Dallas Stars Sign Eric Lindros to One-Year Deal

[imdaviper]

Center Eric Lindros has signed a one-year contract with the Stars for the 2006-07 season, it was announced on Monday. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound forward will most likely center one of Dallas' top two lines and hopefully give the Stars added punch.

Lindros has consistently been a player who scores points for his team on a nightly basis throughout his career. The most obvious question is his health, having several concussions over his career. The 33 year-old center also missed 49 games due to a wrist injury last season. But Dallas General Manager Doug Armstrong has confidence that signing Lindros is the right move.

"Eric Lindros is a point-per-game type of a player and we think he adds a lot to our roster," said Armstrong. "We feel this is a good move for our hockey club."

Lindros has appeared in 711 games in his NHL career, scoring 367 goals and 472 assists for 839 points with a +216 plus/minus rating. He spent the first nine seasons of his career with Philadelphia, including leading them to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1997. Lindros spent four seasons with the New York Rangers before joining the Toronto Maple Leafs last season.

"I am very excited to join a winning organization like the Dallas Stars," said Lindros. "I believe I can offer a team like the Stars a lot and I look forward to joining the strong core of players this organization already has in Mike Modano, Jere Lehtinen, Marty Turco, Brenden Morrow and Sergei Zubov, among others."

Lindros has always been a very good face-off player in his career, including winning 53.5% of his draws last season. Add Lindros to the ability of Jeff Halpern (55.2% in face-offs last season), Mike Modano (51.1%) and Stu Barnes (50.1%), and the Stars have done a nice job in improving themselves for the coming season when it comes to the importance of winning face-offs.

Stars Head Coach Dave Tippett knows Lindros well, mainly from playing with him during the center's rookie year in Philadelphia in 1992-93.

"Eric is a big, strong player who also plays well defensively," said Tippett. "He adds an interesting element to our team. His quickness and his skating have always been good and that is important in this new NHL. I think he has a chance to have a really good season for us."

While Tippett has yet to set his lines for next season and there still could be more moves before Training Camp starts, it is easy to envision Lindros playing alongside Brenden Morrow on his left and possibly Antti Miettinen or one of Dallas' other versatile centers like Barnes, Patrik Stefan or Steve Ott on the right side. The Stars have several options.

"We want to be one of the hardest working teams in the NHL," said Armstrong. "We feel we are putting together a roster that will enable us to roll out four lines every night and compete."

Lindros was the number one overall pick in the draft by Quebec in 1991. The Stars now have three players on the roster that were chosen number one overall (also Modano in 1988 and Stefan in 1999). The addition of Lindros also gives the Stars four players who have served as a team captain in their career, joining Barnes, Halpern and Modano.

[sammy27]

1.5 m for him is a good buy. If he ever stays healthy Dallas wins huge, if he doesn't they get what they paid for.

[Kikuchiyo]

If Lindros remains healthy, this could turn out to be a great move. Time will tell.

[DaleHunter32]

lose Arnott, gain Lindros...... wash out here

[Podollan]

good signing for the Stars.
But he have to be carefull, they are many tough guys in his division and some good Body-checkers too...
It can be dangerous for his health to play there.

[NJDevils17]

so far its a good move because the didn't overpay him like how some other teams in the nhl do (cough, cough, RANGERS!, cough, cough). if he's healthy then good job by the stars. if he is not, well then they only have him for a year and its not the end of the world. so in other words, i like this signing.

[paint huffer]

Originally Posted by Podollan

But he have to be carefull, they are many tough guys in his division and some good Body-checkers too...
It can be dangerous for his health to play there.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Vishnevski looking for Lindros. And given that they play eight times, he may well get him. As you mention, there are other big hitters out there but for some reason I've already envisioned Vishnevski head hunting for the Big E. I bet he gets hurt before Vishnevski even has a chance to get at him though, so he should be safe on that front.

For the sake of you Stars fans I hope I'm wrong, but I think you'll be lucky to get much more than 50 games out of him.

[bigjack]

Originally Posted by MVgiants17

so far its a good move because the didn't overpay him like how some other teams in the nhl do (cough, cough, RANGERS!, cough, cough). if he's healthy then good job by the stars. if he is not, well then they only have him for a year and its not the end of the world. so in other words, i like this signing.

I think the move sucks. I wouldn't touch Lindros with a ten foot pole and as far as overpaying, I guess you conviently forgot about the great signings of guys like: Malakhov and Mogilny by the Devils last year. They really made great contributions last season for NJ and were highly astute and the last two years the Rangers signings have been highly economic and smart. I have no clue what your point is because it's baseless and ridiculous!

[jkidd]

$1.5 million a good buy? Wow. He'll only play a max of 40 games, so he should get half of his contract. He is going to have a hell of a time playing against Rob Blake, Chris Pronger, Vitaly Vishnevski, Nick Boynton, Keith Ballard and a host of other nasty blue liners outside of the division. I understand losing Arnott is huge, but to bring in an old, washed up and injury prone Eric Lindros isnt the answer, not too mention over paying for him on top of it.

[Adambruinsfan]

good signing for the Stars at a good cost, hopefully he stays healthy. as others have said he will definitely have to watch out for Vishnevski.

being a Bruins fan I have seen Nick Boynton lay some people out, Lindros better watch out for him when he plays Phoenix. and Kyle McLaren for SJ.

[Isles4life]

The Stars wanted a center to replace Arnott, so they got Lindros. I hate Lindros as much as anyone, but with his talent level if he can stay healthy by some miracle, they got him at a very good price.

[hazard5]

Originally Posted by bigjack

I think the move sucks. I wouldn't touch Lindros with a ten foot pole and as far as overpaying, I guess you conviently forgot about the great signings of guys like: Malakhov and Mogilny by the Devils last year. They really made great contributions last season for NJ and were highly astute and the last two years the Rangers signings have been highly economic and smart. I have no clue what your point is because it's baseless and ridiculous!

the Rangers have a long and storied history of overpaying players.
that isn't a "baseless" statement. they are the first team that comes to mind when one thinks of pre CBA inflated salaries.
every hockey writer covering huge payrolls mentions the Rangers. every hockey fan when thinking of exhorbitant salaries thinks of the Rangers. the highest salaries have always been the Rangers.

come back to reality.

[canuckfan]

He played well for Toronto in the 33 games or so he did play in, but it seems expected that the guy will never play a full season ever again. Regardless, I find this an interesting signing and I'm kind of excited about it. I was always a fan of Lindros growing up, and this will be the first time he'll be playing in the West. It will be interesting to see how he fare out here, but I do agree, considering the way the game is played out here in the Western Conference, it could be bad for his health, more so than in the east. Vishnevski, Blake, Jovo....they all must be licking their chops right about now.

[BGDDYKWL]

Damn it!!!!!!! Fu*king idiot JFJ. Terrible to let this guy go. The Leafs desperately need another legitimate scoring threat, and granted Lindros is a gamble, but he's one of the last options out there, and he actually wanted to play in Toronto. I'd say this for essentially any team, but it's just worth the gamble. You lose Arnott, who you would've had to pay twice as much, and assuming Lindros stays reasonably healthy, he'll be at least as productive as Arnott would've been. It will be very interesting to see how Lindros fares in what surprisingly is by far the toughest division in hockey. The Stars may need to go out and get a legit heavy now. Whether you like the guy or not, one thing is unarguable, he brings an excitement factor that few offer. You don't see too many $1.5 million guys that have this potential, get this hype, and create this type of buzz when simply signing a one year deal. I really hope he can stay healthy this year and stick it to JFJ.

[bigjack]

Originally Posted by hazard5

the Rangers have a long and storied history of overpaying players.
that isn't a "baseless" statement. they are the first team that comes to mind when one thinks of pre CBA inflated salaries.
every hockey writer covering huge payrolls mentions the Rangers. every hockey fan when thinking of exhorbitant salaries thinks of the Rangers. the highest salaries have always been the Rangers.

come back to reality.

You just said it yourself. "Pre CBA" salary cap days which to my knowledge has nothing to do with now or today. Did I miss something somewhere or have the Rangers been very prudent with their spending after August of last season and did they admit mistakes in the past and announce to the world their new intentions before the trade deadline of 2004! You can't mock the Rangers in this new era and make baseless, ridiculous statements for actions in the precap days. It makes no sense, it isn't applicable to today, and it's ignorant to suggest that they are still spending like "drunken sailors."
I stand by my comments and hope everyone else realizes what is happening in the Cap era and makes statements that apply to today! Otherwise it makes the person's statements baseless and foolish!