In 1992, Eric Lindros, a teenage hockey star that scouts across the sport touted as the next Wayne Gretzky, was set to enter the NHL.

However, he declined to sign with the Quebec Nordiques, who drafted him first overall the previous year.

As a bidding war ensued for his services, the Philadelphia Flyers were one of several teams who wanted in on the action, writes Kevin Kurz for The Athletic.

“Everybody in hockey was aware that this phenom was coming along,” Jay Snider, son of then-Flyers President Ed Snider, said. “And then it became a target for us once he said he wouldn’t play for Quebec.”

After going back and forth with Nordiques president Marcel Aubut on trade talks on the onset of the 1992 NHL Draft, Aubut traded Lindros’ rights to both the Flyers and New York Rangers.

A lot of back-and-forth took place between the two teams as they jockeyed for position to land Lindros. That is, until, an arbitrator ruled in favor of the Flyers.

Ultimately, a trade agreement between the Flyers and Nordiques occurred on June 20, 1992. Ten days later, Lindros’ rights were awarded to Philadelphia.

While the Flyers never won a Stanley Cup with Lindros, Snider saw the move as a net positive for the team.

Read more about the Flyers’ infamous trade for Eric Lindros in The Athletic.

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