Eric Lindros began his National Hockey League playing career with the Philadelphia Flyers during the 1992-93 season, but it took a big move at the draft to land him there. Lindros emerged as an elite power forward and averaged more than a point per game while wearing the iconic “Flying P”. He famously played with a combination of high-end skill and hard-nosed physicality, which helped him capture the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s most valuable player for the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season. 

Internationally, he represented Canada at the World Junior Championships three times and won gold medals in 1990 and 1991. Lindros was Canada’s all-time points leader at the World Junior Championships with 31 points until he was beaten by Connor Bedard in 2023. In 2017, he made the 100 Greatest NHL Players list, and his No. 88 was retired by the Flyers in 2018.

But before all that glory for Philadelphia and his home country, Lindros was part of a famous post-draft trade. Let’s take a look at that moment, and how it changed Flyers history forever.

Draft Day

It all started in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, where Lindros was the No. 1 prospect. The Quebec Nordiques held the coveted first overall pick and were set to draft Lindros, just as anyone else would have been in that spot. However, he didn’t want to play for Quebec, and one of his reasons was that he had issues with the management of the team. He also didn’t want to play in the smaller, mostly French-speaking Quebec City.

Despite his warnings, the Nordiques drafted Lindros anyway. But Lindros decided to return to play for his junior team, the Oshawa Generals. Eventually, Nordiques management gave in to Lindros and were ready to trade him away. A year later, the Flyers and New York Rangers were the top teams that were interested in Lindros. At the 1992 NHL Entry Draft, nearly a full calendar year after the Nordiques drafted Lindros, Quebec owner Marcel Aubut accepted offers from both teams. Philadelphia thought they had a deal, but the Rangers thought they had a better offer.

Arbitration and Trade PackageF Peter ForsbergD Steve DuchesneG Ron HextallD Kerry HuffmanF Mike RicciF Chris Simon (as future considerations)Flyers first-round picks in 1993 and 1994$15 million in cashImpact On Both Franchises

This trade created some positive feelings for both clubs. For the Flyers, Lindros was an elite player and turned the organization around. He led the famed “Legion of Doom” line and led the Flyers to a berth in the Stanley Cup Final in 1997. However, in that final, the Flyers were swept, and Lindros never got to hoist the Stanley Cup. In the end, his time in Philadelphia ended on a bad note because of disputes with management over a lot of concussions, and these led to his career being cut short.

The Nordiques’ package for the Lindros trade was historic for its size and the wealth of future talent it contained. Now, the Nordiques did continue to struggle in Quebec, but the players they got in the trade ended up creating a future dynasty — in Denver. The Nordiques ended up relocating and becoming the Colorado Avalanche in 1995. From there, the trade assets started to take off. 

Final Thoughts

The Eric Lindros trade was a major blockbuster deal and was a success for everyone who was involved. Philly got an elite player, who delivered some great moments, and put the franchise back on the map. Even though Lindros couldn’t bring the cup back to the Flyers, his impact brought positive impressions and a winning culture back to the club. Now for the Avs, they became one of the league’s most dominant teams and went zero to 100, for a consistent, winning culture.

The trade also still affected the Rangers because, since they missed out on Lindros, they got to keep some of their elite talent. With players like Alex Kovalev and Mike Richter sticking around, the team got to enjoy their own Stanley Cup win in 1994.

What made this trade legendary was the chaotic nature of it, the high-stakes drama, and lasting impact it made on basically three franchises. This trade was more than just another business move in the league, but a milestone deal that showed how much teams can benefit from a masterclass transaction when the right player comes along.

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