Lindros’ Flyers Return Has Magical Conclusion
CITIZENS BANK PARK — The joyous smile plastered on Eric Lindros’ face after Saturday Alumni Game at Citizens Bank Park was matched only in magnitude by the ear-to-ear grins of a nostalgic Philly crowd, that stood in awe and ovation as their exiled son finally returned home.
“It was just a great experience,” said Lindros, now 38. “It was wonderful to go out for the celebration and the support of the guys when they came out of the locker room, it was really special. It was a fun afternoon.”
Before the eyes of the city, in a game celebrating the history of hockey in Philadelphia in which the Flyers defeated the New York Rangers alumi, 3-1, the long-awaited return of Lindros in his customary Flyers logo, was an iconic and surreal moment for Flyers hockey.
“I really loved the way they cheered Eric,” said Jeremy Roenick. “Big E is just a staple here, no matter what happened in his career. It was really nice to see the fans give him a solid ovation coming back, and that’s a class group of people.”
It was also the official end of an era-gone-wrong that festered for far too long.
“It’s been special, it’s nice to be back, it really is,” Lindros said. “It’s nice to come back and to head out to the restaurants and the well wishes around town, it’s really special. I’m happy to be here, and to catch up with some people that I haven’t seen in a while and making new friends now. It’s good.”
It was his first return to orange and black since a 2001 feud with then general manager Bobby Clarke caused an eventual trade that sent him to the Rangers and caused a decade-long rift between the former great and the franchise. Lindros received the highlight ovation of the night, extended and standing, followed in decibels, only by other franchise cornerstones Clarke and Bernie Parent.
Lindros played in 760 games and scored 865 points with the Flyers. He’s widely considered one of the best, if not the best player to ever wear the uniform. But the ovation wasn’t just for his accomplishments, but of delayed recognition and appreciation from a fan base that wasn’t able to grasp how special Lindros was as a player until he was gone and the bad blood was washed away.
“I felt warm,” Lindros said, talking about the introductory flames that shot out of pillars to start the player’s rant, partnered with the enormous crowd reaction. “It felt real special to walk through there and to be announced. It was great.”
While the ovation was something special, the highlight of the night came midway through the first period, when Lindros set up the Flyers’ first goal. Like he had done 493 times in his NHL career, Lindros went streaking down the wing before dishing to linemate John LeClair for the tap-in.
The Legion of Doom combination blew the would-be roof off of the home of the Phillies.
“That was fun, I had a good time,” he said. “That was great. That was really nice to be back in town and to go out for that. That was real special.”
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