In 2000, the Flyers employed two massive centers in Keith Primeau and Eric Lindros. And in this cover story, Bob McKenzie broke down the impacts Primeau and Lindros made.
The Philadelphia Flyers have a long and storied history of employing players who've been big-bodied brutes. And in this cover story from The Hockey News' Feb. 18, 2000 issue, associate editor Bob McKenzie chronicled the impacts of two such brutes: Flyers stars Eric Lindros and Keith Primeau:
TALL TALE
By Bob McKenzie
There was a point last season when Eric Lindros was driving along and a thought struck him with intense clarity.
“I was coming home from practice one day and said to myself, ‘Man, we’ve got a real shot (to win the Stanley Cup), a legitimate chance… things feel great,’” Lindros recalled.
Soon thereafter, the Philadelphia Flyer captain suffered a collapsed lung in Nashville April 1, ending his season and effectively that of the Flyers. Philadelphia, minus Lindros, out-played the Toronto Maple Leafs in a first round playoff series a few weeks later, but Curtis Joseph outgoaled John Vanbiesbrouck and the Flyers were grounded in six games.
The rest is history. Philadelphia Flyers’ history. Eight years into his NHL career, Lindros is still looking for his first Cup. The Flyers went to the final in 1997, but were swept by the Detroit Red Wings and haven’t advanced past the first round since.
Lindros is hoping there’ll be a drive home in the not-too-distant future when he’ll get that feeling again, that the time is now for him and his team, which is burdened like no other to win the big prize. But that sense is not quite fully developed, not yet anyway.
“Definitely not in the last eight or nine games,” said Lindros of a Flyer team that went 1-4-4 prior to the all-star break, including four games No. 88 missed due to a concussion.
“But I feel the upside with this year’s team is higher. It’s just a matter of getting it together.”
That sense of optimism is tied to the Jan. 24 acquisition of big Keith Primeau. The Flyers sent center Rod Brind’Amour, top goaltending prospect Jean-Marc Pelletier and a second round pick to the Carolina Hurricanes for the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Primeau and a fifth-rounder. Primeau immediately agreed to a five-year contract worth $22.75 million.
The move gives the Flyers the NHL equivalent of the Twin Towers at center, a one-two, up-the-middle punch unrivaled in physical presence.
“This is no knock on Roddy, who’s a great player,” Lindros said, “but Keith is a real physical guy who is so big and strong. He gives us a different dimension… we’re excited about it. I think there’s an understanding the impact won’t be felt immediately-Primeau hasn’t played a game for nine months-but it’s going to build.”
There is a lot to like about the Flyers’ top forwards.
While Lindros (20 goals, 48 points in 43 games) and John LeClair (27 goals, 52 points in 51 games) haven’t been as consistent this season as they and the Flyers would like, there’s no disputing their ability to dominate a game.
Mark Recchi (19 goals, 63 points in 51 games), acquired at the deadline last spring, has been the Flyers’ best player this season. He’s the quarterback on the NHL’s premier power play and his 44 assists tied him with Pittsburgh’s Jaromir Jagr for the league lead.
Rookie Simon Gagne (10 goals, 25 points in 50 games) is a keeper, a skilled offensive star-in-waiting. Mikael Renberg is a solid second-liner and Daymond Langkow, a checking center who sees power play duty, has emerged with 10 goals and a career-high 35 points in 51 games. And then there’s Primeau, who was skating with Recchi and Gagne in the Flyers’ last game before the all-star break.
In his first four games with the Flyers, Primeau scored once and had nine penalty minutes. Coming off his extended layoff, he’s knows it will take time to get confidence in his offensive game. In the meantime, he’s using his size to advantage and has been quick to mix it up and drop the gloves.
“That part of it (fighting) hasn’t been premeditated on my part,” Primeau said, “but because I’m playing behind Eric, I’m not as concerned about being in the box for five or 10 minutes as I was when I was being counted on to be an offensive guy.
“Am I in the shadow of Erie? Absolutely and that’s fine, but I also know I can’t just stay there and not be expected to contribute offensively, lliere’s no pressure on me right now to do that because I’ve been off for so long, but that will change. I have to demand it of myself because, sooner or later, everyone else will.”
There are some who suggest that Brind’Amour-a complete, two-way threat-is a better player straight-up than Primeau. But though there’s only a year or so between them-Primeau, 28, is younger-there’s a feeling that what you see is what you get with Brind’Amour, but there’s some great unfulfilled promise in Primeau.
Not unlike the team for which he now plays.
“There’s definitely some of that,” said coach Roger Neilson. “There’s a feeling with Keith that the best is yet to come. I think Eric and Keith will be good for each other. I know I like having them. I’ve got two great big centers, one right-handed (Lindros), one left-handed (Primeau), who are good enough to play against any line in the league in any situation. I won’t be as worried about matchups. That’s a huge advantage.”
Lindros puts it more succinctly.
“If my line is playing the other team’s one-two defensemen, Keith’s line is going to be against their three-four, or vice versa,” Lindros said. “Now the other team has a decision to make. Same thing with checking lines against us. One of our lines will get a break.”
Though this edition of the Flyers remains a work in progress, the coach has no doubt the team is better than it was last year, even when Lindros was driving home with Cup thoughts flying around in his head.
“We have more talent,” said Neilson, citing the additions of Gagne and Primeau and the improved health of Recchi. “We’re a better team than we were. We’ve made clear strides, but we have a ways to go.”
As Neilson sees it, the Flyers need “one more sniper,” someone who can be put on the ice when the team really needs a goal. That, he added, was a major shortcoming against Toronto in last year’s playoffs. His wish list also includes a mobile, puckhandling defenseman.
Neilson never mentioned a goalie. Lindros said the team has confidence in the tandem of John Vanbiesbrouck and rookie Brian Boucher. And GM Bob Clarke will tell you netminding isn’t a priority. But what would you expect them to say?
Goaltending is an issue. Who knows, if the Flyers had signed Curtis Joseph instead of Vanbiesbrouck when they had the chance, they might be the defending champions. But that’s conjecture. Joseph outperforming Vanbiesbrouck last spring, however, is fact.
As sharp as Vanbiesbrouck (19-11-7, 2.27 goals-against average and .901 save percentage) is on any given night, the Flyers must strengthen themselves in the crease before the playoffs. On a team that’s loaded up front and has a fair-to-middling defense, to not do so would be remiss.
Dominik Hasek would be a nice addition, but it’s highly doubtful the Buffalo Sabres will trade him, especially to Philadelphia. Unsigned restricted free agent Nikolai Khabibulin of the Phoenix Coyotes is a distinct possibility and so, too, is Jeff Hackett of the Montreal Canadiens, although some will argue Hackett isn’t an upgrade over Vanbiesbrouck.
But if the price turns out to be budding star Gagne, forget it. The Flyers won’t part with him.
Still, if anyone can pull off a big deal with a net result. it’s Clarke. No GM has made as many impact moves (trades and free agent signings) as Clarke. No GM has been given as much leeway–or payroll flexibility-as Clarke has received from owner Ed Snider, who has taken the good (the LeClair trade) with the bad (the free agent signing of Chris Gratton). After the Primeau deal, the Flyers’ team payroll this season was over $51 million, second only to the $60-million-plus New York Rangers.
“Ed Snider is the perfect owner,” Neilson said. “He wants to win and he has allowed Clarkie to do what has to be done to win.”
In the past five years, Clark has added LeClair, Eric Desjardins, Langkow, Renberg, Recchi and Primeau. He signed Gratton only to deal him back to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Other free agent signings include Luke Richardson, Ulf Samuelsson and Vanbies-brouck. He has traded for Dan McGillis, Valeri Zelepukin, Sandy McCarthy, Keith Jones and many more. In 1998-99, Clarke made 12 trades with 45 players suiting up for the Flyers.
Despite the optimism, there is also a sense of fore-boding. Clarke denies it, but some feel Primeau is an insurance policy against Lindros leaving this summer, either via restricted free agency or a trade.
It’s no secret the relationship between Clarke and Lindros is strained, at best, non-existent at worst. Lindros doesn’t want to leave and said so earlier this season. But if he doesn’t lead the Flyers to the Cup this year, with his contract up and the expectation of $10 million a year or more in salary, a trade is perceived as the likely fallout. “There’s a lot of talk of what’s going to happen,” Lindros said, “but who knows what Ues ahead? If (Clarke) wants to make changes, that’s his responsibility. All I’m looking forward to is this spring.”
And that drive home from practice, when it strikes Lindros this version of the Flyers has a real shot at winning the Stanley Cup.