TORONTO -- The war of words between Eric Lindros and
Philadelphia Flyers general manager Bob Clarke has renewed, with
the star center saying he won't play for the team again.
"I don't see how all this mudslinging can be productive or make
the situation better," Lindros said. "The last four years I've
met with (Clarke) on any number of occasions to try and work things
out and I never once came out and criticized him.
"I don't know what he's got in store or what his goals are or
whether he wants to help his team. But it's time to move on. It's
what is best for his organization and my career."
Lindros was reacting Wednesday to comments by Clarke that the
former Philadelphia captain abandoned his teammates by rejecting an
$8.5 million qualifying offer during the summer.
Clarke, who two weeks ago suggested that he and Lindros meet
face-to-face this week in Toronto, said Wednesday he "doesn't
care" if Lindros plays in the NHL or who he plays for.
"He was the one who walked out on his team," Clarke told the
Edmonton Journal. "I don't care if I talk to Eric for the rest of
my life -- it won't kill me. I don't care if he ever plays again.
All he did was cause aggravation for our team.
"If he wants to play, he might have to come back with us if
nobody else wants him. I doubt if any team will sign him without
talking to me.
"It's not going to happen that he plays, say 10 games for us
first so teams can see how he looks, then I'll trade him. I'm not
renting a player. If the doctors clear him to play, then he's
healthy."
Lindros denied reports that he and his father, Carl, who also is
his agent, had ignored entreaties from Clarke to have a peace
summit in Toronto this week.
Lindros said he has been in phone contact recently with Flyers
assistant general manager Paul Holmgren.
"Paul and I have talked on a number of occasions," Lindros
said. "I told him the reasons why I didn't feel it was necessary
for us to meet."
Clarke said he has given up having any dialogue with Lindros and
his father.
"They've (the Lindros family) tried to bully their way through
life, starting in kids' hockey," Clarke said. "They bullied the
Ontario Hockey League because they didn't want Eric playing in one
of their towns. They wouldn't go to Quebec after they drafted him.
They've always got their own way."
The last direct discussion between Lindros and Clarke is
believed to have been at the end of July when Lindros had to make a
decision on whether to sign the qualifying offer.
He rejected the offer, which made him a restricted free agent.
Teams interested in acquiring Lindros must either make a trade for
his rights with the Flyers or sign him to an offer sheet in hopes
the Flyers will take five first-round picks as compensation rather
than matching the offer.
Lindros said the decision to reject the qualifying offer
indicated that he had no intention of playing for the organization
any longer.
"Everything that's gone on in Philly was caused by Lindros,"
Clarke said. "We didn't put him on a plane (after his lung
collapsed in Nashville) to kill him, like they said. He never went
to our trainers and said he had yellow vision (after one of his
concussions).
"What are we going to do, fight with him over everything? He
creates all these problems, then blames us, or his dad and mom
do."
After all this, Clarke would take him back, with reservations.
"He can play hockey," Clarke said. "I don't give a damn who
his agent is -- whether it's his dad or not but his parents aren't
going to criticize our doctors, trainers and coaches and who Eric
plays with.
"We've put up with all that before, thinking Eric would grow up
and change, but he never has."
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