88 - Eric Lindros

[Raoul Duke*]

With his official retirement announcement, I hope to do this thread right this time. 88 stories about Eric Lindros, his career, life and accomplishments over the years.

I admit the first one was done poorly, and randomly with a lot of bickering and poorly written or researched articles. So I hope it isn't minded that I start over, with a more objective and researched thread. If I give an opinion on a matter, I won't write it in the story itself - but make a note at the bottom what I think. If a mod here can lock the old one, I'll start over. Apologize for the inconvienience.

I can't say one a day, like I tried last time. Might be 4 or 5 in one day, and 0 the next. But I'll hammer out 88 stories over his career in a more chronological order (backtreading will most likely be done, can't go month by month or even year by year)... The goal this time is to do it well, not in quantity, but by quality.

Thanks for bearing with me. Without further ado:

Click to read more...

 

[Raoul Duke*]

1/88

Eric Lindros - Growing up

Born Eric Bryan Lindros, Wednesday February 28, 1972 at 8:10 PM in London, Ontario to parents Carl and Bonnie Roszell-Lindros. He weighed 7 pounds, one and a half ounces. Lindros’ parents say in the book Fire On Ice that Eric was a burst of energy, who could barely be contained. At age 3, they bought him some bobskates that were supposed to strap to boots. The straps would break constantly as the cold he wanted to skate in and his effort to keep trying, so they bought hockey laces to tie his feet in:
“With the bobskates costing 88 cents, the laces cost more than the skates. But he was thrilled with skating.†Bonnie Lindros relates in Fire On Ice.

As Lindros grew up his love for skating and hockey didn’t cease so his parents bought him some equipment and enrolled him in the London Red Circle house league:
“It was all antique. None of the stuff matched. I’m not even sure if the shin pads were a complete set. I don’t think it cost more than twelve dollars for the first set of equipment. We bought Eric a really good new helmet, and we also got him new socks and a jersey of the Montreal Canadiens’ because that’s what he liked. He wouldn’t take the helmet off; he kept it on all day long.â€
- Carl Lindros Fire On Ice

Lindros’ family was his father Carl, a chartered accountant who tried out for the Chicago Blackhawks, and was offered a CFL contract by the Edmonton Eskimos but went the route of accounting, after being tried out only as an enforcer in the NHL - and being offered $7,200 a year in the CFL. (Fire on Ice pg. 32-33) His mother, a registered nurse, his brother Brett (who would also play in the NHL for the New York Islanders), and sister Robin.

At 10 years old, the Lindros family moved to Toronto. And Eric joined the St. Michaels Marlboros hockey system. The first move after the Lindros’ bought a house in Toronto, was for Carl to rent a jackhammer, rip out the backyard pool and put in soil and grass so they could build an outdoor rink for Eric and Brett.

 

[Raoul Duke*]

2/88

Toronto St. Michael’s Buzzers - The Media Takes Notice

“It was when I was 15 years old playing in Junior B for St. Michael’s in Toronto that I started taking hockey a lot more seriously and began to see it as a future career.... It wasn’t until halfway through the season that I caught fire and all the scouts and the media started coming out.... Everything seemed to come together for me while I was at St. Mike’s.â€
- Eric Lindros

At 14 years old, playing against 16-20 year olds in Junior B, Eric Lindros amassed 139 PIM during the playoffs. Still a record to this day:
http://www.stmichaelsbuzzers.com/buzzers_new/records.aspx

News that the Big E has packed up his hockey bag for the last time got me reminiscing about that day in cozy but ice-cold St. Michael's arena in Toronto.
Can't remember who was the opposition for the St. Mike's Buzzers and Lindros, then a 15-year-old phenom being touted as the NHL's latest savior.
It hardly matters.
What I do recall is being awed by the raw ability of Lindros. And that was just during the pre-game warm-up.
Lindros repeatedly snapped laser shots under the crossbar from a ridiculous angle , leaving me slack-jawed in disbelief. Now, I thought at the time, I can see why the hype machine has been working overtime.
Even while he was with the Buzzers, Eric Lindros was Robocop on skates. He looked like a budding Gretzky, except at 6-foot-4 he had the size to dominate physically and a mean streak that would make Semenko think twice.

- Dave Pollard
http://www.hockey.com/blog/262-Eric-Lindros-never-lived-up-to-hype.aspx


Stats
1988/89 - OHA-B League
GP- 37
G - 24
A - 43
Pts - 67
PIM - 193

 

[Raoul Duke*]

3/88

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds select Eric Lindros

Saturday May 27, 1989 - North York Centennial Centre. North York, Ontario.

“I had just turned sixteen.... and the hockey world was telling me where I had to move, away from my family. I doubted if I ever wanted to play professional hockey; I was in Grade 10, a few credits away from going to summer school. I was just a kid, I didn’t even have a driver’s license.â€
- Eric Lindros

The Lindros family told Phil Esposito - at the time the owner of the Greyhounds that he’s just a kid, and if the Greyhounds draft him - he has a backup option to go to Junior Tier II in Detroit. Esposito said he understood, and there was no problem in that regard.
On May 17th, the Greyhounds got a bid to buy the team for $600,000. And “Then there was money to be made from my name.†(Pg. 69)

The Greyhounds selected Eric Lindros, a $1 million offer was put in on the team. The city stepped in and matched the money to save the team. Previously it was expected the Greyhounds would be sold. Investors and city money saved the team, after Eric Lindros was drafted.

To stay close to home, the University of Michigan and Red Berenson would give the Lindros’ an offer, except Eric would not be eligible to play in the NCAA for another year, so Berenson directed the Lindros’ to Jim Rutherford, head of Detroit Compuware’s Junior hockey program.

Sticking to their word, Lindros joined Detroit Compuware Junior Tier II for the following few months

 

[Raoul Duke*]

4/88

Detroit Compuware

“Detroit Compuware, a Tier II junior team coached by Andy Weidenbach. I was fortunate to live with a great family, the Velluccis, that accepted me and treated me like one of their own. That was one of the greatest parts (of the experience). I think I gained a lot of independence while I was there and it helped me get used to being away from home.â€
Eric Lindros. 1992 Pinnacle Road to the NHL card number 2.

It was at Detroit Compuware, playing against 17-21 year old players that Lindros started wearing the number 8. Still at 16, he was far too big and strong for his competition, and by December he was invited to the Team Canada World Junior tryouts. He made the team as the only non-Canadian Hockey League junior player (OHL, WHL and QMJHL), and was the first 16 year old to crack the roster since Wayne Gretzky.

1989-90 Detroit Compuware Stats:
GP G A Pts PIM
14 24 29 53 123

 

[Melrose Munch]

Well done.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Looks good so far!

 

[Leaf Lander]

good work Raoul Duke!!

 

[The Thomas J.*]

Good job thus far!

 

[Raoul Duke*]

5/88

Eric Lindros debuts in the OHL - With Tier II Detroit Compuware vs. Windsor Spitfires

September, 1989

AT

With the buzz Eric Lindros had generated by being drafted first overall in the OHL draft and choosing to head to Detroit instead of Sault Ste. Marie, OHL team Windsor Spitfires invited the Tier II Detroit Compuware up for an exhibition game. Using the opportunity to play up a level and get ready for their own season, Compuware accepted.

“We were playing up a level, but you would have never known it..... He (Eric Lindros) single handidly took on the entire Spitfire team. He scored two goals and two assists and delivered hit after hit. When the Spitfires tried to get tough because they were losing and they were frustrated, Eric started manhandling guys all over the ice. We whipped them 8-0, and Eric was a one man show.â€
- Andy Weidenbach, Head Coach, Detroit Compuware

Peter Karmanos, Compuware owner had owned the Spitfires, or the Windsor Compuware Spitfires as they were known from 1984-1989. Using the situation to his full advantage, he sold the team to Steve Riolo promising a game vs. Lindros. That season, the Spitfires dropped the “Compuware†tag and went with the name Windsor Spitfires, and adopted their modern logo.

Raoul Duke opinion:

- Indirectly, Eric Lindros saved a second OHL team with his name alone. Sault Ste. Marie was on the verge of moving before they drafted Lindros, and the team was saved by local investors. Windsor Compuware Spitfires were on the verge of being moved to Guelph - but Karmanos saw the opportunity to ditch the team on another buyer in Windsor after promising the Lindros game.

 

[Raoul Duke*]

6/88

1990 World Junior Championships
Helsinki, Finland

With one game left to play, Canada looked like a lock for silver at the 1990 World Junior Championships in Helsinki, Finland.
1. A 5-4 loss to Sweden in their second-last game had put Canada behind the stacked Soviets in the standings. Sweden had scored three goals in 96 seconds to stun the Canadians and and put the Russians in the driver's seat.
Russia had lost to Canada earlier in the round-robin, but led the standings at 5-1-0 while Canada was 4-1-1. All the Soviets needed was a win over Sweden in their final game and the gold was theirs. Canada had to beat Czechoslovakia and hope the Swedes could get at least a tie against Russia. That would give Canada the gold based on their head-to-head win over the Russians.
But that was a tall order. Russia had a ton of future NHL talent, including Pavel Bure, Alexei Zhamnov, Sergei Zubov and Andrei Kovalenko. And the Czechs had Robert Reichel, Bobby Holik, Jiri Slegr and a big kid named Jaromir Jagr.
Canada countered with its own stars like Eric Lindros and Dave Chyzowski, not to mention the usual Grade-A grinders like Kris Draper and Mike Ricci. It was perhaps the most well-balanced team Canada had ever iced at the tournament. They also had an ace in the hole in Stephane Fiset, who would be named the tournament's top goaltender.
On the tournament's final day, all looked lost. Canada was beating the Czechs 2-1 behind Fiset's brilliance, but was struggling to hold the lead. Russia, meanwhile, was ahead of the Swedes 2-1 late in their game.
But the Swedes did Canada a huge favour, scoring with one second left on the clock to tie the Soviets 2-2, opening the door for Canada. Word of the Swedish miracle hit the Canadian bench with 2:37 left in their match with Czechoslovakia. They rallied to hold off Jagr and company, winning 2-1 to claim a miracle gold medal.

- credit tsn.ca

Eric Lindros had an underwhelming WJC with the buzz he had going in. Scoring only 4 goals, and no assists in 7 games. As a 16 year old, Lindros was used sparingly on the 3rd line as Canada went with stars David Chyzowski, Mike Needham and Dwayne Norris as their top line - who led the Canadian team in scoring.
Dave Chyzowski had 9 goals and 4 assists for 13 points in 7 games. Being a sure fire draft pick when the Islanders would select him 2nd overall that year.

Tournament stats:
GP G A Pts
7 4 0 4

 

[The Thomas J.*]

you should write his unauthorized biography.

 

[Raoul Duke*]

7/88

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds trade Eric Lindros to the Oshawa Generals

Dec. 17, 1989: The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds trade Lindros to the Oshawa Generals for goalie Mike Lenarduzzi, forwards Jason Denomme and Mike DeCoff, a second-round pick in the 1991 OHL draft and fourth-round pick in 1992 OHL draft and up to $80,000 Cdn

“I learned my destination just before leaving to Finland for the World Junior Championships in Finland. I had never seen the Oshawa Generals play before and I didn’t even know what the uniforms looked like. All I knew is that it was the team Bobby Orr once played for, and it was close to home.â€
- Eric Lindros

Although Lindros was still property of Detroit Compuware, they had expected the trade would come, and allowed Lindros to leave the team to join his new OHL team mid season in Oshawa.

“The trade came at a good time for Eric. Here in Farmington, Michigan, nobody in his high school knew who he was. Eric was just a new kid that played hockey in his spare time, the only person that really knew was his principal - until Eric’s picture appeared on the cover of the Hockey News with the headline “Whiz Kid - Meet a 16-year-old kid Who’s Destined to be an NHL Superstarâ€. His low key nature at high school ended that day... They(the students) just about died.â€
- Judy Vellucci - Eric’s billet while at Detroit Compuware

 

[Raoul Duke*]

8/88

Eric Lindros joins the Oshawa Generals

“I was pretty apprehensive about how I would be accepted by the team. The guys on the Generals were good right from day one, but still, I had to prove myself to them.â€

Eric Lindros’ first game in the OHL was vs. the Belleville Bulls. Put on a line with Dale Craigwell and Scott Pearson the line lit it up. Eric scored two goals, assisted on two for Dale Craigwell and another for Pearson. Late in the game, the line was put out there again, hoping for either Lindros or Craigwell to get the hat trick.

“Some of the Belleville players started flinging racial slurs at Dale, who is black. Scott Boston, Belleville’s enforcer really laid into him, and I lost it. I started pummeling him until the referee stepped in to pull me off. A brawl erupted and Boston wasn’t in too good of shape. Soon after the commotion calmed down an announcement went over the loudspeaker: ‘Would the team doctor please report to the Belleville dressing room’.â€
- Eric Lindros Fire On Ice pg. 83

Eric Lindros was accepted by his team, and entered the OHL with a bang.

 

[SilverSeven]

http://www.phillymag.com/blogs/philly/2007/11/08/eric-lindros-penis-inspector/

 

[Raoul Duke*]

Eric Lindros catapults the Oshawa Generals

The Generals were a team who barely had the drive to finish dead last in the OHL, until Eric Lindros showed up. His arrival and his play single handidly pushed the Generals into the OHL playoffs, and won the OHL title. The Oshawa Generals crushed anyone in their way, much like Lindros did to his opponents on the ice.

A team that was mediocre quickly became the team to beat, not just in the OHL, but in Major Junior Hockey - and all on on shoulders of a 16/17 year old Eric Lindros. Lindros and the Generals made quick work of the OHL, and went to the 1990 Memorial Cup. Playing alongside the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL, the Laval Titans of the QMJHL and the OHL runner ups - the Kitchener Rangers, who the Generals has previously swept.

In the Memorial Cup championship game The championship game on May 13th, 1990 attracted 17,383 spectators. The Oshawa Generals defeated the Kitchener Rangers by a score of 4 to 3 in double overtime on a goal by Bill Armstrong to win the 4th Memorial Cup in Oshawa Generals history.

A young kid, by the name of Eric Lindros catapulted a team from mediocrity in the OHL - the become the Memorial Cup Champions. And his international legend was born. He was not just a prodigy, but an asset that took a storied Junior team from last place in their division in the OHL - to being Canadian Junior Champions with the Memorial Cup.

The Legend of Eric Lindros took steam, and hit national media.

 

[PensfanUK]

This is a great thread, especially for us Lindros fans but I think everyone would be interested in reading this, good work!

 

[ozzie]

Seriously, I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the next few updates.

Even knowing what happens next, I am eager to read it.

 

[Raoul Duke*]

1990 World Junior Hockey Championships
Saskatoon, SK.

TSN, as a network had just been granted sporting rights to most games in hockey that didn't involve Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night hockey games. This was not an issue as the upstart cable channel in Canada wanted rights to broadcast highlights of NHL games. But the biggest aquisition they had with the CRBC, was to get the rights to shot the games of the World Junior Hockey Championships, which were held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

No other network applied for the rights, and TSN exclusively broadcast each and every game of the 1990 World Junior Hockey Championships. The ratings were high, due to the hype around Eric Lindros, that TSN had to sell commercial rights to CTV.

By the final game in Saskatoon, the game was broadcast all over Canada by TSN and CTV, a national channel which usually only showed news, and syndication of American sitcoms.

The entire country watched as Eric Lindros dominated the Russian team when he was on the ice - but when he was on the bench, the Russians would tally up. It became apparant to all viewers in Canada that the hopes of the Canadian team rode on the back of #88.

Pavel Bure, Sergei Fedorov and such proved to be too much for Team Canada, on national TV. The score was tied with 1 minute to go in the Gold Medal game, and Lindros was sent over the boards.

He took the puck, and went deep into the Russian zone. They followed him, trying to lay hits on the kid. Lindros dropped everyone that came his way as we all swat flies.... Then sent the puck back to John Slaney on the point who wound up and slapped it home, securing the win for Canada.

Lost in the eruption of Canada seeing their first televised Gold Medal in the WJC, was Eric Lindros. He dominated the game to an extent that the public went wild. He IS THE NEXT ONE - BUT WITH A BOB PROBERT STREAK

He was 17. The next summer he would be invited to the 1991 Team Canada tryouts, at 18 years old.

NEXT UP: Eric Lindros is available for the next NHL Draft.

 

[BNHL]

I remember a Saturday afternnon game in Boston early in his career where he scored on a backhander from the top left circle that looked like a slapshot.

 

[whatthef]

great job, keep it up

 

[Roger's Pancreas*]

I love how thorough this thread is.

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

These are 88 of the best moments of my life.

 

[Super Fadio Bro]

Good job, except the fact that he's born in 1973.

 

[Habsfan18]

Pavel Bure, Sergei Fedorov and such proved to be too much for Team Canada, on national TV. The score was tied with 1 minute to go in the Gold Medal game, and Lindros was sent over the boards.

He took the puck, and went deep into the Russian zone. They followed him, trying to lay hits on the kid. Lindros dropped everyone that came his way as we all swat flies.... Then sent the puck back to John Slaney on the point who wound up and slapped it home, securing the win for Canada.

Actually, if I remember correctly there was still about 5 minutes left in regulation when John Slaney scored the game winning goal.