Big E reaches milestone
Lindros plays in his 700th game vs. Bruins tonight Praises Detroit medical staff for aiding Fischer
There was a certain compassion in Eric Lindros — a knowing — when he reflected on Jiri Fischer and how the Detroit defenceman’s life hung in the balance.
Lindros, who is enjoying an outstanding campaign for the Leafs, can relate to Fischer. After all, he has survived multiple concussions and at least one life threatening situation (a collapsed lung). He arrives at a personal milestone — 700 games — tonight when the Leafs meet the Bruins at the Air Canada Centre. Having navigated some grave health concerns, Lindros knows all about the untold heroics a medical staff can perform.
“ It really puts a new light on what life’s all about,” Lindros said yesterday as the hockey world reacted to Fischer’s near tragedy, and the swift, life- saving action of the Detroit medical staff.
“ Everyone’s happy to hear that he ( Fischer) is doing well now, and that the medical staff did a great job . . . my hat’s off to the medical staff there.”
While he doesn’t care to revisit his health problems, Lindros’s place in the history of the game remains closely woven to those incidents.
Entering tonight’s game, he has appeared in 699 of 912 games he’s been eligible over a career that started with Philadelphia in the 1992- 93 season.
“ Seven hundred games . . . could have come a lot sooner,” Lindros said.
“ When I was 21 ( he’s now 32), you think 700 by the time you are, what, 29.”
It’s been well documented that questions over the handling of his health in Philadelphia ultimately led to the end of his career with the Flyers.
In 2000, Lindros, a franchise player in Philadelphia who led them to the 1996-97 Stanley Cup finals against Detroit, welcomed a move to Toronto. Instead, he was dealt to New York Rangers. He realized his dreams of playing in Toronto only this past summer when he signed on as a free agent.
Concerns over his concussions accompanied his arrival. While many were happy to have the “ Big E” in Toronto, an underlying doubt about his longevity couldn’t be helped. He has appeared in all 21 of the Leafs’ games to date, with a team- leading 10 goals, eight of them in the third period.
“ There’s a pleasure in Eric’s play, he wants to be successful and he’s worked hard at it,” said Leafs coach Pat Quinn. Lindros, like most players, doesn’t dwell on milestones until the subject is mentioned. Tonight, he joins a select group of 100 or so active players to have played in 700 or more games.
Yesterday, he was deliberating whether or not he will dump his wooden stick in favour of the modern, one- piece composite.
His decision is being driven in part by poor ice conditions, which hamper the consistency of his wooden sticks. He tried three different sticks at practice yesterday, one which had a much sharper curve than he normally uses.
“ Who knows, something might change here,” Lindros said.