion, the Flyers were the first non-Original Six to win the Stanley Cup,...
in exchange for Peter Forsbergis a Swedish professional ice hockey centre, currently playing for Modo Hockey in Elitserien.His 19-year professional career includes 13 years in the National Hockey League , where he won two Stanley Cups and numerous individual honors. Internationally, with the Swedish national team, he won two...
, Steve DuchesneSteve Duchesne is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the NHL from 1986–87 until 2001–02.-Playing career:...
, Kerry HuffmanKerry Huffman is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Quebec Nordiques and Ottawa Senators in the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, Mike RicciMichael Ricci is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player.-Playing career:Mike Ricci grew up in Scarborough, Ontario playing hockey in the former Metro Toronto Hockey League...
, Ron HextallRon Hextall is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League. He is the grandson of Hall-of-Famer Bryan Hextall, the son of former NHL player Bryan Hextall Jr...
, Chris SimonChris Simon is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for Vityaz Chekhov of the Kontinental Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, Philadelphia's 1993 1st round draft choice, Philadelphia's 1994 1st round draft choice and $15,000,000.
- August 20, 2001 - Traded by the Philadelphia Flyers to the New York Rangers in exchange for Jan Hlaváč
Jan Hlaváč is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for Linköpings HC of the Swedish Elitserien.-Playing career:...
, Kim JohnssonKim Johnsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for and an alternate captain of the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, Pavel BrendlPavel Brendl is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League .-Playing career:...
and the Rangers' 2003 3rd round draft choice (Štefan RužičkaŠtefan Ružička is a Slovak professional ice hockey player. He plays right wing for the HC Spartak Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League .-Playing career:...
).
- August 11, 2005 - Signed as a free agent with the Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
- July 17, 2006 - Signed as a free agent with the Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded in 1967 as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The franchise transferred to...
.
- November 8, 2007 - Officially announced his retirement from the NHL.
Awards
- Named to NHL All-Rookie Team
The NHL All-Rookie Team is chosen by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association from the best rookies in the National Hockey League at each position for the season just concluded based on their performance in that year...
- 1993
- Hart Memorial Trophy
The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, the "oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey", is awarded annually to the "player adjudged most valuable to his team" in the National Hockey League. The Hart Memorial Trophy has been awarded 84 times to 51...
- 1995
- Lester B. Pearson Award
The Lester B. Pearson Award is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players Association. The Lester B. Pearson Award has been awarded 38 times to 22 different players since its beginnings in 1971...
- 1995
- Bobby Clarke Trophy - 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999
- Played in 6 All-Star Games - 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
- Won Olympic Silver Medal with Team Canada in 1992 Winter Olympic Games
- Won Olympic Gold Medal with Team Canada in 2002 Winter Olympic Games
- #88 retired by his junior team, the Oshawa Generals
Career statistics
| |
|
Regular season |
|
Playoffs |
| Season In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1st through October 1st; in European football , it is generally from August until May In an...
|
Team |
League |
GP |
G A goal in ice hockey provides a team with one point. Unlike in American football, where a touchdown is scored if any part of the football crosses any part of the goal line, in ice hockey the entire puck must completely cross the goal line for a goal to be awarded.-Method of scoring:The object of...
|
A In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal...
|
Pts Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player who either scores a goal or earns an assist during a game. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one...
|
PIMA penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes during which the player can not participate in play...
|
GP |
G |
A |
Pts |
PIM |
| 1989–90 |
Oshawa GeneralsThe Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. The Generals are one of the most successful franchises in Canadian Hockey League...
|
OHLThe Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
|
25 |
17 |
19 |
36 |
61 |
17 |
18 |
18 |
36 |
76 |
| 1990–91 |
Oshawa Generals |
OHL |
57 |
71 |
78 |
149 |
189 |
16 |
18 |
20 |
38 |
93 |
| 1991–92 |
Oshawa Generals |
OHL |
13 |
9 |
22 |
31 |
54 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 1992–93 |
Philadelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Part of the 1967 NHL Expansion, the Flyers were the first non-Original Six to win the Stanley Cup,...
|
NHLThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league as a joint venture for its self perpetuating membership of 30 franchised member clubs located in the United States and Canada...
|
61 |
41 |
34 |
75 |
147 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 1993–94 |
Philadelphia Flyers |
NHL |
65 |
44 |
53 |
97 |
103 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 1994–95 |
Philadelphia Flyers |
NHL |
46 |
29 |
41 |
70 |
60 |
12 |
4 |
11 |
15 |
18 |
| 1995–96 |
Philadelphia Flyers |
NHL |
73 |
47 |
68 |
115 |
163 |
12 |
6 |
6 |
12 |
43 |
| 1996–97 |
Philadelphia Flyers |
NHL |
52 |
32 |
47 |
79 |
136 |
19 |
12 |
14 |
26 |
40 |
| 1997–98 |
Philadelphia Flyers |
NHL |
63 |
30 |
41 |
71 |
134 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
17 |
| 1998–99 |
Philadelphia Flyers |
NHL |
71 |
40 |
53 |
93 |
120 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 1999–00 |
Philadelphia Flyers |
NHL |
55 |
27 |
32 |
59 |
83 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 2001–02 |
New York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York, New York, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
|
NHL |
72 |
37 |
36 |
73 |
138 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2002–03 |
New York Rangers |
NHL |
81 |
19 |
34 |
53 |
141 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2003–04 |
New York Rangers |
NHL |
39 |
10 |
22 |
32 |
60 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2005–06 |
Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
|
NHL |
33 |
11 |
11 |
22 |
43 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2006–07 |
Dallas StarsThe Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded in 1967 as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The franchise transferred to...
|
NHL |
49 |
5 |
21 |
26 |
70 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
| NHL totals |
760 |
372 |
493 |
865 |
1398 |
53 |
24 |
33 |
57 |
122 |
International play
Played for
CanadaThe Canadian national ice hockey team is the national men's ice hockey team of Canada. The team is overseen by Hockey Canada, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation, and participates in international competitions. From 1920 until 1963, Canada's international representation was by...
in:
- 1990 World Junior Championships (gold medal)
- 1991 World Junior Championships (gold medal)
- 1991 Canada Cup
The 1991 Canada Cup was a professional international ice hockey tournament played in September 1991. The finals took place in Montreal on September 14 and Hamilton, Ontario on September 16, and were won by Canada. The Canadians defeated the USA in a two game sweep, to win the fifth and final...
(championship)
- 1992 World Junior Championships
- 1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympics Ice hockey results in Albertville, France.The venue was the Méribel Ice Palace in Méribel, a ski resort about 45 km from host city Albertville.Source:* Gold - * Silver - * Bronze - -Group A:...
(silver medal)
- 1993 World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championship is an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
- 1996 World Cup of Hockey
The first World Cup of Hockey , or 1996 World Cup of Hockey, replaced the Canada Cup as one of the premier championships for professional ice hockey ....
- 1998 Winter Olympics
-Men's tournament:1998 was the first year that the modern NHL took a break to allow its players to participate in the Olympics, allowing the United States and Canada to field teams with professionals of top calibre, as the European teams had been doing since the IIHF first allowed professionals...
- 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympic Games Ice hockey games were held at the E Center and Peaks Ice Arena in Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah. Both the men's and women's tournaments were won by Canada, defeating the host United States in both games.-Men:Source:...
(gold medal)
By Lindros
- "Right now my focus is the 'PA work, I'm not really concerned about the rest of it. But the last couple of years have been pretty frustrating in terms of not getting through without being injury-free. It's just frustrating."
- "My decision to retire from professional hockey is something that I have been considering for some time and did not come easily, I will miss the day-to-day activity of being a member of a team and the camaraderie that I developed with my teammates will never be forgotten. I played with the best, I played against the best — it was a blast. It really truly was, I enjoyed myself immensely."
About Lindros
- "He had it all: size, strength and finesse, It is unfortunate injuries cut his time in the NHL short, but he had a great career and left his mark on the game." - John LeClair
Jonathan Clark LeClair is an American professional ice hockey player. He most recently played left wing for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League , who released him on December 14, 2006...
.
- "Yes, based on his ability to play the game and based on his contributions as a player, I think you have to separate all the crap that went on. Particularly when he played for the Flyers, it was just outstanding, dominant hockey — the first of the huge, big men with small man's skill." - Bobby Clarke, on whether Lindros should be in the Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
.
External links