1991 Lindros Draft Question?

Northern Dancer

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Because the NHL board of governors set the expansion rules, they said that San Jose could not have 1st pick. They felt it was better to give Quebec - a team that had struggled for a long time - the first pick than to a team that just started. They were protecting their own.

Lindros was a complete a$$. He didn't want to go to a "small" Canadian city and he didn't want to play on a last place team. Karma got him in the end.

See my answer above, your conspiracy theory about expansion teams is wrong. Why did Tampa Bay and Ottawa draft 1st and 2nd over-all the very next year ???????

And since Lindros was a complete a$$, I guess you feel the same about Bryan Berard, Craig Simpson, Lanny McDonald, Chris Pronger (in Junior and NHL), Mike Peca, Yashin etc. etc. the list is very long of players who refused to play for teams that owned their contracts. Go back to the WHA days and the list includes Hull, Sanderson, Mahovolich, Parent etc. and you could even argue Wayne Gretzky and all the baby bulls who broke their CHL contracts to play pro early.
It baffles me why Lindros gets crucified for doing the same things that many other players of also done.
 
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albertGQ

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Obviously he didnt refuse to play in Pittsburgh. Sounded to me like you were just taking a shot at a player you didnt like just for kicks. Perhaps I misunderstood your intent.


Huh? He did refuse to play for Pittsburgh origionally

At least Lindros walked to the podium and took pictures with Pierre Page and Marcel Aubut (I think it was Marcel).

Mario woudln't even get out of his seat
 

Northern Dancer

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Huh? He did refuse to play for Pittsburgh origionally

At least Lindros walked to the podium and took pictures with Pierre Page and Marcel Aubut (I think it was Marcel).

Mario woudln't even get out of his seat

Agree Mario gets away being a Saint for all his shenagins while Lindros gets toasted. How many opportunities did Lemieux turn down before finally playing for Team Canada, how many did Lindros turn down?
 

Ogopogo*

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See my answer above, your conspiracy theory about expansion teams is wrong. Why did Tampa Bay and Ottawa draft 1st and 2nd over-all the very next year ???????

And since Lindros was a complete a$$, I guess you feel the same about Bryan Berard, Craig Simpson, Lanny McDonald, Chris Pronger (in Junior and NHL), Mike Peca, Yashin etc. etc. the list is very long of players who refused to play for teams that owned their contracts. Go back to the WHA days and the list includes Hull, Sanderson, Mahovolich, Parent etc. and you could even argue Wayne Gretzky and all the baby bulls who broke their CHL contracts to play pro early.
It baffles me why Lindros gets crucified for doing the same things that many other players of also done.

Yes, they are all ***** if they pulled off the same thing. A player leaving junior hockey to play pro is a different deal.
 

12# Peter Bondra

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Obviously he didnt refuse to play in Pittsburgh. Sounded to me like you were just taking a shot at a player you didnt like just for kicks. Perhaps I misunderstood your intent.
I was just posting it to show that Lindros aint the only no.1 drafted player in history who had problems with the team which drafted him.
 

God Bless Canada

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I believe that Ottawa and Tampa are the only expansion teams to be given the No. 1 overall pick before entering the league. Don't know if it had anything to do with the perceived weakness of the 1992 Draft.

Florida and Anaheim were guaranteed the top two picks in 1994, but one must understand the historical context of those expansion teams. (It came virtually out of nowhere. It came during Gil Stein's atrocious brief tenure. The teams were handed out a third of the way through the 1992-93 season, and everyone assumed they'd be terrible. Florida came within a point of the post-season in their first year, and got the first overall pick).

Nashville was granted the No. 2 pick in 1998. (It became the No. 3 pick when San Jose won the lottery with an acquired pick, but Nashville swapped picks with San Jose to move up to No. 2). Atlanta traded up to get the No. 1 overall pick in 1999. Minnesota and Columbus were slotted No. 3 and 4, respectively, in 2000.

As for Lindros not reporting, it was a classless thing to do. If you're a rookie, you go where your drafted. Same thing goes with Bryan Berard.

The Lindros situation was a combination of a lot of things: a kid with a swelled head, thanks to years of hype; parents who had too much control; and the state of the Nords at the time.
 

ziggy

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With a few Lindros threads popping up recently, I was curious as to why San Jose didn't get the first overall pick in the 1991 entry draft.

The correct answer to your question is that the NHL reasoning was that what with Lindros being "the Next One" (back then there were three "Ones" - The Great, The Magnificent and The Next One) it would be a waste for the NHL to send the new face of the league to an expansion team that would struggle for years. They thought it was a better idea to let an established - if very bad - team pick Lindros, so he could the sooner become surrounded by better players and become the new, true superstar and face of the NHL.

Believe it or not, that is the real answer to the question why San Jose didn´t get to pick 1st overall - since it was "The Big Lindros Draft". True story. San Jose was of course compensated by being guarenteed the 3rd pick in 1992 regadless of finishing position - after expansion teams TB and OTT had picked 1st and 2nd, and that SJ would pick 1st, 2nd or 3rd based on position - had they won the NHL they would have picked 3rd in 1993 - in the 1993 Entry Draft.
 

Badger Bob

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The correct answer to your question is that the NHL reasoning was that what with Lindros being "the Next One" (back then there were three "Ones" - The Great, The Magnificent and The Next One) it would be a waste for the NHL to send the new face of the league to an expansion team that would struggle for years. They thought it was a better idea to let an established - if very bad - team pick Lindros, so he could the sooner become surrounded by better players and become the new, true superstar and face of the NHL.

Not so much the NHL, in general, as Canadian hockey in particular. At the risk of offending some people, there's a certain maple leaf pride and national identity attached to the Next One. Now it happens to be Sidney Crosby, who is growing comfortably into that role. Before that, there was a great deal of hype attached to Bouwmeester, although not to the same extent.

As you can see from some of the others posts, specific players have high expectations placed on them practically from Bantams onward. With that, Canadian superstars are expected to be hockey ambassadors (Beliveau with class, always Gretzky saying the "right" things and likely Crosby) or not (Lemieux, depending on the circumstances, and definitely Lindros). It naturally follows that all calls to Hockey Canada must be answered, as if Lemieux needed an excuse from his doctor for updates on the Hodgkins or chronic back pain.
 

God Bless Canada

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I'd guess that's because half the posters here weren't even born yet...
I think most people still remember it. I remember a lot of people in the media discussing Lemieux's decision not to wear the jersey when Lemieux retired in 2005.

The difference is that Lemieux redeemed himself. He played his entire career with Pittsburgh, he was the MVP for two Cup champions in Pitt, and he eventually bought the team. He wasn't the finest example of a human being when he first entered the league and his commitment to the game was questioned right up until his first retirement. Now you'll never hear anyone question Lemieux's character or love of the game.

Lindros balked at playing in Quebec, was traded to Philly and eventually bounced around the league. If he eventually plays for Quebec and leads them to two Cups, then his decision not to wear the jersey becomes an early blip on his portfolio.
 

asdf

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Lindros balked at playing in Quebec, was traded to Philly and eventually bounced around the league. If he eventually plays for Quebec and leads them to two Cups, then his decision not to wear the jersey becomes an early blip on his portfolio.

Well he DID indirectly lead them to two Cups given the king's ransom that Quebec got for him. ;)
 

Jumptheshark

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With a few Lindros threads popping up recently, I was curious as to why San Jose didn't get the first overall pick in the 1991 entry draft.

I remember reading a story about the reasoning, but for the life of me I cannot recall it or its details, was hoping someone else would know why San Jose was moved to second.

Following the normal NHL course of events, San Jose should have drafted first, but I know it had something to do with Sanjose/Tampa expansion at the time.

If San Jose had been awarded the first pick, as it appears they really should have been, do you think Eric Lindros would of reported to an 'expansion' team?, or forced a trade yet again?.

Lindros and his camp originally mentioned that Quebec didn't want to win, or its ownership didn't want to, maybe it was a political smoke screen, as to not offend the frensh, I don't know.

Quebec tanked in the 90/91 season and they were rewarded handsomely.
 

Jumptheshark

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Oct 12, 2003
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With a few Lindros threads popping up recently, I was curious as to why San Jose didn't get the first overall pick in the 1991 entry draft.

I remember reading a story about the reasoning, but for the life of me I cannot recall it or its details, was hoping someone else would know why San Jose was moved to second.

Following the normal NHL course of events, San Jose should have drafted first, but I know it had something to do with Sanjose/Tampa expansion at the time.

If San Jose had been awarded the first pick, as it appears they really should have been, do you think Eric Lindros would of reported to an 'expansion' team?, or forced a trade yet again?.

Lindros and his camp originally mentioned that Quebec didn't want to win, or its ownership didn't want to, maybe it was a political smoke screen, as to not offend the frensh, I don't know.

Quebec tanked in the 90/91 season and they were rewarded handsomely.

The sharks were not a pure expantion team and when they split up the North stars some people would/could and did make a case that SJ were not starting from scratch
 

mcphee

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He was a kid getting bad advice from adults who should have known better. I blame the people around him alot more than I blame Lindros.
I think Lindros made it worse by the way he stayed out of it. Sure he isn't the first in hockey or other sports to stiff a city or team, {John Elway,Eli Manning come to mind]. Lindros gave the impression, that he was above the process, he never really spoke about it. At least not that I saw. I heard on einterview where he mumbled not wanting to billet at someone's house like a jr. Which I guess was in response to Aubut or someone suggesting it as a way to pick up a bit of the language. I believe Lindros bought into the 'next one' hype and thought he'd be marketed like Gretzky and Michael Jordan. Well, not in Quebec he wouldn't. Plus,who knows what issues his family had with the city ?


I remember talking about it with a guy I worked with then. He basically said, ' you've been to Quebec. 18, good looking, $, he doesn't want to go to Quebec ? Is he nuts ? ' He could've had some good years if he kept his mind open.
 

fredez

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I've seen a TV show about pretty much anything that happened in the 1990's and there was a bit about Lindros. The guy explained that Lindros' parents saw him as a huge superstar, like not just a hockey superstar a worldwide superstar. They wanted him to be mainstream and they thought that he would not have enough publicity in Canada and wanted him to play ine the US.

His parents are to blame. But of course if Lindros has any kind of intelligence he would have noticed his parents intentions but if they raised him and constantly put in his head that he would be a megastar...
 

xeric716x

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I think most people still remember it. I remember a lot of people in the media discussing Lemieux's decision not to wear the jersey when Lemieux retired in 2005.

The difference is that Lemieux redeemed himself. He played his entire career with Pittsburgh, he was the MVP for two Cup champions in Pitt, and he eventually bought the team. He wasn't the finest example of a human being when he first entered the league and his commitment to the game was questioned right up until his first retirement. Now you'll never hear anyone question Lemieux's character or love of the game.

Lindros balked at playing in Quebec, was traded to Philly and eventually bounced around the league. If he eventually plays for Quebec and leads them to two Cups, then his decision not to wear the jersey becomes an early blip on his portfolio.



he only bought the team because they owed him money.
 

espo*

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I remember talking about it with a guy I worked with then. He basically said, ' you've been to Quebec. 18, good looking, $, he doesn't want to go to Quebec ? Is he nuts ? ' He could've had some good years if he kept his mind open.[/QUOTE]

LOL,very true.

Kid did'nt understand what he was doing.
 

Fish on The Sand

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Might be a legitimate complaint. But one he shouldn't have made. An older wiser Mario wouldn't complain about being shafted for the Hart. The young Mario did complain.

One thing for sure, Mario grew more as a person during his career than any other player I can think of. He went from being an uber talented, kinda spoiled, kinda selfish, kinda lazy player to one of the best leaders and great ambassadors of the game. On the ice he went from a talented individual player to one of the biggest winners and team players ever.

You have to respect Mario a great deal.

Lemieux will never be considered a great leader in my eyes. The crap he has pulled since coming back from retirement is just plain stupid. The fact that he abandoned his team to play in the all star game and olympics is something that can't be overlooked. Another thing that can't be overlooked is the fact that he pulled the same crap in 2004. He also never carried that team success. The only success that franchise ever had was when he either had Jagr, or a team of all stars. Only one season did Lemieux make the playoffs without Jagr. Jagr never once missed the playoffs as a Penguin. That being said, this thread isn't about Mario. This thread is about Lindros being a whiny *****.
 

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