Lindros honored to have No. 88 retired by Flyers

Eric Lindros' visits to Philadelphia have been a lot more fun during the past six years. But his next one could be the real topper.
Lindros will have his No. 88 jersey retired by the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, prior to their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; TVA Sports, NBCSP, SNO, NHL.TV).

The following day, he'll reunite with his Legion of Doom linemates, John LeClair and Mikael Renberg, when Flyers alumni play former members of the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League in the Capital Blue Cross Outdoor Classic Alumni Game at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
For Lindros, seeing his jersey raised to the rafters at Wells Fargo Center, a building he helped open in 1996, will be a unique moment.
"It really is an honor," he said. "It truly is. It's a bit surreal. I don't know if you can really speak to it until you go through it."
It's the culmination of a six-year reconciliation of sorts between player and organization.
After eight seasons with the Flyers, Lindros sat out the 2000-01 season to recover from concussion issues and demanded a trade. On Aug. 20, 2001, he was sent to the New York Rangers.

The bad blood lasted until Lindros returned to Philadelphia for the 2012 Winter Classic alumni game at Citizens Bank Park at the invitation of then-general manager Paul Holmgren. The reception Lindros was received was as loud as the ones for Hockey Hall of Famers and Stanley Cup champions Bobby Clarke and Bernie Parent.
Lindros was inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame in 2014 and played in the 50th Anniversary Game against Pittsburgh Penguins alumni on Jan. 14, 2017.
"Starting with the [2012] outdoor game, that was the big thrill to come down and to play there, catch up with guys that I had a chance to play with in the past," Lindros said. "Also to be back in the city. I missed Philly. It was terrific to be back again and to have some fun out there."
Lindros said he enjoyed seeing the passion of Flyers fans, which he said had been one of his favorite parts of playing in Philadelphia.
"You come off that Walt Whitman Bridge [into Philadelphia] and there was traffic, and it was thick," he said. "People were heading to the rink way earlier than the game. Players head over [to the rink] 2 1/2 hours before the game and [traffic] shouldn't be an issue. It was amazing. There was a lot. There was a great spirit in the city when things got rolling."
He'll enjoy this trip a bit more because he'll have his wife, Kina, and their children, 3 1/2-year-old Carl and 2-year-old twins Ryan and Sophie, with him -- even if the kids aren't quite old enough to know much about their dad's career.
"Our oldest guy knows I used to play a little bit," Lindros said. "It's pretty funny when he watches highlights of guys playing currently, especially after Flyers highlights, he just automatically assumes that for some reason I was out there, and I have to say Daddy's not that fast. … I think it stops and starts with Dad used to play hockey."

LeClair will be one of a number of former teammates on hand for Lindros' night.
"Eric was a great player in the League and for the Flyers," LeClair said. "It's a great honor for him. I think it's well-deserved. That's one of the ultimate signs of respect when an organization retires your jersey."
The day after Lindros' jersey is retired, he'll pull it on to play outdoors in Hershey. It will be the first time since the 50th Anniversary Game that Lindros, LeClair and Renberg will play together.
In three NHL seasons together (1994-95 to 1996-97) they helped the Flyers end a five-season playoff drought; Philadelphia reached the 1995 Eastern Conference Final and the 1997 Stanley Cup Final, and Lindros won the Hart Trophy in 1995.
"I love getting out there with those guys. Always did, and nothing changes," Lindros said. "Even before the 50th Anniversary Game, the pregame skate, things started to heat up a little bit. Johnny started wiring things a little harder, [Renberg] shooting the same. It was good. It was fun to be out there. It's what we love to do and we have great memories doing it."