Eric Lindros

At 51 years old, Eric Lindros has this physical status:

Eric Bryan Lindros (born February 28, 1973) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player.

Lindros was born in London, Ontario, but grew up in Toronto.

He played junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for the Oshawa Generals prior to being chosen first overall in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques.

He refused to play for the Nordiques and was eventually traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in June 1992 in exchange for a package of players and draft picks including Peter Forsberg.

During his OHL career, Lindros led the Generals to a Memorial Cup victory in 1990.

Prior to being drafted in 1991, Lindros captured the Red Tilson Trophy as the Most Outstanding Player in the OHL, and also was named the CHL Player of the Year. Lindros began his National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Flyers during the 1992–93 season.

He was an exemplary power forward, and averaged more than a point per game.

His hard-nosed style caused him to miss significant time with injuries, and he had many problems with concussions.

Lindros captured the Hart Memorial Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award after the lockout-shortened 1994–95 season.

In August 2001, Lindros joined the New York Rangers via a trade.

He then signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the 2005–06 season before finishing his career in 2006–07 with the Dallas Stars. Internationally, Lindros represented Canada at the World Junior Championships three times (1990, 1991 and 1992), winning gold medals in 1990 and 1991.

He is Canada's all-time points leader at the World Junior Championships with 31 points, five points ahead of Jordan Eberle and Brayden Schenn.

Lindros has also represented Canada's senior team at the World Hockey Championships, leading the squad in scoring at the 1993 tournament.

In Olympic play, Lindros represented Canada three times (1992, 1998 and 2002), winning a silver medal in 1992 and gold in 2002.

On October 17, Lindros was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame where he credited the quality facilities in London, Ontario, his coaches, and his parents for his success.

In 2016 Lindros was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In 2017 he was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.

Lindros' jersey, #88, was retired by the Flyers in 2018.

Personal life

The oldest son of Carl Lindros and Bonnie Roszell-Lindros, Lindros has Swedish heritage. The name "Lindros" means "rose of the linden tree." His great-grandfather Axel immigrated to Canada from Bredaryd, a small village in Sweden, and Eric is the third generation of the Lindros family to be born in Canada. His father Carl Lindros received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario (where he played football, well enough to be drafted 30th overall by the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos in the 1970 CFL College Draft), and became a chartered accountant. Lindros's mother Bonnie is a registered nurse. Lindros has one brother, Brett, and one sister, Robin.

Lindros's younger brother Brett played for the New York Islanders and retired early on May 1, 1996, due to post-concussion syndrome.

The book Fire on Ice, co-written by Randy Starkman and published in October 1991 by HarperCollins, chronicled the life and early hockey career of Lindros.

In 2012 Lindros married Kina Lamarche, a native Quebecer and former president of the North American wing of Travelex. They have three children: Carl Pierre, and twins Sophie and Ryan. Lindros and his family currently reside in Toronto. They are close friends with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, with both families owning a cottage on Lake Rosseau in Muskoka, Ontario.

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Hockey career

Lindros competed in the 1985 and 1987 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with the Toronto Marlboros and Toronto Young Nationals minor ice hockey teams, respectively.

Lindros, a teen power forward playing minor hockey, has gained a national following for his scoring feats and his ability to physically intimidate players older than him. He attended Monarch Park and later North Toronto Collegiate in Toronto. Both Eric and his younger brother Brett (Eric 1988–89) played for the Metro Junior "B" St. Michael's Buzzers before advancing to the OHL. Lindros' exploit made him the most valuable amateur player in North America, and he was often dubbed "The Next One" after Wayne Gretzky's moniker "The Great One."

Lindros has been branded with various other names throughout his career, including "The Big E." He was even featured on a baseball card depicting him as a third baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays, but the closest he's ever come to a professional baseball career was with the Blue Jays.

Lindros declined to sign with the Sault Ste. After being drafted from St. Michael's, Marie Greyhounds were drafted. Phil Esposito, the owner of the Greyhounds, hadn't drafted him anyway, allowing Esposito to sell his interest in the team at a higher price. Lindros was recalled by the Oshawa Generals instead. He appeared in three seasons for the Generals from 1990 to 1992. In 157 games played, he scored 180 goals, 200 assists, 380 points, and had 437 penalty minutes.

Lindros was a leader in the 1990 J. Ross Robertson Cup and a 1990 Memorial Cup win.

Lindros won the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as top scorer, the Red Tilson Trophy as MVP, the CHL Player of the Year Award, and the CHL Top Draft Prospect Award during the 1990–91 season. The Generals advanced to the finals of the Robertson Cup, defeating Sault Ste. Marie is a writer who writes for a newspaper. Given Lindros' stance against the team, the series was one of the most dramatic in OHL history, with Soo fans booing him every time he touched the puck. The Greyhounds defeated the heavily favored defending champions in a six-game series by winning the last game on home ice.

The Generals retired his jersey number 88, the second number to be retired by the franchise, on March 6, 2008, and it was named Eric Lindros Day in Oshawa.

In the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, Lindros was ranked first overall by the Quebec Nordiques. Lindros had expected that he would never play for the Nordiques in advance, quoting the organization. Despite this, the team kept him anyway. Nordiques owner Marcel Aubut declared that Lindros would be the catalyst of the franchise's revival, and refused to trade Lindros, claiming that the only way he will play in the NHL would be in a Nordiques uniform. Lindros spent the time training for a trade and also competed in the 1992 Winter Olympics, winning a silver medal with Canada for the first time.

The Nordiques worked out trades involving Lindros with both the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers during the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. The Nordiques had Steve Duchesne, Ron Hextall, Kerry Huffman, Mike Ricci, the Flyers' first-round pick in 1992 (seventh overall), and 1993 and $10 million. The Nordiques had Tony Amonte, Alexei Kovalev, John Vanbiesbrouck, Doug Weight, three first-round picks (in 1993, 1994, and 1996), who had the highest compensation (in 1993, 1994, 1994, and 1996). In addition, if Vanbiesbrouck had been deemed an unrestricted free agent, James Patrick would have recalled him in the contract. The Flyers, who believed they had concluded their agreement with the Nordiques first, lodged a lawsuit and the NHL announced the appointment of an independent arbitrator.

Arbitrator Larry Bertuzzi ruled in favour of the Flyers on June 30, 1992, 11 days after the draft had been published. Bertuzzi found that the Flyers and Nordiques had agreed to a trade 80 minutes before the Rangers and Nordiques had reached their agreement. Since the Flyers selected Ryan Sittler from the 1992 draft, they had no interest in Sittler, and the Flyers and Nordiques had to agree on a substitute for the pick. Chris Simon and the Flyers' 1994 first-round pick will be added to the trade on July 21, Bertuzzi announced on July 21.

Lindros officially became a member of the Flyers, he said he had been wary of playing for the Nordiques primarily because of the organization's "lack of winning spirit." The Nordiques had been dead last in the league for three years in a row when they selected him. However, he told ESPN that his apprehension to playing in Quebec was based "solely" on Aubut. Although he didn't elaborate, he said, "I wasn't going to play for this individual-period."

Lindros forged himself as the top player on a Flyers team that had reportedly been in contention for years but then fell short. During his time in Philadelphia, he will score points (for the majority of his first five seasons in the NHL), and rank as one of the top feared and dominating players in the league. Lindros succeeded Kevin Dineen as the Flyers captain in September 1994. He appeared on the infamous "Legion of Doom" line, alongside John LeClair and Mikael Renberg. In his first two seasons as MVP, he scored 39 goals and 41 assists in 46 games and led the Flyers to their first playoff appearance in six years.

Lindros guided the Flyers to the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals by handily defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, and the New York Rangers in five games apiece. The Flyers were eliminated in four games by the Detroit Red Wings in the third period of Game 4; Lindros' only goal came with 14 seconds remaining. Rather than sending out, Detroit Head Coach Scotty Bowman used Nicklas Lidström and Larry Murphy against Lindros' Legion of Doom line, rather than deploying—as many, including the Flyers—the Flyers hoped—Vladimir Konstantinov to engage in a physical confrontation.

Lindros, who was only 25 years old at the time, was ranked 54th on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players of all time. Jaromr Jágr, the only player of comparable age, was ranked 37th, who was 26 years old at the time.

Lindros' relationship with Flyers General Manager Bobby Clarke began shortly. Clarke and Clarke feuded in the media, with Clarke questioning his toughness; Lindros spent many games on the injured reserve and suffered a string of concussions, the first in 1998 from a Darius Kasparitis sidelined him for 18 games. Lindros will have his second concussion in January 1999 after being sidelined for two games. Lindros sustained what was described as a rib fracture during a game against the Nashville Predators on April 1, 1999. Lindros was discovered in a tub, pale and cold later that night, when he was sharing a hotel room with Keith Jones. The trainer was advised by a call to the Flyers that Lindros should be put on a plane returning to Philadelphia with injured teammate Mark Recchi. But Jones argued that Lindros should be admitted to a nearby hospital, but it was discovered that Lindros had a collapsed lung caused by internal bleeding of his chest wall. A letter sent by Lindros' father in which he said Eric would have died if the trainer had followed team instructions, he said. During this visit, the doctors who treated him in Nashville said no one would have killed him.

Lindros will play as a Flyer in 1999-2000. Lindros criticized the team's doctors for failing to diagnose a concussion while playing with sickness following a collision against the Boston Bruins two weeks earlier. Lindros was then dismissed from the captaincy for his conduct. Lindros remained out the remainder of the regular season and suffered another concussion while rehabilitating for a return to the lineup. Lindros eventually returned to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New Jersey Devils, scoring the lone goal in a 2–1 loss. Lindros was approaching the blue line with his head down when Devils defenseman Scott Stevens lowered his shoulder into Lindros, knocking him unconscious and suffering yet another concussion. With support from teammates, he was able to get off the ice. Despite winning three games to one, the Flyers lost Game 7, 2–1, and the series, and Lindros became a restricted free agent during the off-season. He refused to accept a two-way qualifying offer from the Flyers for a minor league snail, although he still held his rights. Lindros, the Flyers, refused to sell his Toronto Maple Leafs as he liked, and Lindros sat out the entire 2000-02 season.

In exchange for Jan Hlavá, Kim Johnsson, Pavel Brendl, and a 2003 third-round draft pick (tefan Ruika), Bobby Clarke eventually sold Lindros to the New York Rangers on August 20, 2001. If Lindros were to miss a concussion in the pre-season or the first 50 games of the regular season, the Rangers would also receive a 2003 draft pick if Lindros were to miss at least 12 months.

Lindros averaged 36 goals and 36 assists for 73 points in 72 games in 2001-2002. His strong start culminated in his seventh and final All-Star selection, but due to injury, he was unable to participate and was replaced by teammate Mike York. Despite the fact that 2002–03 was his first injury-free season, he had to compare his previous seasons, scoring only 53 points in 81 games. Lindros' eighth concussion limited him to 39 games in 2003–04, though he did manage 32 points. After the season, he became an unrestricted free agent.

Lindros signed a one-year, $1.55 million deal with the Maple Leafs in August 11, 2005, following the NHL labour dispute's cancellation in the 2004-05 season. Lindros, who had been off to a good start to his Toronto tenure in which he scored 22 points in 32 games, sustained a ligament tear against the Dallas Stars on December 10, 2005. Lindros returned to the Toronto lineup against the Washington Capitals on February 28, 2006, his 33rd birthday. However, his return to action was brief, as he re-injured his wrist while taking a slapshot in a game against the Ottawa Senators on March 4, effectively ending his season. He had surgery on his wrist at the Hand and Upper Limb Centre in London, Ontario, two days before the game.

Lindros signed a one-year deal with Dallas in 2006-2007. He will play in 49 regular season games and three in the 2007 playoffs, earning 26 points.

Lindros officially announced his resignation on November 8, 2007, in London, at the age of 34.

Post-playing career

Lindros had also announced that on the day of his retirement, November 8, 2007, it was also announced that the London Health Sciences Centre had received $5 million. This donation supports programs such as the Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, and it is one of the largest personal contributions made by a Canadian sports figure.

Lindros was appointed by the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) on November 11, 2007, three days after his retirement, to the newly created position of NHLPA ombudsman. Lindros had been involved with the organization from the beginning of his career. Lindros dissolved ties with the NHLPA, but after 15 months on the job, he resigned as ombudsman on February 3, 2009.

Lindros, along with his mother Bonnie, supermodel/actress Monika Schnarre, and a few other Canadian celebrities, helped Habitat for Humanity Toronto by commemorating Mother's Day by building houses.

He appeared in the 2012 NHL Winter Classic Alumni Game against the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers on December 31, 2011.

Lindros endorsed Rowan's Law in April 2016. This was concussion-education legislation introduced in honor of a teenage rugby player from Ottawa who died while playing a match. The law was secretly sponsored by Nepean-Carleton MPP Lisa MacLeod. Later MacLeod revealed that she was aware of rumors surrounding suspected sexual assault by Patrick Brown, the then Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader, who was later discovered that she knew of rumors relating to suspected sexual assault by the latter. In 2018, she confessed that Lindros was her source.

Lindros was named one of four inductees to the 2016 Hockey Hall of Fame in June, 2016, alongside late Pat Quinn, goaltender Rogie Vachon, and Russian winger Sergei Makarov.

Lindros and his former "Legion of Doom" linemates John LeClair and Mikael Renberg were reunited on January 14, 2017 in the Pittsburgh Penguins' 50th Anniversary Alumni game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

In a 2017 interview on French Canadian television, he talked about his time with the Nordiques. He later stated that he had no issue with Quebec City or the people, implying that his wife is a French Canadian. He stated that the true reason was that he did not admire Marcel Aubut and chastised him for why he would never play for him. He was given the Nordiques igloo and fleur-de-lys jersey at last, 26 years since the story began.

Lindros' no. was retired by the Flyers on January 18, 2018. In a pre-game ceremony at the Wells Fargo Center, the 88 jerseys were worn.

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