Eric Lindros

The Next One who never fully arrived — MVP and scorer whose career was ended by accumulated concussions.

Eric Bryan Lindros was born in London, Ontario in 1973. Quebec Nordiques selected him first overall in the 1991 NHL Draft but he refused to play for them, forcing a blockbuster trade to Philadelphia — the trade that brought Peter Forsberg to Quebec. His career was one of the most discussed What Ifs in hockey — he won the Hart Trophy and Art Ross Trophy in 1995 and was described as the most physically imposing and skillful player in hockey, combining the size of a power forward with elite passing and scoring ability. He suffered a series of severe concussions — multiple from Scott Stevens alone — that progressively diminished his effectiveness and shortened his career. He played 760 NHL games when he should have played 1,200+. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2016 and named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in 2017. His career is the defining example in hockey of the human cost of concussion in the pre-protocol era — a story that shaped how the NHL approaches head injuries today.

Lindros was the prototype power forward who combined rare size and strength with exceptional hockey skills and vision. His ability to use his massive frame to protect the puck while making precise passes or scoring goals made him nearly unstoppable in his prime. He excelled at controlling play in traffic and was equally dangerous as a playmaker and goal scorer.

Lindros revolutionized the power forward position and showed how a player could dominate through a combination of size, skill, and intelligence rather than just physicality. His career also brought increased awareness to concussion issues in hockey, contributing to improved player safety protocols.

• Hart Trophy (1995)
• Art Ross Trophy (1995)
• Hall of Fame (2016)
• NHL 100 Greatest Players

Team Career

Team	Period	GP	Goals
Philadelphia Flyers	1992–2000	486	290
New York Rangers	2001–2004	73	19
Toronto Maple Leafs	2005–2006	33	11
Canada	—	33	30