Archive: In 1996, Up-And-Comer Brett Lindros Forced Into Retirement Due To Head Injuries

"My dream has basically been shattered." In this 1996 story, former Islanders forward Brett Lindros detailed the concussions that forced him to retire after just two NHL seasons.

The NHL experience doesn’t come easy or last long for many players – and in this major story from The Hockey News’ May 17, 1996, edition (Volume 49, Issue 35), contributing writer Jim Smith penned a breakdown of the injury-shortened career of forward Brett Lindros.

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Lindros was selected ninth overall by the New York Islanders in the 1994 NHL draft, playing for the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs before he played his first NHL season in 1994-95. But he played only 51 regular-season games before a series of concussions forced him to retire in May 1996. As you can imagine, Lindros was devastated.

“There’s no silver lining in this whatsoever,” Lindros told Smith. “It’s every kid’s dream to play in the NHL. My dream has basically been shattered.”

Along with his older brother, Eric Lindros, Brett Lindros became an advocate for hockey to address the issue of head injuries. Brett Lindros said there was too much silence surrounding the issue, but thanks in part to the Lindros family’s dedication to the topic, things have improved on the concussion treatment front.

“The (issue) is not really talked about very much, especially in hockey,” Brett Lindros said. “I just think we should pay more attention to minor bumps… that players should take time off and reassess themselves. You can fix knees and shoulders. The brain is something that’s hard to deal with. I think we should maybe take a harder look at this.”

Vol. 49, No. 35, May 17, 1996

By Jim Smith

Brett Lindros came to the NHL with a reputation as a heavy hitter. But it was Lindros whose world was rocked by a devastating blow.

The New York Islanders’ 20-year-old right winger announced May 2 that because of a series of concussions, his NHL career is over.

“There’s no silver lining in this whatsoever,” Lindros said. “It’s every kid’s dream to play in the NHL. My dream has basically been shattered.”

Lindros, who reportedly suffered seven concussions over a four-year period, said he decided to retire after three specialists, an Islanders’ doctor and his own physician told him he would risk brain damage, impaired vision and slurred speech if he returned.

Lindros said he has suffered short-term memory loss and in one of his last games was unable to remember what he had done from shift to shift.

“They felt it would resolve itself over time,” Lindros said. “Physically, I feel great. I just went for a run with (ex-teammate) Bryan McCabe.”

Lindros, who is 6-foot-3 and weighs 217 pounds, was the Islanders’ first round pick in the 1994 NHL entry draft and signed a five-year, $7.5-million contract. The Islanders hope to be reimbursed via an insurance claim for 80 per cent of the $5.6 million remaining on the deal. Lindros will be paid in full.

“It’s a tough day for the Islanders, a very tough day for Brett Lindros,” said coach-GM Mike Milbury. “We thought we had a very promising player. We thought he was improving dramatically. It’s a tough blow for us to lose a guy that had a great upside.”

Lindros suffered his first concussion as a pro in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins Feb. 9, 1995 during a fight with Francois Leroux. His last two occurred eight days apart in November, forcing him to sit out 64 of the last 65 games. He said he suffered one concussion when he was elbowed in the chin by Los Angeles Kings’ forward Eric Lacroix Nov. 16 and his final one Nov. 24 when he checked Jason Dawe of the Buffalo Sabres.

“What was scary for me is that each time I had a concussion it took longer for it to be resolved,” he said. “(After the last one) it took me eight, nine weeks to get back to so-called normal.”

Lindros’ father and agent, Carl, who said a comeback for Brett has definitely been ruled out, said the family explored every possible expert opinion before making the retirement announcement.

In 51 NHL games over two seasons, Lindros had two goals, seven points and was minus-14, but was contributing as a physical force. Now he must decide what he wants to do with the rest of his life.

“I’m going to keep my options open,” Lindros said, “try to find something I really enjoy doing - because something I love has been taken away from me. I don’t know what that is.”

What Lindros does know is that the concussion issue is becoming a serious problem in hockey and deserves more attention.

“The (issue) is not really talked about very much, especially in hockey,” he said. “I just think we should pay more attention to minor bumps… that players should take time off and reassess themselves.

“You can fix knees and shoulders. The brain is something that’s hard to deal with. I think we should maybe take a harder look at this.”

The Islanders had seven other players sustain concussions this year  -Kenny Jonsson, Ziggy Palffy, Dean Chynoweth, Todd Bertuzzi, Derek King, Ken Belanger and Dennis Vaske.

Milbury said NHL teams should monitor the safety of helmets and tell players to buckle chinstraps and use mouthguards.

“I don’t think hockey is alone in this regard,” Milbury said. “It’s just something we in sports have to pay a lot of attention to. We’re dealing with the mind and the brain. It’s not like we’re dealing with a cut or an abrasion.”

Milbury suggested the spate of head injuries the Islanders sustained might stem from the tightening of rules against obstruction, allowing forecheckers to barrel full-speed into opponents. Vaske was checked from behind face-first into the boards by Lacroix.

“(The new rule) lent itself to more contact,” Milbury said. “I think the obstruction rules probably have given players more freedom to run (opponents).”

Career-ending head injuries aren’t commonplace in the NHL, but Lindros’ isn’t the first. In recent years, Michel Goulet of the Chicago Blackhawks, Warren Babe of the Minnesota North Stars and Mike Eaves of the Calgary Flames were forced to retire because of head injuries.

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