When Eric Lindros refused to play for Quebec Nordiques forcing a massive trade to Philadelphia Flyers

Eric Lindros' acquisition of the Philadelphia Flyers on June 30, 1992, marked a monumental day in the team's illustrious history. After a 10-day deliberation period, the Flyers successfully acquired him from the Quebec Nordiques.

The Nordiques had drafted Lindros first overall in 1991. He refused to sign a contract, and a year-long holdout began. 363 days later, the 1992 NHL draft was taking place. The Quebec Nordiques worked out two separate trades to deal with the disgruntled former first-overall pick.

The first deal was to the Flyers and the other was to the New York Rangers. The COO of the Quebec Nordiques, Marcel Aubut, made a verbal deal with the Flyers first, then had second thoughts and began to negotiate with the Rangers.

The Flyers filed a complaint with the NHL, and 10 days later, after an independent arbitrator handled the case, it was ruled that the Flyers did indeed make the deal first, 80 minutes before the Rangers struck their deal, thus awarding the trade to Philadelphia.

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More details from the trade involving Eric Lindros

The Flyers ended up trading a significant package to acquire Eric Lindros from the Nordiques. The trade included Peter Forsberg, Ron Hextall, Mike Ricci, Kerry Huffman, Steve Duchesne, $15 million in cash, 1993 first-round pick (Jocelyn Thibault), future considerations (Chris Simon), and a 1994 first-round pick (Nolan Baumgartner).

Peter Forsberg was the Flyers' sixth overall pick in 1991, while Ron Hextall was a fiery and skilled goaltender. Mike Ricci was another valuable asset, selected fourth-overall by the Flyers in the 1990 draft. Kerry Huffman, a defensive prospect, had split his time between the AHL and NHL. Steve Duchesne had spent only a single season in Philadelphia as a defenseman.

The Nordiques acquired goaltender Jocelyn Thibault with the 10th overall pick in the 1993 draft. The future considerations in the trade turned out to be forward Chris Simon, the Flyers' 25th overall pick in 1990, and a 1994 first-round pick, which the Flyers later traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Wendel Clark.

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Eric Lindros' landmark trade had a profound impact on the Philadelphia Flyers

The acquisition of Eric Lindros through this landmark trade had a profound impact on the Philadelphia Flyers. During his tenure with the Flyers, Lindros helped lead the team to several playoff appearances, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 1997.

While the trade cost the Flyers some valuable assets, including future Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg, it ultimately solidified the team's position as a competitive force in the NHL during that era. In retrospect, the Eric Lindros trade remains a pivotal moment in Flyer's history.