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'It's like a circus' Lindros trade talks taking toll on Toronto players
Updated: Tuesday February 20, 2001 12:11 AM
TORONTO (AP) -- Dmitry Yushkevich and his teammates have had enough of the Eric Lindros trade talk. Trade for Lindros or forget about him, and do it now, is the message from many in the Toronto Maple Leafs' dressing room. "In my six years here, this is the biggest distraction," said Yushkevich, the Leafs defenseman. "It's very difficult to handle the situation. We just wish something would happen so we can just play the game and do our stuff and make the playoffs." As the rumors have intensified, the Leafs have fallen from first place in the NHL's Eastern Conference to seventh. "The guys are professionals but it's in the back of everybody's mind," defenseman Dave Manson said. Lindros' lawyer, Gord Kirke, said Monday he was optimistic a deal could happen, and soon because of the March 13 trade deadline. "I don't know about today, but I'm optimistic that something should get done within the next little while," Kirke said. Papers in Philadelphia and Toronto reported the deal involved either young defensemen Danny Markov or Tomas Kaberle, and center Nik Antropov and a first- or second-round draft choice. There was speculation Monday that one sticking point was that the Flyers wanted Kaberle while the Leafs didn't want to give him up. "It happens with everybody and this is my first time so we'll see," said Antropov, who has four goals and four assists this season. He was a healthy scratch for the Maple Leafs' game against New Jersey. "It might happen tomorrow but I'm not sure. If I have a choice, I want to stay in Toronto. I like it here." Captain Mats Sundin, goaltender Curtis Joseph, and forward Sergei Berezin, another player whose name has repeatedly surfaced in trade rumors, all gave the morning skate a pass and avoided a repetition of questions about Lindros. "It's like a circus," Yushkevich said. "It's distracting the players. We are like a toy everybody is pulling back and forth." Lindros, 28, has not played since May, when he suffered his sixth concussion in 27 months when he was hit by New Jersey captain Scott Stevens during a playoff game. He has been skating alone at a suburban arena since being medically cleared in November to resume his career. Lindros, 28, has said he only wants to play in Toronto. He rejected an $8.5 million qualifying offer from Philadelphia last summer and made it clear he will not return to the Flyers because of a contentious relationship with Flyers general manager Bob Clarke. "We'd welcome him into this dressing room," Leafs forward Darcy Tucker said. "Who wouldn't want to come to Toronto? It's a great hockey city, and he is a Toronto boy." One cause for delay could be the fact that younger brother Brett Lindros was injured in a snowmobile accident Sunday. Lindros' father Carl said Monday he has "no idea" whether a deal is close. "That's between the Leafs and the Flyers," said Carl Lindros, who was on his way to visit Brett and wouldn't make additional comments.
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