From the time he was 16, Eric Lindros was never far from the public eye. Yesterday was no different, when he decided to announce his retirement after 13 injury-plagued seasons in the NHL. In the history of Canadian sport, few athletes have sparked more debate than Lindros. Whether it was refusing to play in the Soo or Quebec, his meddling parents, or his public feud with Bob Clarke, “The Next One” was always a lightning rod of controversy. In just 760 games, Lindros scored 372 goals and 865 points. A solid career for most, but with his talent, it only leaves us asking What if? I’ll always remember the bohemeoth 228-pound teenager that crashed his way through the 1991 Canada Cup, not looking out of place among the worlds’ best. Love him or hate him, we all have an opinion of him. Lindros now is moving on to his second career as a union activist. It sounds strange for a player who was perceived to be so self-centred to now be fighting for the rights of others. What is certain is that the fractured NHLPA could use his help.
The Big E Bids Adieu
Posted on November 9, 2007 – 1:39 pm
3 Comments
Neely is a good example.
Neely had 694 points in 726 games, also never won a Stanley Cup, and was also ruined by injuries.
Lindros played 34 more games and had 171 more points.
Neely did score a few more goals, and he did do the (stupidly unofficial) 50 in 49 thing. But obviously Cam Neely is viewed much more favourably than Lindros ever will be.
Unfortunately, all anyone’s ever going to remember about Lindros is wasted potential, not playing for the Nords, and his mother.
A cup sure would have helped (see Clark Gillies), or simply having played prior to the 1970s (see **** Duff and his Darcy Tuckeresque career stats), but in the end, negative media perception will sink him probably.
The hall is perfectly happy to let in guys like Gillies and Duff while guys like Dino Ciccarelli (600 goals) and Glenn Anderson (1100 points, 214 playoff points, 6 rings) get passed over year after year because of bad press/public perception, so I wouldn’t hold my breath about Lindros…
lol the filter caught D!ck Duff’s first name, that’s pretty funny
I agree with everything said here except for the stuff fox Tard said!! I watched Eric play Live in the OHL, Canada Cup,NHL and I even saw a game he played prior to the Albertville olympics against the Leafs at Maple leaf Gardens.So I can proudly say i seen him at his best {being a Flyer fan I saw him alot in the NHL} Only two players in my lifetime with the exception of the 70s where I was too young brought people out of their seats like he did when he skated with the puck.You know who those two were.I also ask you to write down on paper what a perfect NHLer would be in your eyes.A guy that could score,hit,fight,make pretty plays,singlehandedly intimitade a team,stand up for what he believes in..on and off the ice.Eric is in my personal hall of fame and Fox Tard is one of those Leaf Fans we all love to laugh at when they speak about hockey.Lemieux refused to report to Pittsburgh,Yzerman refused to report to Quebec in a trade that would send Lindros to Detroit.Gretzky fooled us all in a press conference crying about how his home would always be in edmonton.When the deal was made exclusively for him.How soon we all forget..Eric Ruled..Fox tard drools
At one time in the late 90s Lindros had career points per game numbers that were in the same league as Gretzky,lemiuex and mike Bossy..not too shabby!