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Tuesday, March 13, 2001
Trade deadline looms for Lindros, Blues
ESPN.com news services
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ST. LOUIS – Eric Lindros just might be returning to
the NHL this season after all.
Lindros underwent a physical in St. Louis on Monday, an
indication the Blues are serious about acquiring the restricted
free agent before Tuesday's NHL trade deadline.
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| Turgeon |
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| Lindros |
But no deal had been struck as of early Tuesday morning.
Lindros has been seeking a trade from the Philadelphia Flyers
since rejecting an $8.5 million qualifying offer last summer.
Lindros on Friday told the Blues that he would accept a trade to St. Louis. Before Friday, he had told the Flyers that he would accept a trade only to Toronto.
"We just had him come in and get checked out physically," said
Blues general manager Larry Pleau, who flew with the team to
Philadelphia on Monday afternoon for a game against the Flyers on
Tuesday night.
Although Pleau spoke to the Flyers on Monday and also with his
medical staff in St. Louis -- which met with Lindros earlier in the day --
nothing had been completed.
Flyers general manager Bob Clarke would not speak to reporters Monday.
Blues spokesman Jim Woodcock told The Associated Press that a deal for Lindros was not
imminent. The trade deadline is 3 p.m. ET Tuesday.
"You can't draw that conclusion," Woodcock said. "We're
obviously interested in the player, therefore a physical exam is
the next logical step for us to take. That's why he's in St. Louis
today."
Pleau told ESPN on Monday that Lindros' health would not be the deciding factor in the Blues' decision whether to trade with the Flyers, but it would be a part of that process.
"We're really not commenting more than to say that we're moving forward,"
Pleau said. "Eric handled himself real professionally, and
they (doctors) were real impressed with him."
But that doesn't mean that Lindros' health and his history of consussions
aren't still an issue for the Blues.
"Of course, it's a concern," Pleau said. "We have to be (concerned). It's a
risk. But I knew that a year and a half ago."
ESPN learned Saturday that the Flyers turned down a trade with the Blues on Friday that would have sent center Pierre Turgeon to Philadelphia in exchange for the disgruntled Lindros. Turgeon will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Carl Lindros, Eric Lindros' agent, confirmed that he has been in contact with three playoff contenders concerning a trade for his son, and that the Flyers star had agreed that he would accept a trade to the Blues.
Two sources went on to say that the Blues made an initial trade offer Friday of Turgeon, an offer that was turned down. Turgeon, the Blues' top center, had 27 goals and 43 assists in 65 games this season.
"I want to play this year," Lindros told the Toronto Star.
"Toronto communicated to me that they didn't think a trade was
going to happen.
"I don't have any regrets with what I've done or the decisions
I've made. I just regret that a trade to Toronto didn't happen.
"I hope I'm playing next week."
Pleau confirmed that he had talked to both Carl Lindros and the Flyers.
"The only thing I would comment on is that I have talked with the Lindros
family and I have talked to the Flyers," said Pleau.
In terms of an actual trade offer, Pleau said: "I'd rather not discuss that,
but I've definitely talked to both parties."
Clarke told the Delaware County Daily
Times that he had rejected an offer from Pleau.
"They made an offer that we turned down," Clarke told the
paper Friday night, declining to say who was to be traded.
Lindros said on Nov. 28 that he wanted to play for Toronto.
On several occasions, Clarke complained that Lindros was preventing a deal from happening by refusing to play elsewhere. At times, Clarke threatened to make Lindros leave the game for four years, when he would become an unrestricted free agent.
That would allow him to make a deal with any team without the Flyers' consent. He has been a restricted free agent since last
summer, when he turned down an offer from the Flyers.
"Most of us in the league feel the same way: Why the heck should Eric pick his team?" Clarke said in January. "When he's 31
and an unrestricted free agent, he can do that – if that team wants him. To say at 27 years old, 'I'm only going to play in Toronto,' he might be sitting ... for four years."
Lindros family lawyer Gordon Kirke told The Associated Press that Lindros refused to talk to other teams not out of obstinacy, but rather out of a desire to be loyal to Toronto.
"He wanted very much to be a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey player, and as long as there was a chance of that happening, he wanted to
ride it out, not talk to other teams," Kirke said.
On Feb. 21, the Leafs said Clarke pulled out of what GM-coach Pat Quinn termed "a done deal." The package reportedly would have
included defenseman Danny Markov, center Nik Antropov and a top draft choice. The Leafs had gone so far as to work out a contract with Lindros' representatives.
The main problem apparently was Toronto's reluctance to part with Czech defenseman Tomas Kaberle. The Flyers had reportedly
demanded him instead of Markov.
Lindros, who has been skating at a suburban Toronto arena,
hasn't played since last May, when he suffered the latest in a line
of concussions when slammed to the ice by New Jersey's Scott
Stevens in a playoff game.
The Associated Press and ESPN.com's Brian A. Shactman contributed to this report.
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ALSO SEE
Page 2: Try to trade with Bobby Clarke
Potential Lindros deal hits snag in Toronto
Doing it Lindros' way
AUDIO VIDEO
 Eric Lindros likes the possibility of playing in St. Louis.
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