Eric Lindros’ open-and-shut case for the Hockey Hall of Fame

By Joe YerdonJun 24, 2014, 8:30 AM EDT
101 Comments

Peter Forsberg’s election to the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday may have helped take care of something that should’ve happened already – make Eric Lindros’ case to be enshrined in Toronto.

The two giants of the ice are forever linked because of the June 30, 1992 trade that sent Lindros’ rights from the Quebec Nordiques to the Philadelphia Flyers. The blockbuster seven-player deal saw Lindros go to the Flyers in exchange for Forsberg, Steve Duchesne, Mike Ricci, Ron Hextall, Kerry Huffman, and Philly’s 1993 first-round pick that turned into Jocelyn Thibault.

Both Lindros and Forsberg went on to have superstar careers.

Forsberg had greater team success winning the Stanley Cup in 1996 and 2001 with the Colorado Avalanche while Lindros made one Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1997 with the Flyers getting swept by the Detroit Red Wings. Forsberg won two Olympic gold medals in 1994 and 2006 with Sweden while Lindros won one in 2002 with Canada.

For Hockey Hall of Fame arguments, team titles are an easy way to distract from the point of the Hall of Fame. Getting elected to the Hall is based on individual success and, let’s face it, there are plenty of players who will never come close to making the Hall who have won multiple Stanley Cups.

When it came to individual accolades, their honors are similar. Both Forsberg (2003) and Lindros (1995) won Hart Trophies. Forsberg also won the Calder (1995) and Art Ross (2003). Both went to multiple All-Star Games and were season-end league all-stars as well.

When you look at the raw statistics and personal achievements between Lindros and Forsberg, suddenly things look a lot closer:

Forsberg:  (14 seasons – 708 GP)  249 G  636 A  885 PTS  690 PIM 1.250 PPG (points per-game)

Lindros:    (13 seasons – 760 GP)  372 G  493 A  865 PTS  1,398 PIM  1.138 PPG

Forsberg’s points per game total is eighth best all-time trailing Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Mike Bossy, Sidney Crosby, Bobby Orr, Marcel Dionne, and Peter Stastny. He was a no-brainer Hall of Famer whether you loved him or hated him or wanted to hold his history of foot injuries against him.

source: Getty ImagesWhile Lindros’ PPG total pales in comparison, put that into perspective of how great Forsberg’s play was. Lindros’ PPG total is 19th best all-time. The next 11 players behind Lindros on that list are all in the Hall of Fame. Of those between Forsberg and Lindros, Kent Nilsson is the only one who isn’t currently playing that’s not in the Hall (Evgeni Malkin, Alex Ovechkin, Jaromir Jagr are still going strong).

Forsberg was rightly considered a no-brainer to make the Hall of Fame yet this was Lindros’ fifth turn on the ballot. Next year’s vote won’t be any easier for Lindros to crack through.

Nicklas Lidstrom, Sergei Fedorov, and Alex Kovalev will be eligible for the first time and join a growing group of worthy candidates to be enshrined. Lidstrom will be a unanimous selection with Fedorov being arguably close to that as well.

That means Lindros will be fighting for recognition amongst other guys with gaudy numbers like Phil Housley, Alexander Mogilny, and Dave Andreychuk or those with brilliant international careers like Sergei Makarov.

There shouldn’t be a way for others, aside from Lidstrom, to make as strong of a claim to make the Hall of Fame next year as Lindros. Now with Forsberg earning his own spot in history, it’s time for the Hall of Fame committee to open the doors for “Big E.”

Bobby Orr: “Everybody lost in the lockout”

By Joe YerdonJan 10, 2013, 9:00 AM EDT
10 Comments

One guy who is disappointed in what the lockout did to the NHL is Bobby Orr.

The legendary Bruins defenseman spoke to Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com about his feelings on the nearly four-month long work stoppage and he believes no one comes out on top in a situation like this.

“How do you pick winners in something like this? You can’t pick any winners and losers in something like this. Everybody lost.” Orr said.

“Now you just hope that the players get back to work and they play hard. I’m sure they will because it’s going to be a short season. If you get off to a bad start then you’re in trouble. It should be really good hockey.”

Orr said he wished a settlement happened sooner and that a lockout hurts more than the players and owners. All along through the work stoppage he’s been critical of both sides and said it would be “outrageous not to have a season.”

Hey maybe Bobby Orr isn’t just the greatest player of all time, maybe he’s the most sensible agent as well.

Gretzky: “Somehow, some way, both sides will come together”

By James O'BrienSep 12, 2012, 10:00 AM EDT
8 Comments

NHL legends Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr believe that if there is a lockout, it will be brief.

Gretzky told CTV Atlantic that players and owners will find a way to get something done.

“I really think this one won’t be as long as the last one,” Gretzky said. “I think somehow, some way, both sides will come together and we’ll be playing hockey sooner rather than later.”

Orr would be surprised if a lockout ends up being much more than a speed bump.

“I just can’t believe they won’t get together,” Orr said. “There may be a short delay, but I can’t believe it will be more than a short time. It would be so silly.”

Then again, Gretzky also echoes Gary Bettman’s words about fans returning after the last lockout.

“The game itself, though, is such an enjoyable sport and such a way of life in a lot of cities that ultimately a lot of fans will come back, although being upset and being mad,” Gretzky said. “They enjoy the game too much.”

(H/T to Kukla’s Korner)

Canes GM compares Justin Faulk to Orr, Potvin, and Housley

By Joe YerdonAug 12, 2012, 4:49 PM EDT
13 Comments

Justin Faulk made a big impression on the Carolina Hurricanes last year. In his first season out of Minnesota-Duluth the 19 year-old played big minutes and killed it on the power play. The impression he made on his GM Jim Rutherford, however, was even bigger.

Mike Morreale of NHL.com heard from the Canes executive and finds out he believes Faulk will end up in some very elite company.

“We’ve had defensemen come into the League like [Bobby] Orr, [Denis] Potvin and [Phil] Housley, who were great offensive players, but I’ve never seen a player play so well defensively and offensively at his age,” Rutherford said. “I can’t describe it well enough to tell [fans] what they’re in store for having this great young player.”

Uh, hey Justin… No pressure there, guy. For the record that’s two Hall Of Famers and a guy who will probably end up there eventually that he’s comparing Faulk to.

The truth on Faulk is that he’s a good player already and a guy who helps the Hurricanes’ sketchy blue line corps have one guy they can count on. That said, putting him in the same company as Orr and Potvin… Maybe Rutherford is a bit too jacked up about the upcoming season.

Bobby Orr wants the players to get a fair deal

By Joe YerdonAug 12, 2012, 1:53 PM EDT
8 Comments

Boston Bruins legend Bobby Orr isn’t happy with the NHL owners’ labor proposal.

CSNNE.com hears it from Orr, who now works as an agent, about how the players are looking to get a fair deal done and that the owners’ proposal just won’t cut it. No. 4 just hopes the fans understand the players’ view on things.

“Players want their fair share, and that’s what it’s all about and I think it’s very unfair if fans, until they understand and see everything what’s out there, that they suggest that the players are being greedy.”

It takes a lot to get Bobby Orr riled up and after the players gave up a lot during the 2004-05 negotiations, it’s clear he feels they’ve given up enough already.

In case you’ve forgotten, the owners’ proposal wants to cut the players’ share of the revenue from 57-percent to 43-percent among other cost reducing ideas.