Ya I caught that.... and that was exactly what went down. Neither he nor his parents along with then agent Rick Curran trusted Marcel Aubut, were fully cognizant of the fact that without a new building & or a serious cash infusion into the club it was going to be moved, figured that was Marcel Aubuts plan, and they simply wanted to have some control over where Eric would start & likely play out his career. So they told him upfront "please dont pick me in the Draft, wont report". Aubut however steamed right ahead as having Lindros under contract or tied up would bolster & beef up the franchise value. Lindros didnt want to be a pawn in that game. Problem? I dont think so. However he & his family absolutely vilified, crucified by the press, Aubut pouring on the kerosene.
And of course to make matters even worse.... Lindros had also refused to report to Sault Greyhounds of the OHA, reason given that it was too far from home, he wanted to go to university & nothing academically in the area that was suitable. Yet Phil Esposito who like Aubut a few years later publicly denying the club was for sale while privately dealing with Peter Karmanos to sell him the Greyhounds who would them to SW Ontario or Detroit needed to tie up Lindros in order to bolster the franchises value, maximizing return, "Lindros comes with". Ironically, Lindros who as was the case with Aubut caught wind of all of this, refused to report, signed directly with Karmanos & Compuware, forcing the OHA to make changes, Lindros winding up in Oshawa, Esposito eventually selling to a local group once it got out what he'd been up to.... Players only have a small window of opportunity to control, alter their futures, have "choices".
Why anyone would have a problem with Eric Lindros exercising such basic fundamental rights I really dont know but yes, a great many unaware of the situations, hidden agendas' at play attacked the Lindros's, unfairly painting Eric as an arrogant, self entitled Brat, who's parents & agent were completely out of line. Demonized. An ingrate. A label that dogged him throughout his career, to this day. Many viscous enough to relish the manner in which his career wound down, the Stevens hit sweet justice for having thumbed his nose at the system & establishment.