By Harry Allison
It was Golden Oldies Night at the Wells Fargo Center.
Two of the Flyers’ great players came back and a sellout crowd went nuts, sort of like the Rolling Stones playing to a crowd who remember their greatest days.
Eric Lindros and John LeClair (photo above) — two members of the vaunted “Legion of Doom” line — were inducted into the Flyers’ Hall of Fame in a ceremony before the team’s 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.
Lindros, a six-time All-Star who scored 290 goals and 659 points in 486 games over eight seasons with the Flyers, saluted the fans.
“We felt you and played for you,” Lindros told the roaring crowd. “It was fantastic. Flyers fans are one of a kind. Thank you for the memories and support.”
Philly acquired Lindros in 1992 in a blockbuster deal with Quebec, trading six players, two first-round picks and $15 million for the 6-foot-4, 245-pounder, who refused to play for the former Nordiques after they chose him with the No. 1 pick in the 1991 NHL draft.
Lindros helped lead the Flyers to the 1997 Stanley Cup finals before a series of concussions and a fallout with former general manager Bob Clarke soured his time in town
All of that was forgotten on Thursday, though, as the former Flyers captain’s name was lifted to the rafters with LeClair’s.
LeClair, Lindros, and Mikael Renberg formed the “Legion of Doom” line that combined for 225 goals and 490 points in two seasons in the 1990’s.
“I think we’ll always be close,” Lindros said of the line.
LeClair scored 333 goals and had 643 points in 649 games in 10 seasons with the Flyers.
“We loved winning together and hated losing even more,” LeClair told the crowd.
Among the items presented to Lindros and LeClair was a personalized bust and a painting of each.
