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Soap Opera Lindros playing the waiting game
Updated: Thursday April 26, 2001 7:36 PM
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Eric Lindros isn't ready to say where he wants to play. Lindros' attorney, Gord Kirke, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he spoke to Philadelphia Flyers general manager Bob Clarke and both agreed that "it would be inappropriate" to talk about any teams that might be interested in acquiring the 28-year-old center. "Everything is status quo," Kirke said. "We're going to wait until the playoffs are over." Kirke said he hadn't spoken to Lindros since shortly after the NHL trade deadline passed on March 13. He's not sure if Lindros is willing to expand the teams he wants to play for beyond Toronto. The Maple Leafs open the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night. Lindros, who rejected an $8.5 million qualifying offer from Philadelphia last summer, insisted on only going to his hometown Maple Leafs until a few days before the trade deadline. Lindros then said he'd be willing to play for St. Louis, Washington or Detroit. Only the Blues expressed interest in Lindros, but they abandoned their pursuit after getting Keith Tkachuk from Phoenix. Neither Lindros nor his father/agent, Carl Lindros, could be reached for comment. Clarke said earlier this week if Lindros is set on Toronto, he probably won't be going anywhere. "We'll go about our business feeling he won't be traded and won't be playing this year," Clarke said. Lindros hasn't played since sustaining his sixth concussion last May 26. He refuses to return to the Flyers because of a contentious relationship with Clarke. The relationship deteriorated after Lindros criticized the team's medical staff for failing to diagnose his second concussion of the season on March 4, 2000. Clarke then stripped Lindros of his captaincy, and the star was ostracized from the team until he returned for Games 6 and 7 of the Eastern Conference finals against the New Jersey Devils. Clarke recently took another shot at Lindros before Game 3 of Philadelphia's first-round playoff series against Buffalo, saying the former MVP quit on the team. But Kirke termed his conversation with Clarke on Thursday as "cordial." The Flyers hold Lindros' rights for the next three years, but trade talks could resume when the NHL holds its entry draft on June 23-24 in Sunrise, Fla. However, free agency begins July 1 and teams may wait to see which other star players are available before going after Lindros.
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