Flyers were blown away
WEST CHESTER, Pa. — “The first time I saw Eric play, I was with (Bobby Clarke) in 1989 and we went to go to Toronto to see the phenom play for the St. Mike’s Buzzers,” said the Philadelphia Flyers president. “He would have been 15 or 16 at the time. It was like, ‘Holy mackerel.’ And I remember Clarkie saying after, ‘I’ve got to figure out a way to get this guy.’
Three years later, Clarke did indeed find a way to get Lindros, with the Flyers acquiring the No. 1 overall pick from the Quebec Nordiques. But after an acrimonious split in 2000, it was Holmgren who brought Lindros back to Philadelphia when he invited the former captain to play in the 2011 alumni game at the outdoor Winter Classic.
“It was Paul Holmgren who said, ‘Let’s get going here,’ ” said Lindros.
“I thought it was good that he came,” said Holmgren. “Everybody was happy and it was a great event. We had all the Flyers’ greats come back from the eras. If he wasn’t there, it wouldn’t have looked right in my opinion. The rest has moved along just the way it should.”
When the decision came on retiring Lindros’ jersey, it was Holmgren who once again made the phone call. For Holmgren, raising No. 88 to the rafters is a no-brainer. Not only did Lindros lead the Flyers to the Stanley Cup final and win a Hart Trophy as regular-season MVP, he played the game like no other before him or since.
“What a beast he was as a player,” said Holmgren. “If you were watching the Flyers any time when he was with us, he could deliver anything you wanted, whether it Eric Lindros in his familiar orange Flyers duds leaves the ice after playing against the New York Rangers in the NHL Winter Classic Alumni Game on Dec. 31, 2011, in Philadelphia. The game was the beginning of the thaw between Lindros and the Flyers organization. was a big hit, a beautiful pass, score a great goal. He could play it any way you wanted. It really wasn’t fair the way he was built for the rest of the league.
“If you think back over that time, he probably had as much or more of an impact as any player in the history of the franchise. The things he could do as a player — even though it wasn’t that long of a time — he’s in the Flyers’ Hall of Fame, he’s in the NHL’s Hall of Fame and voted as one of the top-100 players of all time. He was a great player. And in a few hours here, his number is going to be retired here with the other Flyers’ greats.
“It’s the right thing to do.”