Why haven't we seen another Eric Lindros?

[Masked]

Bringing him down?
Posters on here are saying he would easily win the Ross year in and year out in this era, and I call bullshit. He's not even remotely on McDavids level.

What you linked to:

If Lindros was in today's NHL, he would be up there with McDavid, MacKinnon, and Kucherov for Hart/Art Ross easily.

So one post that doesn't even mean what you claim it to mean. As I expected. Bullshit on your part.

 

[Warh1ppy]

We're probably only a decade or so away from the next Great one.

A player who is 6 foot 5, 225 pounds entering the league with speed like McDavid a shot like Ovi and smart leadership like Crosby.

Eventually someone like that (Lemieux) will turn up in the draft.

The reason we don't see more potential like that though is the cost of the game for kids and what it takes to even be able to play at a level that will get a kid noticed.

But that's an entirely other thread.

 

[Pablo El Perro]

His talents/advantages aren't really as much of an asset in today's game, so even guys with size don't really play that game. A bit like Jagr and even Sundin, what made them special offensively is bouncing off checks and scoring while players were draped over their backs.

 

[DarrylshutzSydor]

Lindros would ghave done way better in todays game because you can't hit someone when they have their head down.

 

[sensfan4lifee]

Wasn’t Ovechkin’s first 5-10 years basically very Lindros-esque? He may not have been as “mean” but he absolutely crushed people every 3 minutes while skating like the wind, dangling everyone, ripping shots from all over the zone, generating tons of breakaways, etc. He wasn’t the player he is today, but it seems like that’s all most posters remember. Which is also ironic since we can’t remember Ovie’s prime accurately but we can wax nostalgic over players who have been out of the league for decades

No not even close to being the same player

 

[sensfan4lifee]

Bringing him down?
Posters on here are saying he would easily win the Ross year in and year out in this era, and I call bullshit. He's not even remotely on McDavids level.

McDavid is transcendent talent bordering taking his place in the big-4 if he can win a cup. Lindros was nowhere close to that.

This isn't about Mcdavid not every thread needs to be about how great Mcdavid is, its honestly annoying, and no he's not going to join the big 4 if he wins a cup, he will become the 5th best player at most but I'm not getting into that its about Lindros, not Mcdavid.

 

[PB37]

Wasn’t Ovechkin’s first 5-10 years basically very Lindros-esque? He may not have been as “mean” but he absolutely crushed people every 3 minutes while skating like the wind, dangling everyone, ripping shots from all over the zone, generating tons of breakaways, etc. He wasn’t the player he is today, but it seems like that’s all most posters remember. Which is also ironic since we can’t remember Ovie’s prime accurately but we can wax nostalgic over players who have been out of the league for decades.

There was a lot more drama when Lindros played then OV, mainly because Lindros went over the line in an era that still believed in goons and retribution which dispite all of that, didn't stop the way he played ( until Stevens got him, of course ). OV still had his giants and goons to deal with but that was around the time retribution was starting to get cracked down on because of the Bertuzzi incident a couple of years prior. He also wasn't looked at as a fighter while Lindros fought more than your average star point producer.

 

[Staniowski]

We haven't seen another Lindros because he was really, really good. There wasn't a Lindros before Lindros either.

He was one of the very best scorers in the history of hockey, both an elite goal-scorer and an elite passer...and he could really skate, and was aggressive. He was very skilled and nifty for a big guy.

 

[pld459666]

Ovy is basically the winger version of Lindros but he learned to skate with his head up.

Ovy was a better skaters with a better shot.

Lindros was the better all around player and meaner

 

[aylib]

Haven’t seen many powerforwards besides the Tkachuk brothers, Bennett…

 

[Ruggs225]

His parents tried tk make another Eric, but ended up with Brett. They stopped after that.

 

[Nsjohnson]

He was amazing. He really was. No shade.

He wasn't the exact player this post is making him out to be. He's not generational but he was absolutely elite.

 

[aylib]

He was amazing. He really was. No shade.

He wasn't the exact player this post is making him out to be. He's not generational but he was absolutely elite.

Lindros wasn’t generational? I don’t think there was another one like him. He was sorta like the Pronger of forwards- a beast without peers.

 

[FrozenJagrt]

The odds of finding a guy who is blessed with those physical gifts, that chooses to pursue hockey (and has the money to do so), that has that level of nastiness while also being the most talented player on the ice are microscopic. No player before Lindros had that package and I very much doubt we will see it again.

Ovechkin came close, but he wasn't nearly as mean. Extremely physical, yes, but he hit to hit while Lindros hit to hurt. He also wasn't nearly as well-rounded. A much better career though, largely due to his supernatural durability.

 

[Gnome17]

I think the biggest reason is money and injury risk. Say youre an 80 point player, solid defensively and in the corners. Youll probably get 10m per as a ufa. If you add physicality to that you wont make more, sadly. And you risk getting injured, meaning you risk missing out on signing a big ticket contract.
Theres no incitement to play that way in todays game.