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| Lindros |
VOORHEES, N.J. -- A deal that would send Eric Lindros to the
New York Rangers could be finalized Wednesday if Carl Lindros,
Eric's agent and father, agrees to the trade, two sources close to
the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The New York Daily News and The Record of Hackensack, N.J.,
reported that the Philadelphia Flyers conditionally agreed to trade
the restricted free agent to the Rangers for forward Jan Hlavac,
defenseman Kim Johnsson, young forward Pavel Brendl and a
middle-round draft pick.
The New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, and The (Westchester,
N.Y.) Journal News reported that a deal involving the same players
was near.
The Times reported in Wednesday's editions that Lindros could be a Ranger by Friday. The finalization of a deal would have a few stipulations, among them: that Lindros agree to forgo free agency for another year in exchange for receiving a higher base salary; that Lindros pass his physical (likely scheduled for Wednesday or Thursday).
Flyers general manager Bob Clarke said he hadn't spoken to
Rangers general manager Glen Sather on Tuesday. Sather is out of
town and isn't expected back in New York until Wednesday.
One of the sources told the AP the teams have agreed on the
players and the only thing holding up the deal is Carl Lindros'
approval. Both sources spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Carl Lindros did not return phones messages.
Lindros sat out last season after rejecting an $8.5 million
qualifying offer from the Flyers. He refused to return to the team
because of a contentious relationship with Clarke.
The 28-year-old Lindros hasn't played since a check from New
Jersey's Scott Stevens in Game 7 of the 2000 Eastern Conference
finals gave him his sixth concussion 14 months ago.
Once he was cleared to resume skating last November, Lindros
said he only would play for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. Days
before the trade deadline in March, Lindros added St. Louis,
Detroit and Washington to his list. He added the Rangers to the
list last month.
The Flyers have been close to dealing Lindros to Toronto, the
New York Islanders, St. Louis, Detroit and Edmonton. But each time
the deal fell through.
Clarke has said he doesn't care if Lindros ever plays again.
Philadelphia's acquisition of centers Jeremy Roenick and Jiri
Dopita put Clarke in position to wait for the best possible offer
for Lindros.
In eight injury-filled seasons with the Flyers, Lindros had 290
goals and 369 assists.
The Rangers, shut out in free agency this summer, have long
desired Lindros. New York actually traded for the star center nine
years ago, but the deal was voided by an arbitrator.
After Lindros refused to play for the Quebec Nordiques, who had
made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 1991 entry draft, both the
Flyers and Rangers claimed to have made a deal to acquire him in
1992.
The NHL appointed an independent arbitrator, Toronto lawyer
Larry Bertuzzi, to decide the issue and he awarded Lindros to
Philadelphia.
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