Eric Lindros for the Hall of Fame?
Yeah…Right.
By Jason Reed
*Anything in italics gets an extra heavy dose of sarcasm (NOTE: For a pro-Lindros-to-the-Hall take, see Brewster's "Quick Shots")
November 26, 2007 -- LONG BEACH, CA -- So the “Next One” finally called it a career? Sweet. In case you haven’t gathered it thus far—I don’t like Eric Lindros. I can’t believe that the hockey world is now actually debating whether or not Lindros should get into the Hall of Fame. Most discussions conclude with the word “Yes” and some even go as far as suggesting that he should be inducted on the first go-round. Uh, did I miss something over this dude’s career?
Now, if they are they adding a concussion wing to the Hall, then by all means the Lindros brothers should both be in there as pioneers of the art. If Lindros does go into the Hall which uniform should he wear? Most would suggest that he go in as a Flyer, but I have two suggestions that I think are WAY better than Philly. If he is inducted as the initial concussion guy to the Hall then I hope that I am invited, because I have scoured the web and so far I have found nothing else that even comes close to what I am about to say. Lindros should not wear a Flyers sweater, or a Rangers. He should wear the jersey of either the Quebec Nordiques or the Colorado Avalanche. Why? Let me explain.
Both jerseys would be absolutely hilarious and believe it or not, both jerseys are very symbolic to the career of Mr. Lindros. My argument for the Quebec jersey would be that Lindros was drafted by the Nordiques and it was while they held his rights that the hockey world first saw what a first-rate douche bag this guy is. He was later traded to the Philadelphia Flyers—one of the teams on a list that he gave the Nordiques as teams that he would accept a trade to. This kid hadn’t yet played a shift in the league and he had a list of teams that he would play for?
You have to have a huge set of juevos to be 18 years old, drafted number one overall and then immediately say that you will “never play for Quebec.” Huh? Did this guy think that he was, is and forever shall be the best thing the hockey world has ever seen? Uh…NO! Do you know why he refused to play in Quebec? One reason was that he would be, and I quote, “Forced to speak French.” Maybe it’s just me but that sounds a bit racist. Just because they speak a different language doesn’t mean they’re not good people Eric. I wonder how you say “Tool” in French.
It is a little known fact that this is not the first time that Lindros pulled the “I don’t like you so I’m taking my stick and puck and going somewhere else” routine. Dude did it in junior hockey when the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds drafted him. He refused to play for them and forced the ‘Hounds to trade him to the Oshawa Generals. I guess if it worked once, it should work again. Right?
I mean, c’mon, the two greatest players of all time—Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky—were drafted and happily signed with their teams and they each led the franchise that drafted them to Stanley Cup championships.
So, we know why he should wear the Nordiques jersey. Why the Avalanche jersey?
The Colorado jersey is in tribute to the two Stanley Cup championships that Lindros brought the Mile High city while never having laced up his skates for the team nor ever having been on their roster. How is such a feat possible? Simple.
After “his eminence” refused to play for the Nordiques and was subsequently traded to the Flyers, the ‘Diques got a lot in return. Besides one of the great players of this generation in Peter Forsberg, Quebec also received goalie Ron Hextall (yeah, he kind of sucked, but he was still included), bruiser Chris Simon, Mike Ricci, Steve Duchesne, a couple of fringe players, a draft pick which they used on goalie Jocelyn Thibault and a cool $15 million US to spend any way they wanted. They later traded Thibault to Montreal to get stud goalie Patrick Roy and the rest, as they say, is pretty much history.
The Nordiques moved to Colorado and became the Avalanche and guess which players were vital to Colorado’s Stanley Cup championship teams? Oh lets see…Peter Forsberg, Mike Ricci, Chris Simon, Patrick Roy and some other guys that they were able to get with that $15 million. I told my friends back in 1996 and again in 2001 that Lindros should have his name on the Cup because his juvenile behavior brought the Cup to Colorado.
What else is there to say about Mr. Lindros? One of my favorite moments was watching him get laid out by New Jersey’s Scott Stevens during the 2000 playoffs. “Glass-jaw” Lindros had just returned to the Flyers after missing 10 weeks with a series of concussion related problems when he decided to skate the puck into the Devils zone. I’m not sure what Lindros was looking at, but I can tell you what he was NOT looking at and that was the New Jersey captain skating right at him. There are few things in hockey scarier than getting hit by Stevens and Lindros took Stevens shoulder and arm straight on the jaw and dude was snoozing (unconscious) before the back of his helmet hit the ice.
After that Lindros bumped around with the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars before finally taking the doctors advice and retiring for good. For the record, Lindros had eight reported concussions. He was actually a good player (though not a great player) but his arrogance was just too much to handle at times. Besides refusing to play for a junior team and an NHL team Lindros also told Philly GM Bobby Clarke (an icon in that city from his playing days) that when he was tired of playing for the Flyers that the only team he would accept a trade to was Toronto. For the record, Clarke traded him to New York. Way to go Bobby!
Eric’s younger brother Brett tried to play in the NHL but his jaw was even glassier than big brothers and his career was over less than two seasons after being drafted. The reason for the early retirement? The severe effects of post-concussion syndrome. Guess that disease runs in the family
So please join me in boycotting any efforts to get Eric Lindros elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto—at least until they add the concussion category.
EMAIL JASON:
JASON@REEDWRITING.NET
No-holds barred takes on the game from JR
More:
The Target Test (Nov 18, 2007)
