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| | Monday, April 10 | |||||
| PHILADELPHIA -- The deteriorating relationship between the Philadelphia Flyers and injured star Eric Lindros took another step backward Tuesday.
Flyers general manager Bob Clarke, interviewed by the Bucks County Courier Times, said he wants Lindros to apologize to the team's trainers and doctors for criticizing their handling of his fourth career concussion.
"What Eric did was so foreign to any team," Clarke told the newspaper. "The trainers and doctors are highly thought of men by everyone in our room. They look after these guys, and the doctors look after their families and children. Eric was wrong in what he did, and the players felt strongly about it."
Lindros hasn't played for the Flyers since March 12. His injury, suffered March 4, was later diagnosed as a Grade II concussion. Lindros, who played hurt for four games, openly criticized the team's training and medical staff. Those comments led Clarke to strip Lindros of the team captaincy because, he said, Flyers players had been calling for a new captain.
Clarke says the Flyers would prefer that Lindros return to the team and make his peace with the trainers, doctors and his teammates.
When asked by the Courier Times what he meant by "make peace," Clarke told the newspaper: "First, I believe he has to apologize to the people that he attacked personally -- their honesty, their integrity, their work ethic.
"The players aren't happy with what he's done. He has to make peace with his teammates as well," Clarke said.
Clarke told the Courier Times that Lindros' father and agent, Carl Lindros, had contributed to his falling out with the player.
"The problems have never come from me or the Flyers," Clarke said. "They've always been started, instigated and pursued by Eric and his dad and mom. It's the same in this situation.
"If Carl wants to try to run our organization, tell us who to trade and all this kind of stuff, then we don't need Eric. We'll get on without him. Ideally, we want Eric to come back and be a player on our team. We don't need him to be a leader, we just need him to be a player."
Clarke also took issue with coverage of the story in the Philadelphia Inquirer and by radio station WIP. He said these media outlets were getting all their information from the Lindros family and that he felt he was being "attacked personally."
"The Inquirer has made it personal. They've prostituted themselves to Carl Lindros," Clarke told the Courier Times. "There's nothing I can do about it unless I decide to attack Eric. Why would I do that? I want Eric to play for us."
The GM says if it's not possible for Lindros to return, the Flyers will protect their interests, which could include trading Lindros' rights. Without a new contract, Lindros becomes a restricted free agent on July 1. | ALSO SEE Flyers two points out of first after holding off Thrashers Flyers permanently strip Lindros of team captaincy Lindros upset over Flyers' handling of his concussion Doctors warn Lindros about further brain injury AUDIO/VIDEO   Bob Clarke says Eric Lindros shouldn't be captain.wav: 165 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 Eric Lindros says he's disappointed.wav: 291 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6  | |||||