The Flyers haven’t just put Eric Lindros behind them. In two weeks flat, they have driven over him, leaving a 6-5, 237-pound Gumby squashed on the pavement.
They don’t need to get no stinking center back for Lindros anymore. They signed Jeremy Roenick on Friday, six days after trading a second rounder Florida for the rights to 32-year-old center Jiri Dopita, considered the best player in the world outside the NHL. Dopita, a bosom buddy of goalie Roman Cechmanek, is finally ready to come to the North America after watching his Czech team fold, just like Lindros’ hand.
The Flyers now come up the middle with Keith Primeau, Roenick, Dopita and Daymond Langkow, making Kent Manderville, who isn’t a bad fourth- line guy, a fifth-line guy. Despite GM Bob Clarke’s reputation for ruthlessness, it has never been true he would slash his mother to win, but certainly there are no qualms about the in-laws. Clarke’s daughter married Peter White, now the sixth-line center, making the Flyers almost as deep as any belly laughs they secretly enjoy at being positioned to take more of their good old time in resolving the Lindros question.
They began their spending spree by re-signing left wing John LeClair, who missed 66 games last season for a team that still had 100 points despite also suffering double-digit absences by Primeau, Simon Gagne and Mark Recchi. Rust and shortage of depth caught up to the Flyers when they were bumped in the first round by Buffalo, making upgrades a priority that has been met, unlike Lindros’ year-long demands to be traded only to Toronto.
“Eric has to face the reality he may not play next season either,” Clarke said Friday. Vindictiveness may be implied from that statement only after Lindros says he’ll go to the Rangers, Dallas or Detroit, the only teams to this point more than politely inquiring.
“We could probably take draft choices now,” said Clarke, which could be another way of saying Lindros can rot in hell until June. But the Flyers still need a puck-moving defenseman and Clarke still wants to get the soap opera behind him. So, he will take the best deal, whether it is with an archrival like the Rangers or to a team that comes to Philly only every other season.
Lindros remains hopeful his hometown team will trade for him. But the Leafs’ unwillingness to give up Tomas Kaberle, a defenseman of less-than star potential whose inclusion in multiple combinations could have gotten a deal done, sends signals that Pat Quinn has no real stomach for the trade he has tried to make.
Meanwhile, Ranger GM Glen Sather, who offered Peter Nedved and Pavel Brendl at the trading deadline and reiterated their probable availability to Clarke last week, will first make runs at the top two free agents, Joe Sakic and Rob Blake. The dwindling faithful want Sather, one-year into his rapidly expiring grace period, to deal. But to this point Sather has been just kibitzing for Lindros and Jaromir Jagr.
While Jagr has his convertible buffed for the Canyon of Heroes, Lindros sees only darkness at the end of the Lincoln Tunnel. His reason, our city’s long, loud media presence, is laughable. Hockey, forever and forevermore the fourth sport here, is a religion in Toronto.
Usually, in the end, it comes down to the money, but not always. Stars with alternative destinations have to be blown away by cash to choose mediocre clubs. Despite Sather’s weariness from his Edmonton days on a shoestring, he will not be a kid picking out junk candy. He got this job because the last guy bought himself sick.
Once Sakic and Blake likely re-sign with Colorado and Lindros begins breathing in the settling dust from hockey galloping ahead without him, No. 88 will have to consider alternatives. Dallas, which might be willing to do defenseman Darryl Sydor and winger Brendan Morrow for Lindros, remains his likeliest destination, but of course that changes if the Stars beat the Rangers to Jagr.
So, when the band takes final requests, Lindros and the Rangers might have one dance left, only with each other. Should they pair up? It’s not a great idea. Lindros comes not only with six concussions, but meddlesome parents and no track record of effective leadership. He makes sense to a contender like another player with baggage, Brett Hull, did to Dallas three years ago: As a talent upgrade in a role as a follower.
Thus, the price for Lindros could end up being better for the Rangers than the fit, but less convenient marriages have been arranged. So until Sather plays his chips elsewhere, the GM will remain as intrigued by the prospect of obtaining Lindros as frightened by it.