Philly Sports Jabronis
Report From Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that they will retire Eric Lindros’ No. 88 jersey in a pre-game ceremony at the Wells Fargo Center on January 18, 2018, ahead of the club’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Lindros, who was one of the greatest offensive threats in team history over his 486-game Flyers career, will become the sixth Flyers player so honored. He joins Bernie Parent, Mark Howe, Barry Ashbee, Bill Barber, and Bobby Clarke in the Wells Fargo Center rafters.
“Eric has made an incredible and lasting impact on the Flyers organization, our fans, and the game of hockey as a whole,” said Flyers President Paul Holmgren. “We could not be more proud to raise his number 88 to the rafters. We look forward to what is anticipated to be a historic night for the Flyers.”
“I am deeply humbled and honored that the Flyers are going to retire my jersey,” said Lindros. “I am so thankful to the entire organization for this incredible recognition. I look forward to sharing this moment with my family, friends, teammates, and of course Flyers fans, who mean so much to me.”
Lindros was acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Quebec Nordiques in the summer of 1992. He made his NHL debut that fall in the club’s October 6, 1992 season opener against Pittsburgh, scoring a goal in a 3-3 tie. It was the first of his 41 goals that season, which established a franchise record for goals scored by a rookie that still stands.
Lindros was named the 11th captain in Flyers history on September 6, 1994, and at the age of 21, became the youngest player in franchise history to hold the role. He recorded a 70-point season (29 G, 41 A) in 46 games during the shortened season of 1994-95, which tied for the league lead and earned him the Hart Trophy as the league’s Most Valuable Player, joining Bobby Clarke as the only two Flyers ever to win the award.
He scored a career-high 115 points the following season in 1995-96, which ranks as the fourth-highest single-season total in team history behind only Mark Recchi (123 pts, 1992-93) and Clarke (119 pts, 1975-76 and 116 pts, 1974-75). Lindros went on to post well above a point-per-game average in each of the next four seasons, never scoring fewer than 27 goals.
Lindros appeared in 486 games for the Flyers over eight seasons, rising to fifth on the club’s all-time scoring list with 290 goals and 369 assists for 659 points. His career points-per-game average of 1.36 ranks first in franchise history. Lindros was a six-time NHL All-Star and appeared in three Olympic Games for Team Canada – in 1992 as an amateur and in 1998 and 2002 with other NHL players.
Lindros was inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame in 2014 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2016.
