Why didn't Lindros want to play in Quebec?

[Mike Martin]

I never fully understood his reasons for not wanting to play for Quebec? Lack of nationwide media exposure? The French language? Canadian dollars?

Click to read more...

 

[Passchendaele]

Daddy Carl didn't want him to. Years later, Brett also said he wouldn't have reported to Quebec.

It wasn't the language, Eric would have played in Montreal.

 

[Thesensation19*]

I always thought it was just a hatred for the city and the team. Well not so much a "hatred" just that it was one of those places that he knew he never wanted to play for.

It probably had to do more with organization. Gretzky would probably never play for New Jersey when he was upcoming.

Sometimes I think about what Gretzky said once.
Paraphrased... Its real tough to work your entire youth as a hockey player to become the best in your age group. And your reward is to be drafted #1, and be put on the worst team in the professional league and start all over again.

Sometimes I wonder if there was a different system in place. A hard cap for sure to limit dream teams and focus more attention on management than salaries. However, no draft and teams can have Junior Teams as their developmental camps. Like before the 60s lol

Now that hockey is more broadened, its more likely to succeed now

 

[sr edler]

I think he was probably scared of the poutine. Knew he couldn't handle it.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

I believe they wanted him to play in a big market. From what I understand, he wouldn't have reported to Winnipeg or Edmonton either. Language may have also been a factor, but not the major one. I remember him stating he would have accepted a trade to the Habs.

 

[BraveCanadian]

I believe they wanted him to play in a big market. From what I understand, he wouldn't have reported to Winnipeg or Edmonton either. Language may have also been a factor, but not the major one. I remember him stating he would have accepted a trade to the Habs.

Right. If I remember correctly they wanted him in a big hockey market with the endorsement opportunities that came with it.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Control

In retrospect the issue was control of the NHL career which was precluded by the NHL Entry Draft unless there was a perfect convergence of circumstances.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

I always thought it was just a hatred for the city and the team. Well not so much a "hatred" just that it was one of those places that he knew he never wanted to play for.

It probably had to do more with organization. Gretzky would probably never play for New Jersey when he was upcoming.

Sometimes I think about what Gretzky said once.
Paraphrased... Its real tough to work your entire youth as a hockey player to become the best in your age group. And your reward is to be drafted #1, and be put on the worst team in the professional league and start all over again.

Sometimes I wonder if there was a different system in place. A hard cap for sure to limit dream teams and focus more attention on management than salaries. However, no draft and teams can have Junior Teams as their developmental camps. Like before the 60s lol

Now that hockey is more broadened, its more likely to succeed now

i'm reminded by something blake bell once wrote about mario lemieux--

As his name was called out as the first pick overall in 1984, Lemieux sat silently looking up to the sky (perhaps hoping for a miracle to rid himself of what all franchise players must go through; starting on a bad team). He never came down to proudly put on his new team's jersey. What should have been a moment of exhilaration became an insult to the city he would spend the next 12 years entertaining. Even Lindros had enough respect for that tradition to get off his rear-end and join the franchise he detested so on the podium.

 

[93LEAFS]

Multiple factors, one the language barrier in Quebec City is much stronger than Montreal, it was the heart of separatist country at the time, and a small market. It seems Lindros almost always had is heart set on playing for the leafs, but was willing to compromise to play in markets like Philly and New York. Def a guy i wish we got to see more out of though, i don't know when we'll see a guy like him again. Had the size and passing ability of Thornton, could hit like Lucic and an elite shot. Truly one of the most unique talents i've ever watched.

 

[Jumptheshark]

For me it was about money-- Lindros and co were always about money and it was about the fact they viewed Quebec as a place where "Brand" Lindros could not make more money. I think Quebec was bashed, but I think if the oilers, Flames and Jets had drafted him--he might have pulled the same thing. It was about Brand Lindros over everything

 

[Killion]

It was about Brand Lindros over everything.

Yep. Bingo.

 

[Dissonance]

i'm reminded by something blake bell once wrote about mario lemieux--

I thought Lemieux had already said that he'd be happy to play for whoever drafted him--he was just angry that Pittsburgh was lowballing him during contract negotiations.

That seems to be the story here, anyway: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Lemieux#Early_years

 

[Calirose]

He wanted to be rich and win for years
But the only ring he ever got was right between his ears

 

[LeBlondeDemon10]

It probably had to do more with organization. Gretzky would probably never play for New Jersey when he was upcoming.

Gretzky was overlooked and dismissed by so many great hockey minds (he went undrafted) that he ended up signing his first professional contract for the Indianapolis Racers, a team that folded shortly after he pulled on the uniform. This team and many of the WHA's American franchises, were quickly collapsing. So Gretzky did not have the power Lindros had. Ironically, Lindros likely benefited from Gretzky's trade back to the US as hockey and salaries began to rise in popularity and growth.

 

[Hardyvan123]

For me it was about money-- Lindros and co were always about money and it was about the fact they viewed Quebec as a place where "Brand" Lindros could not make more money. I think Quebec was bashed, but I think if the oilers, Flames and Jets had drafted him--he might have pulled the same thing. It was about Brand Lindros over everything

Can you blame him though?

Imagine that you had the next big thing in computers, it is the ebst thing in the world coming out.

But instead of selling it to Google, Microsoft whomever you are told that you have to work at the Canada Research Council in NWT on salary, sure see lots of people buying into that lifestyle eh?

Then comes the "I would give my left arm to be in Eric's shoes, hockey is a dream argument"

How many lockouts by the owners and people still don't understand it's a BUSINESS.

 

[93LEAFS]

Gretzky was overlooked and dismissed by so many great hockey minds (he went undrafted) that he ended up signing his first professional contract for the Indianapolis Racers, a team that folded shortly after he pulled on the uniform. This team and many of the WHA's American franchises, were quickly collapsing. So Gretzky did not have the power Lindros had. Ironically, Lindros likely benefited from Gretzky's trade back to the US as hockey and salaries began to rise in popularity and growth.

Uh.......... Your seriously confused. Gretzky signed with the WHA as a 17 year old before being draft elgiable, and then very complex arrangements allowed him to stay on WHA franchise instead of entering the draft. Gretzky was arguably the most hyped player ever.

 

[V-2 Schneider]

I was informed years ago, by someone who knew all the parties involved, that Bonnie Lindros did not think the franchise or the market there stable enough.This person also told me that Lindros could have signed a 2 yr deal and then become a UFA and walked and the Nords would have had no recourse.I believe his word, he's a top agent.

 

[Big Phil]

The Lindros family wrote a book after the 1991 draft to explain "their" side of the story. It still didn't make them look good. They wanted marketing available to Eric, they wanted money and not a small market. Even when they explained it, this is pretty much it came down to. The fact that they did the exact same thing in 1989 with the Greyhounds in the OHL makes you feel even less sorry for them, then and now. They were living in Toronto and Bonnie and Carl didn't want poor Eric playing all the way up in Sault Ste. Marie. Phil Esposito was the GM of the team at this time and to be honest he has said a lot less about this situation than Phil usually would for some reason. But they drafted Eric anyway, and why wouldn't they? Imagine licking your chops and knowing you can get Connor McDavid on your team. That's pretty much what it came down to.

If you want to play in the best league in the world you have to make sacrifices. Heck, aspiring Olympians have to do the same thing and they aren't getting million dollar contracts where they can retire comfortably at 30. Gretzky left home at 14-15 years old. Sure, it's tough, but nothing was stopping Lindros from hanging his skates up and punching in at a factory 5 days a week, so spare me Eric.........and Bonnie and Carl.

Basically what Lindros did was create the entitlement attitude that we see today in sports. It is all about "me". I don't like what is happening, call my agent. I'll just sit out if they don't trade me. Eric did this in the OHL, after he was drafted in the NHL, and partway through his NHL career. Every time Eric eventually got his way because he felt he was bigger than the team, and the game.

So you get drafted by a bottom feeder? Cry me a river. The Oilers weren't exactly a powerhouse in 1979 when he started there. This is where you turn this poor team into a championship, like, oh I don't know, Gretzky!

We can ask Peter Stastny and Michel Goulet (and Joe Sakic to an extent) about how to carve out a HHOF career playing in Quebec. They are in there comfortably. Eric isn't.

 

[Big Phil]

By the way, there was another kid who had the "misfortune" of being drafted at 16 on a bottom feeder in the QMJHL. He took them within a game of the Memorial Cup two years later. Then the worst team in the NHL drafted him in 2005 and 4 years later he hoisted the Cup. So if Crosby can do it (and McDavid has certainly turned Erie around too) then what was Eric's problem? Everyone else had no problem doing this but him.

 

[dr robbie]

I thought Lemieux had already said that he'd be happy to play for whoever drafted him--he was just angry that Pittsburgh was lowballing him during contract negotiations.

That seems to be the story here, anyway: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Lemieux#Early_years

That article he quoted (if you haven't read it) is a very anti Lemieux article by Blake Bell called Shutting the Door on Mario Lemieux. Blake wasn't happy with Lemieux getting into the HOF without the mandatory 3 year wait period and cried a river on paper. Just imagine a Flyers fanatic writing Lemieux's retirement speech and you'd get the idea of the bias in it .

 

[V-2 Schneider]

The Lindros's had reputations for negotiating like the Russians.They never gave an inch, ever.They were unreasonably stubborn, even over small points that would have helped to create some goodwill and wouldn't have cost them in any material way.

 

[Paxon]

That article he quoted (if you haven't read it) is a very anti Lemieux article by Blake Bell called Shutting the Door on Mario Lemieux. Blake wasn't happy with Lemieux getting into the HOF without the mandatory 3 year wait period and cried a river on paper. Just imagine a Flyers fanatic writing Lemieux's retirement speech and you'd get the idea of the bias in it .

The quote was ridiculous, implying that Lindros was classier than Mario because of an empty gesture which was, if anything, insulting. Lindros going up to the podium and putting on the jersey he knew he'd never really wear, of the team he was demanding to be traded from, was in no way better than Mario not going up to the podium.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

By the way, there was another kid who had the "misfortune" of being drafted at 16 on a bottom feeder in the QMJHL. He took them within a game of the Memorial Cup two years later. Then the worst team in the NHL drafted him in 2005 and 4 years later he hoisted the Cup. So if Crosby can do it (and McDavid has certainly turned Erie around too) then what was Eric's problem? Everyone else had no problem doing this but him.

Sid and Wayne had better people as parents. That's why.

Hard to blame a kid being given bad advice by the people who raised him.

 

[Big Phil]

That article he quoted (if you haven't read it) is a very anti Lemieux article by Blake Bell called Shutting the Door on Mario Lemieux. Blake wasn't happy with Lemieux getting into the HOF without the mandatory 3 year wait period and cried a river on paper. Just imagine a Flyers fanatic writing Lemieux's retirement speech and you'd get the idea of the bias in it .

I'll also mention that Mario grew up. In many ways Lindros didn't. These guys were both 18 years old when they were drafted. They were stubborn kids. Mario had an issue with his contract, but he did play for the Penguins and he took a bottom feeder team and turned them into a mini-dynasty. It honestly took until the two Cups and then the cancer for the media to give Mario a break and stop acting like he was whining every time he complained about his back. Mario saved Pittsburgh - twice. Once as a player and once as an owner. When he came back in 2000 he was highly revered and there was the odd critic that still thought he was a whiner, but not many anymore.

For Lindros, he never got rid of that stigma of being a spoiled brat. Mario did, and maybe being on the flip side as an owner he got a little more insight as to how much money he was asking for as a rookie. Lindros - well into his career at age 27 - had his parents running the show during the whole Clarke/Lindros fiasco. He was still a whiner at this age, doing the same things he did at 16-18 years old. Mario had captained two Cups and was battling cancer and very few questioned his heart and commitment after this.

 

[Big Phil]

Sid and Wayne had better people as parents. That's why.

Hard to blame a kid being given bad advice by the people who raised him.

He was an adult - 27 years of age - when he was still taking advice from them during the Flyers divorce. Not a kid any more.