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Lindros: Legion of Doom will reunite at Winter Classic

By Adam Kimelman - NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor

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Lindros: Legion of Doom will reunite at Winter Classic
Former Philadelphia Flyers captain Eric Lindros said on 590 AM radio in Toronto that he would center a reunion of the Flyers' famed Legion of Doom line with John LeClair and Mikael Renberg at the Flyers-Rangers Alumni Game, set for Dec. 31 at Citizen Bank Park in Philadelphia.
The 2012 Bridgestone Winter Classic will have a late-1990s feel to it.

Former Philadelphia Flyers captain Eric Lindros said on 590 AM radio in Toronto that he would center a reunion of the Flyers' famed Legion of Doom line with John LeClair and Mikael Renberg at the Flyers-Rangers Alumni Game, set for Dec. 31 at Citizen Bank Park in Philadelphia.

"(Flyers General Manager) Paul Holmgren gave me a shout about a month and a half ago and we talked back and forth a little bit, and I was real happy to hear his voice and get the invitation," he said during the Brady and Lang morning show." I told him a while back that I would fly down and have some fun."

"Johnny (LeClair) and Mikael (Renberg) and I are trying to put something together for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and we're probably going to announce something in the next little bit. Try to raise some money for them and try to incorporate that to the event." -- Eric Lindros on trying to tie in a charity to the Legion of Doom's reunion for the 2012 Winter Classic Alumni Game

The line was formed when John LeClair was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in February 1995, and in three seasons together, Lindros (6-foot-4, 240), LeClair (6-3, 233) and Renberg (6-2, 235) combined for 305 goals and 666 points, and used their size and skill to dominate opposing defenses.

Lindros also said he was hoping to tie a charity event to the Legion reunion.

"Johnny and Mikael and I are trying to put something together for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and we're probably going to announce something in the next little bit," he said, "try to raise some money for them and try to incorporate that to the event."

It will be the first time Lindros has worn a Flyers jersey since Game 7 of the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals. That game saw Lindros knocked out of the game in the first period after a hard hit by the New Jersey Devils' Scott Stevens. Lindros sat out the 2000-01 season in a contract dispute and eventually was traded to the New York Rangers.

In eight seasons with the Flyers, Lindros had 659 points in 486 games, fifth on the team's all-time scoring list. His 290 goals rank No. 8 in club history, and his 369 assists are tied for No. 5.

He had 24 goals and 33 assists in 50 Stanley Cup Playoff games, and helped the Flyers reach three conference finals and the 1997 Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to the Detroit Red Wings in four games.

He played in six NHL All-Star Games with the Flyers, and won the 1995 Hart Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award.

Lindros might best be remembered for how he arrived in Philadelphia. Taken No. 1 by the Quebec Nordiques at the 1991 Entry Draft, he sat out the 1991-92 season, and eventually was traded to Philadelphia for six players -- including a young Swedish prospect named Peter Forsberg -- a pair of draft picks and $15 million.

However, concussions and other injuries short-circuited Lindros' career. The Flyers traded him to the New York Rangers in August 2001, and after three seasons in New York, he played one season each  with Toronto and Dallas before retiring after the 2006-07 season.

Despite the rough ending to his time in Philadelphia, Holmgren said extending the invitation to Lindros never was in question.

"Eric had a tremendous career for the Flyers," Holmgren told ESPN.com. "All the guys we've called to come back and play have all been excited for the opportunity. We're going to try to make it a great event. I'm looking forward to seeing Eric and a lot of these other guys. It's going to be nice."

Lindros said he has nothing but positive memories of his time in Philadelphia.

"I had a lot of great memories in Philly," he told the radio station. "Some good teams, teams that I thought were very close (to winning). I enjoyed it there. That's where in a sense I grew up in professional hockey. They're a very passionate group around Philadelphia. They know the game and they want results. It's a great set-up."

Holmgren said beside the Legion of Doom line, he hoped to reunite another famed line from Flyers history -- the LCB Line of Reggie Leach, Bob Clarke and Bill Barber.

"That's the plan," Holmgren said. "Have Eric's line back together, as well as Clarkey's line with Leach and Barber, and other famous lines in Flyers history."

Contact Adam Kimelman at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @NHLAdamK
 
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