This month I’ve been wandering back through the archives looking at some scenarios in Blackhawks’ history that have made fans wonder What If for years. Thus far, we’ve focused our What If scenarios on the 1960s, 2005 and 2010.
Now, let’s hop in our way back machine and travel to 1992, shall we?
The NHL was facing a scenario in 1991 that, at that time, we had really only seen in the NFL when John Elway balked at being the first overall pick by the Baltimore Colts. The top prospect in the 1991 draft was a big power forward named Eric Lindros; think Connor Bedard-level hype in Milan Lucic’s body. He was a cult hero in Canada and one of the best regarded prospects in a long time — some argued since Mario Lemieux.
But the problem for the NHL was the team that owned the top pick. Lindros was adamant that he would never play for the Quebec Nordiques. His issue, like Elway, was with ownership; he didn’t believe in Marcel Aubut. And, like Elway again, he was ultimately proved to be right in his sentiments.
The Nordiques held the top pick and selected Lindros. And he held to his decision; Lindros played another year with the OHL’s Oshawa Generals and represented Canada at the 1992 Winter Olympics. And he was great in the Olympics, recording 11 points.
Teams all over the league were maneuvering to make a blockbuster to get Lindros, including the Chicago Blackhawks. Indeed, there have been rumors for years that the Blackhawks made arguably the best offer for Lindros, but Quebec opted to make the deal with t🌊he Philadelphia Flyers. They were also reportedly close/had a deal done with the Rangers that would have been franchise-altering for the Blue Shirts as well.
The package for Lindros: Philly gave up Peter Forsberg, Mike Ricci, Ron Hextall, Steve Duchesne, Kerry Huffman, Philadelphia’s first-round picks in 1993 and 1994 and $15 million. Yes, fifteen million dollars.
Ironically, the player selected with the first rounder in 1993 (No. 10 overall) was future Blackhawks goaltender Jocelyn Thibault. The first round pick in 19ꦬ94 became part of another infamous blockbuster, this time the deal with Toronto that swapped Wendel Clark and Mats Sundin.
Over the years, there have been a lot of rumors a🅠bout who Chicago included in their offꦅer. Though the complete package has never been confirmed, the most consistent players named have been goaltender Ed Belfour, forward Steve Larmer and defenseman Steve Smith being involved.
So let’s ask the question: What if the Blackhawks had made the deal for Eric Lindros?
Let’s just go with the three players we know were most likely included in the deal, which was ultimately consummated in late-June of 1992. If the Blackhawks had made the trade then, they would have done so coming off a disappointing Stanley Cup Final loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Chicago was swept by a loaded Pittsburgh lineup.
But the Blackhawks had a really good team that could have been even better𒈔 with the addition of Lindros.
Lindros scored 41 goals with 34 assists in 61 games in his NHL ꦆrookie season in Philadelphia. He scored at least 30 goals in six of his first seven NHL seasons, eclipsing 40 three of his first four campaigns.
Imagine, if you will, Lindros being the top-line center in Chicago with a then-22-year-old Jeremy Ro💖enick as the second-line center. In the 1992-93 season in which Lindrꦅos would have been in Chicago, Roenick scored 50 goals and had 107 points.
Surround Lindros with a Blackhawks lineup that would have still included Michel Goulet, Brent Sutter, Dirk Graham, Christian Ruuttu and Stephane Matteau. I mean…
Smith was a 57-point defenseman for the Blackhawks in﷽ 1992-93, but the Blackhawks still wo𝔍uld have had a blue line built around Chris Chelios.
The biggest question for fans (other than me, who would have been heart-broken a year early by the departur🐻e of Larmer) is what about the trade including Belfour? He was one of the best goaltenders in the league and was still early in his career. What would have happened if the Blackhawks traded away their top netminder?
Well, they probably wouldn’t have traded their back-up, Dominik Hašek, to Buffalo in the summer of 1992.
The Blackhawks won the Norris Division regular-season title during the 1992-93 season but were swept out of the playoffs by the Blues in ’93. I submit they probably still would have won the division if the trade had happened, but might have advanced further than four games into that postseason.
A Blackhawks team built around Lindros, Roenick, Chelios and Hašek? What might have been…
