History in the making

Sporting News, The, May 8, 1995 by Larry Wigge

It was as if I had gone back to school for a history lesson. As I walked through the streets of Philadelphia, I was caught up in the tradition.

The Liberty Bell.

Independence Hall and the Declaration of Independence.

Betsy Ross' home and the first American flag.

The center of the city is basically the same today as it was when William Penn founded it in the late 17th century.

Travel with a resident of Philadelphia, and he proudly will point out each landmark in detail, from the crack in the Liberty Bell to a small park in the downtown area where a Revolutionary War battle was fought and the bodies of the dead are buried.

At each stop, I see history come alive. I also see something new sprinkled in with the old. I knew the number 1776 was synonymous with this history. But so is 88.

In a society where youngsters like to wear jerseys with the numbers of their favorite players, there are no Phillies jerseys to be found, even as the youngsters play bah at the park. No Eagles jerseys, even with the excitement that new Coach Ray Rhodes brings the team. No 76ers jerseys. But there is a No. 88 emblazoned on the back of a Flyers jersey at each historic stop.

It's kind of strange when you think about it because the Flyers haven't won a Stanley Cup since 1975 and haven't even made the play-offs the past five years. But tradition is alive and well because of the excitement Eric Lindros, No. 88, has brought to Philadelphia.

This is a city waiting to embrace a champion the way it did Mike Schmidt and Pete Rose, Chuck Bednarik and Buddy Ryan, Wilt Chamberlain and Dr. J, and Bobby Clarke and Fred Shero.

"You don't want to put too much pressure on a 22-year-old kid, but I can feel the people of this city pulling for Eric Lindros the same way they did the old Broad Street Bullies," says Clarke, the president and general manager of the Flyers.

Lindros already is part of history in Quebec City, albeit a negative one. He was selected first overall by the Nordiques in the 1991 draft but denounced the team and the city, refusing to play there. One year later, the Flyers won a heated dispute with the Rangers, giving up No. 1 goalie Ron Hextall, defensemen Steve Duchesne and Kerry Huffman. centers Mike Ricci and Peter Forsberg, left wing Chris Simon, first-round draft choices in 1993 and '94 and $15 million. Now Lindros is trying to add to the history of Philadelphia's sports teams.

It's clear that big things happen around Lindros. When he came to Philadelphia, experts said a Stanley Cup was sure to follow. After two injury-filled seasons, Lindros is healthy - and so are the Flyers. They've clinched a playoff berth, won the Atlantic Division litle and are one of a handful of teams in the NHL that could win the Cup.

"Eric Lindros is emerging as the player everyone expected and more," Rangers center Mark Messier says. "He's the prototypical player of the '90s. ... He's a franchise player you can take and build a team around. There's going to be a time when a player like that will win the Stanley Cup. It could be this year,"

For years you've heard about his size, his power, his skills. Despite missing 23 and 14 games with knee injuries the past two seasons, Lindros still delivered two 40-goal seasons and singlehandedly hauled the Myers to the edge of the playoffs.

This season, Lindros is the team captain. He is no longer the young guy breaking into the NHL. This is his team.

On this night, the Lightning have taken a 2-0 lead. But then Tampa Bay defenseman Enrico Ciccone makes a mistake when he plants an elbow into the side of Lindros' head in a collision behind the net. The next time Lindros steps on the ice, there is a menacing glare on his face. Lindros combines with John LeClair to set up linemate Mikael Renberg for a goal.

On his next shift, Lindros endures a big hit along the right-wing boards, digs the puck loose and starts a play that results in a goal by defenseman Kevin Haller. The Flyers go on to beat the Lightning, 5-4.

"This is definitely Eric Lindros' team," Flyers Coach Terry Murray says. "The team takes on his personality. Everybody watches him and takes his lead."

Center Craig MacTavish played in Edmonton with Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier and sees a lot of the same unique qualities in Lindros that distinguished Gretzky and Messier.

"Anybody who gets out there with Eric will get a scoring chance - guaranteed," MacTavish says. "When I was in Edmonton, nobody ever went through a slump because Glen Sather would throw them out with Wayne, and he would tee them up for an empty-netter, or two or three great scoring chances. The same is true with Eric.

"And Eric's leadership abilities are a lot like Mark's. The only difference is Mark's at the stage of his career where he's gone through all the experiences that come with six Stanley Cups. Nothing teaches you more than playoff hockey, and once Eric gets those same experiences, he will be the same kind of leader and the Stanley Cups will follow."

Lightning Coach Terry Crisp is animated after the game when he is asked about trying to stop Lindros. "Trying to stop Eric Lindros is like trying to stop Shaq," Crisp says, arms flailing in frustration. "And trying to stop that line - with Lindros, Renberg and LeClair - is like facing an NBA team."