Eric Lindros should eventually make it in to the Hall of Fame. He may not get there on the first ballot but he has the numbers and the accomplishments to get in. Surely, if Clark Gillies is in the Hall, so should Eric Lindros be inducted.

Here are Clark Gillies’ Career Stats:

NHL 958 games 319 goals 378 assists 697 points +241

Here are Lindros’ Career Stats:

NHL 760 games 372 goals 493 assists 865 points +215

Here is a list of Lindros’ accomplishments if you need to be reminded:

2001-02 Played in NHL All-Star (Injured)
2001-02 Olympic Gold Medal (2002-CAN)
1999-00 Played in NHL All-Star
1998-99 Played in NHL All-Star
1997-98 Played in NHL All-Star
1996-97 Played in NHL All-Star
1995-96 NHL - Second All-Star Team
1995-96 Played in NHL All-Star
1994-95 NHL - Hart Trophy (MVP)
1994-95 NHL - Lester B. Person Award (Player of the Year selected by the NHLPA)
1994-95 NHL - First All-Star Team
1993-94 Played in NHL All-Star
1992-93 NHL - All-Rookie Team
1991-92 Olympic Silver Medal (1992-CAN)
1990-91 CHL - Player of the Year (Canadian Major Junior)
1990-91 CHL - Plus/Minus Award (Canadian Major Junior)
1990-91 OHL - Red Tilson Trophy (Most Oustanding Player)
1990-91 OHL - Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy (Leading Scorer)
1990-91 CHL - Top Draft Prospect (Canadian Major Junior)
1990-91 OHL - First All-Star Team
1989-90 Memorial Cup - All-Star Team

Eric Lindros was set to be “the Next One” but his parent managers set back his career by causing league wide ill-will by insisting on dictating the terms of his draft. How much of this uncooperative attitude can be attributed to Lindros himself will never be known.

I only know what I saw during his career. It is unfortunate that Eric came up in the league at the height of expansion. The dilution of the talent pool lent itself to clutch and grab and hits to the head. No better reminder of this dark period in NHL history is the induction of Scott Stevens to the Hall of Fame this weekend.

Recall that Scott Stevens deliberately dealt concussion causing head injuries with unnescessarily high hits to both Lindros and future Hall of Famer Paul Kariya. No matter what people think of Lindros, no player deserves to be head hunted and severely injured. And yet, the league is rewarding that behavior by inducting Stevens. Despite all of Steven’s accomplishments and Stanley Cups, he will always be a lowlife for his cheap play and borderline legal hits. If the NHL lionizes a player who exhibited the worst qualities of a hockey player, then they should induct a skill player like Lindros when his time comes.

Eric Lindros came to the Rangers long after he should have. While with the Rangers, Lindros played to the best of his ability. He didn’t dog it like many other players in those same years who gave less then their best and collected fat paychecks.

What is really rich is that a jerk like Bobby Clark, after effectively destroying Lindros career and almost killing the kid in the process, comes out in support of Erics’s eventual induction now. Clark is the one person that has made Ranger fans hate the Flyers all these years. Now that he is gone, the Flyers are doing better. Too bad they didn’t have the cojones to give Bobby the Bum’s Rush back when he defamed and slandered Lindros and his family.

Is there any way Clark can be uninducted?

I’ve been waiting years to get that off my chest.

The Staal brothers met up tonight at the Garden and it was Marc’s night. The Rangers played a good game against the mighty Penguins scoring machine by doing all the things they did against the Flyers the other night and then some.

Tonight was the first time since opening night that the Rangers scored four or more goals as well. And, if it weren’t for Mr. Post, the Rangers might have had at least two more. Young Brandon Dubinsky scored his first goal. Gomez had a goal and an assist. Sean Avery got his first goal of the season and played a monster game. He was responsible for drawing 4 on Roberts. God, I would just love to hear what he said to Roberts. Better yet, what was he yapping at Crosby?

The Penguins tried everything, even breaking up Crosby and Malkin. The Rangers just kept them off the board long enough to win the game. The Ranger defense, penalty kill and Vezina Henrik pulled it all together to win their eight game at home. It’s great to see how well the Rangers play when they are not at the brink of exhaustion.

If any fault is to be found, it is that the Rangers misplayed the 5 on 3 again by allowing the Pens penalty kill to collapse into a slot triangle. They need to draw the defenders out and open up the slot, otherwise all their shots will be bad angles or broken up. They need more shots from the points, up high.

Man, how nice was it to hear “Sweet Caroline” played at the right time, with two minutes to go and the Rangers up by two goals? That’s even pushing it. Let’s hope some “other” NY Area team doesn’t ape us and start playing Mrs. Jagr’s favorite song. When wannabees imitate you, it’s not the sincerest form of flattery. It’s just cheezy.

PS. Let’s acknowlegde Rozsival tonight. He’s been getting ripped enough lately. That was one sweet goal for “Big Mike”. Nice job.

I don’t know about everyone else but I have had just about enough of the incompetance of Versus.

Tonight’s Ranger/Islander game was unwatchable. They lose the signal in the middle of the game. They do not show a replay of the phatom penalty called on Petr Prucha, when it was he who was taken down in front of Dipietro. Why? Why were they 4 on 4? What were the coincidental minor penalties called? Inquiring hockey minds want to know? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I did not hear one of these empty suits mention what happened or why those two players were in the box.

I had to go to the ESPN website to see that Sutton was called for interference on Prucha and Prucha was called for holding Andy Sutton. I don’t get it? Is that like calling a trip and a dive? Great officiating. Nothing like being consistent, eh?

Engblom, Olczyk and Emerick run their mouths but nothing intelligent comes out. Isn’t there any way the Rangers, as an organization, can opt out of games televised by Versus?

Nice going, Gary. Great TV deal you got for the NHL there.

There is just no pleasing some Ranger fans. After complaining that the Rangers were 3 and 6 last week, now that the Rangers are at .500 some fans are complaining that the Rangers are playing boring hockey. It’s ironic that this point was perfectly illustrated last night against arch rivals, the New Jersey Devils.

After both teams scored goals within 33 seconds of each other in the first period, a scoreless and souless game ensued. It was a game so defensively centric that one would be hard pressed to attribute the advantage in play during regulation and overtime to either team.

Overtime is my least favorite part of a regulation tie. The tension and anxiety can become overwhelming for me. At least the shootout is less stressful on my psyche, especially with Lundqvist in goal. I was very apprehensive because Henrik hasn’t looked too great so far this season mano a mano. The LeCavalier penalty shot comes to mind as well as the shoot out loss in Boston. When Renney put out Hossa, I was definitely worried.

This is not the kind of hockey Ranger fans want or are used to seeing but it does produce the desired result. The Devils won three Stanley Cups playing trapping, defense first hockey. After the retirement of players like Daneyko and Stevens and the lose of Brian Rafalski to free agency, the Devils have had less success with their brand of trap and transition hockey. But, by gum, that isn’t stopping Sutter and Lamarillo from trying. They just don’t have the playmaking center in Gomez to set up Gionta and Elias, who seem lost.

We’ll see how well the Rangers “defense first” hockey works when the high scoring, division leading Flyers come to the Garden tomorrow night. The Flyers are .500 on the road. We need every Ranger fan to show up and bring their voices and their support. I don’t care if the final score is 2-1 Rangers, as long as the Rangers get the two points and don’t get owned by the Flyers.

The Rangers need to make the Flyers pay every time they touch the puck. Chris Drury needs to start showing Ranger fans that Sather chose the right Sabre. The Flyers have killed 76% of the minor penalties called against them. The Rangers have killed 90%. Clearly, the Rangers need to get their powerplay going against the Flyers if they want any shot at winning tomorrow night .

Last night, I was caressing and fondling Henrik Lundqvist’s tool.

From the top of its sticky, bulbous knob to the bottom of its long, wide, hard, smooth shaft, I became familiar with Henrik’s wonderous and winning weapon. I had it five hole, in the slot and top shelf. I even got a little paddle action in!

Through the tunnel and out, moving along rhythmically, stopping intermittantly, opening and closing, going in and out, out and in until… finally, I had to release my grasp. Time had run out on my rendevous.

The man who had caught Lundqvist’s stick last night wanted it back. As we both exited the train at the Central Islip station, I thanked him for sharing his prize and for a memorable ride.