Trish Thornton's Sports Column Archives

Back in 1991, the Quebec Nordiques drafted Eric Lindros first overall. After a one-year crying jag on the Canadian National Team bench, Lindros was traded to the Flyers for Ron Hextall, Mike Ricci, Peter Forsberg, Steve Duchesne, Kerry Huffman and a 1993 first-round draft choice. In 1993, Quebec drafted Jocelyn Thibault and Adam Deadmarsh. In 1995-96, the 'diques became the Avs, sent Thibault to the Habs for Patrick Roy, and won The Stanley Cup. The Flyers have no Cups since the trade.

What does any of this mean? Nothing, really. It's just been a while since we made fun of the Flyers' genius, Bob "don't call me Bobby" Clarke. He made the trade. And he's sitting in the middle of the pathetic Patrick, er, Atlantic Division pack with more rich players on the bench or in the doghouse than on the ice.

Meanwhile, Colorado and a whack of great players (can you say depth, Bobby?) are tearing up the Smythe, er, Northwest Division.

So when we hear rumours that the Leafs are still in pursuit of a trade for Philly's migraine-boy, we understand the wrath of the fans in the CTVSportsnet.com fan forums:

Bill Granger has a point:

"Okay first off... The leafs will never sign Lindros if he is looking for anywhere near what the Flyers offered him.. C'mon I don't care how much you hate the team you are on.. someone tells me here's 8.5 mill to stay here, I shake his hand and put my arm around him and tell him whatever he wants to hear... The leafs wouldn't sign Gretzky because they said he wouldn't help the team financially. They aren't goin to spend that kind of money on literally, a lame-brain..."

LM adds:

"Eric Lindros' career is either over, or he's one good shot away from becoming a vegetable. I realize how badly he must want to come back and stick it in that jackass Bob Clarke's face, but let's be honest here-he is physiologically susceptible to concussions, and the next one could turn his brain into mush. He should quit now, take his millions and sleep in for the rest of his life."

Bill Granger adds his second point:

"... Secondly, how many leaf fans would like to see him here? Not me. Sure I'd like to see the young, just-drafted Eric here, but that is not who you will get. Who you will get is a guy that, if hit hard again, is going to have his brain patented by V-8 juice. Sure TO has a tough team this year. But that isn't going to stop someone from decking him.. Tell me that it is safer to have Eric back on the ice with that cranium than it is to have Berard on the ice with his eye. I say let Eric and Bret Lindros co-write a book.. I Left My Head in the Game..."

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Who's hot
Okay, we raved last year, even kinda threw our hopes behind 'em in the quest for The Cup(TM), but we can't deny that the St. Louis Blues are a great team. Defence? The best in the league. Offence? 3 solid lines. Goaltending? Roman's Empire (sorry.) Coaching? Joel Quenneville, the dimple-chinned, Kirk Douglas-esque, ruggedly handsome chief, manages to get the most out of his stars and grinders.

The only thing that we can criticize is their uniforms. And even then, they're better than their early-90's Brett Hull era costumes, when they threw yellow and red in. THEY'RE THE BLUES, for goodness sake! Anyway, they're undefeated at home and have only lost 2 on the road. If they stay healthy, ladies and gentlemen, here are your Stanley Cup champs for 2001.

Who's not
Has anyone noticed that the defending Stanley Cup champs have gone into the toilet? They have a 5-game losing streak going and are in last place behind the Islanders. Really. After they won The Cup(TM) in 1995, they missed the playoffs in 1996.

Is this a franchise pattern? Or is it time to sign last year's OT hero, Jason Arnott, and his buddy, Scott Niedermayer? (We'll leave Claude Lemieux to Mr. Gretzky.)

Lou Lamoriello isn't known for spending bucks. Or maybe the owners don't let him. But this pattern actually might work for them. If they can win a Cup, save money for a couple of years, and win another Cup, how can fans complain?

Hmmm. This is how the trap was born. What great excitement-killing game plan will come out of this year's model?

Oh, the sunny south...
Speaking of teams that suck, what the heck is going on in Florida? Pavel Bure, one of the most exciting players in the game today, couldn't put a puck in the net if the future of the free world depended on it. If you thought those little old ladies in the retirement home were ticked about the state of the nation, just read what CTVSportsnet.com's Jake Daniel has to say:

"It would appear that nothing short of a massive attitude overhaul will help the dreadful Panthers, who rank last in the league in scoring despite featuring Pavel Bure, human goal machine. Igor Larionov, who can't vote in the U.S. but can usually score, hasn't done much of either since moving to Miami."

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