Eric Lindros facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eric Lindros OOnt
Hockey Hall of Fame, 2016
Lindros in 2016
Born	(1973-02-28) February 28, 1973 (age 52) London, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	240 lb (109 kg; 17 st 2 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Right
Played for	Philadelphia Flyers New York Rangers Toronto Maple Leafs Dallas Stars
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	1st overall, 1991 Quebec Nordiques
Playing career	1992–2007

Eric Bryan Lindros (born February 28, 1973) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was known for his large size, skill, and physical strength, which made him one of the most dominant players of his time. Lindros was chosen first overall in the 1991 NHL entry draft by the Quebec Nordiques, but he refused to play for the team. He was later traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in a famous deal.

During his career, Lindros was a star player for the Flyers. He was a type of player known as a power forward, using his size and strength to score goals and create chances for his teammates. His aggressive style of play led to several serious injuries, including concussions, which are injuries to the brain. Despite this, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player in 1995.

Lindros also played for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Dallas Stars. He represented Canada in the Winter Olympics three times, winning a silver medal in 1992 and a gold medal in 2002. For his amazing career, Lindros was welcomed into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2016 and was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history in 2017. The Philadelphia Flyers retired his jersey number, 88, in his honor.

Hockey Career

Junior Hockey Stardom (1989–1992)

As a teenager, Lindros was already famous in the hockey world. He was so good that people nicknamed him "The Next One," comparing him to the legendary Wayne Gretzky, who was called "The Great One." Another one of his nicknames was "The Big E," because of his size and impact on the ice.

Lindros played for the Oshawa Generals in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He was so talented that he was drafted by another team, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, but he refused to play for them. He was then traded to Oshawa, where he had great success. In the 1990-91 season, he won awards for being the top scorer and the most valuable player in the league. He led the Generals to a Memorial Cup championship in 1990, which is the top prize in Canadian junior hockey.

The 1991 NHL Draft Controversy

In the 1991 NHL entry draft, the Quebec Nordiques picked Lindros as the first player overall. However, Lindros had already said he would not play for the Nordiques. He was not happy with the team's owner and the direction of the team. The Nordiques had been one of the worst teams in the league for several years.

The Nordiques' owner, Marcel Aubut, insisted that Lindros would play for them. Lindros refused and spent the next year playing for his junior team and for Team Canada at the 1992 Winter Olympics, where he won a silver medal.

Finally, at the 1992 NHL entry draft, the Nordiques made trades involving Lindros with two different teams at the same time: the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers. The NHL had to hire a special judge, called an arbitrator, to decide which trade was valid. The arbitrator ruled that the deal with the Flyers was made first. This trade was huge, with the Flyers sending several players, draft picks, and money to Quebec in exchange for Lindros. One of the players the Nordiques received was a young Peter Forsberg, who also became a superstar.

Philadelphia Flyers (1992–2000)

The Flyers retired Lindros's number 88 jersey in 2018.

With the Flyers, Lindros quickly became one of the best players in the NHL. He was big, strong, and could score a lot of points. In 1994, he was named the team's captain.

He played on a famous line called the "Legion of Doom" with teammates John LeClair and Mikael Renberg. They were feared by other teams because of their size and scoring ability. In the 1994-95 season, Lindros won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's MVP. He led the Flyers to the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals, but they lost to the Detroit Red Wings.

Injuries and Conflict

Lindros's physical style of play led to many injuries. He suffered several concussions, which are serious head injuries that can have long-term effects. In 1999, he had a very scary injury that turned out to be a collapsed lung from internal bleeding.

His time in Philadelphia ended after disagreements with the team's general manager, Bobby Clarke. Clarke questioned Lindros's toughness because of his injuries. After Lindros criticized the team's medical staff for not diagnosing a concussion properly, Clarke took away his captaincy.

In the 2000 playoffs, Lindros returned from an injury but was hit hard by defenseman Scott Stevens of the New Jersey Devils. The hit gave Lindros another concussion and knocked him out of the game. After that season, he sat out for a full year before being traded.

Later Career and Retirement

On August 20, 2001, Lindros was traded to the New York Rangers. He had a good first season with the Rangers, but injuries continued to affect his play in the following years.

After the 2004-05 NHL season was cancelled, Lindros signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs for one year. He later played one final season with the Dallas Stars.

On November 8, 2007, at the age of 34, Eric Lindros announced his retirement from professional hockey.

Life After Hockey

After retiring, Lindros has stayed involved in the community. On the day he retired, he announced a $5 million donation to the London Health Sciences Centre in his hometown. This was one of the largest donations ever made by a Canadian athlete.

He briefly worked for the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) as an ombudsman, a person who helps solve disagreements.

In 2016, Lindros was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, recognizing him as one of the game's all-time greats. In 2018, the Philadelphia Flyers honored him by retiring his jersey number, 88, meaning no other Flyer will ever wear that number again.

Personal Life

Eric is the oldest son of Carl and Bonnie Lindros. His father, Carl, was drafted by the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. His younger brother, Brett, also played in the NHL for the New York Islanders but had to retire early due to concussions.

In 2012, Lindros married Kina Lamarche. They have three children: a son, Carl Pierre, and twins, Sophie and Ryan. The family lives in Toronto.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

International

Medal record
Men's Ice hockey
Representing  Canada
Winter Olympics
Gold	2002 Salt Lake City
Silver	1992 Albertville
World Junior Championships
Gold	1990 Finland
Gold	1991 Canada

All-Star Games

Awards and Achievements

Quotes About Eric 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.

See also

In Spanish: Eric Lindros para niños