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Throughout the history of sports, there have been many cases of “what could have been”, i.e. immensely talented players who, for one reason or another, did not fully reach their potential. In recent NHL memory, two players who come to mind are Peter Forsberg and Eric Lindros, whose careers were closely linked from the very beginning – though both ended up having excellent careers and were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, had it not been for injuries, each was blessed with the talent to become one of the greatest hockey players in history. Alas, we can only judge players by what they actually did and so there will always be questions of what each player could have accomplished – nevertheless, based on their existing bodies of work, the question is:
Who was better – Peter Forsberg or Eric Lindros?
The Beginning
As top-ten picks in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, Forsberg and Lindros were involved in one of the biggest trades in NHL history, a move that would shape both their respective careers and the directions of two franchises.
A native of Sweden whose father was a hockey coach for both the national team and at the club level, Forsberg was a star in the Modo junior system within the Swedish Hockey League and was drafted sixth overall in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. However, due to Lindros’ refusal to sign with the Quebec Nordiques, who had drafted him first overall, the Flyers traded Forsberg, Steve Duchesne, Ron Hextall, Kerry Huffman, Mike Ricci, 1992 and 1993 first-round picks, and $15M to Quebec for Lindros. Despite being drafted in the first round, Forsberg remained in Sweden, playing for Modo from 1991-1994 while being coached by his father. After signing with Quebec in 1993, he did not come over to the NHL until January 1995 due to the lock-out – as a rookie, in just 47 games played, Forsberg had 15 goals and 35 assists with a +17 +/- rating to win the Calder Trophy for top rookie.
As for the aforementioned Lindros, he was a junior hockey superstar in Canada for the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), winning the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy for top scorer, the Red Tilson Trophy for Most Outstanding Player in the OHL, and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Player of the Year Award. The first overall pick in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, his refusal to sign with Quebec led to the blockbuster trade involving Forsberg that ultimately landed him in Philadelphia. Interestingly, the Nordiques actually had another mega-trade in place with the New York Rangers that would have netted them Tony Amonte, Alexei Kovalev, John Vanbiesbrouck, Doug Weight, three first-round picks, and $12M in cash, but an arbitrator ruled that the Flyers trade had been consummated first. As a rookie with the Flyers in 1992-1993, Lindros put up 41 goals and 34 assists with a +28 +/- rating to finish both third for the Calder Trophy and ninth for the Hart Trophy for league MVP.
Career Comparison
In the early half of each player’s respective career, Forsberg and Lindros were both MVP-caliber players who in any given year could lead the league in scoring; however, injuries (and in Lindros’ case, concussions) gradually took their toll and ultimately led to each player eventually ending up as a shell of their former greatness.
Ahead of the 1995-1996 season, the Nordiques relocated to Denver and became the Colorado Avalanche. In that inaugural season, Forsberg had one of his best individual years, going over 100 points for the first time (a career-high 30 goals and 86 assists for 116 points) and posting a +26 +/- rating to earn his first of seven straight All-Star selections (in seasons that he played). From there, he was a consistent point-per-game plus producer and would embark on a streak of four straight 80+ point seasons – despite only playing 65 games the next season, Forsberg nevertheless had 28 goals and 58 assists for 86 points with a +31 +/- rating, and also showed his defensive prowess by finishing second for the Selke Trophy for best defensive forward. Always known as more of a playmaker than a scorer, he notched 30+ goals once twice, with the second time coming in 1998-1999 (30 goals and 67 assists for 97 points with a +27 +/- rating).
Post the 2001 Stanley Cup playoffs, Forsberg had his spleen removed and then missed the entire 2001-2002 season (though he did return for the playoffs). The next season was arguably his best – centering the “AMP” line with Alex Tanguay and Milan Hedjuk, Forsberg had 29 goals and a league-high 77 assists to lead the NHL with 106 points and a +52 +/- rating, in the process winning both the Hart Trophy for MVP and the Ross Trophy for top point scorer, and also finishing fourth for the Selke. However, that was the last time Forsberg would play more than 70 games in a season; after scoring 55 points (18 goals and 37 assists) in just 39 games in 2003-2004, he returned home to Modo during the NHL lockout, where he played with fellow Swedish stars Markus Naslund and the Sedin twins.
With a new salary cap in place after the lockout, the Avalanche could not afford Forsberg’s services and thus, he signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Flyers (ironic that he joined the team Lindros is most associated with). Though he only played 60 games in 2005-2006, he still managed 19 goals and 56 assists for 75 points with a +21 +/- rating. In his second season with the Flyers, despite a point-per-game pace, he was traded to the Nashville Predators at midseason for Ryan Parent, Scottie Upshall, and first and third-round picks in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft; there, he teamed up for half a season with fellow star Paul Kariya, who had been his teammate on the Avalanche for one season in 2003-2004. Forsberg became a free agent after the season and returned to Colorado towards the end of the 2007-2008 season, though only played in nine regular season games. Following two seasons back in Sweden with Modo, Forsberg attempted a comeback with the Avalanche in 2011, but only suited up for two games before retiring for good at age 37.
Meanwhile, for the first half of his career, Lindros was among the elite players in the NHL and an annual fixture in the All-Star Game. Teaming up with John LeClair and Mikael Renberg on the infamous “Legion of Doom” line, Lindros followed up on his rookie season with another 40-goal campaign (44 goals and 53 assists for 97 points and a +16 +/- rating) to earn the first of seven All-Star selections. After becoming the Flyers’ team captain in 1994, he posted 29 goals and 41 assists for 70 points and a +27 +/- rating in just 46 games during the lockout-shortened 1994-1995 season to earn both the Hart Trophy and the Pearson Award (now known as the Lindsay Award) for most outstanding player in the regular season.
The next year, in 1995-1996, Lindros had career-highs with 47 goals and 68 assists for 115 points to go with a +26 +/- rating to finish third for the Hart. Despite being limited to 52 and 63 games over the next couple of seasons, he still managed 79 and 71 points, respectively; Lindros bounced back (relatively speaking) in 1998-1999 with his last 40-goal season (40 goals and 53 assists for 93 points and a +35 +/- rating) and would finish sixth in the Hart Trophy voting. However, concussions, injuries, and a deteriorating relationship with Flyers general manager (and Hall of Fame player) Bobby Clarke made 1999-2000 his last season in Philadelphia (27 goals and 32 assists for 59 points and a +11 +/- rating in 55 games played).
As a restricted free agent, a contract dispute with the Flyers led Lindros to sit out the entire 2000-2001 season. Then, in 2001, he was traded to the New York Rangers for Jan Hlavac, Kim Johnsson, Pavel Brendl, and a 2003 third-round draft pick; Lindros’ first season with the Rangers in 2001-2002 was a strong campaign, as he had 37 goals and 36 assists for 73 points and a +19 +/- rating in 72 games to earn his final All-Star nod. However, those numbers dropped to 53 points in 81 games the following season and then, only 39 games played in 2003-2004 due to concussions. Post the lockout, Lindros joined the Toronto Maple Leafs, but only played 33 games due to wrist injuries; once again a free agent, he joined the Dallas Stars for the following season, posting 26 points in 49 games before retiring at age 33.
Both Forsberg and Lindros played 13 NHL seasons and a little over 700 games; during that time, Lindros was the better goal-scorer (372 vs. 249), but Forsberg was the better playmaker (636 vs. 493) and had slightly more career points (885 vs. 865) with a slightly better career +/- rating; moreover, on a per-game basis, Forsberg has the total scoring edge (1.25 points-per-game vs. 1.14). The distinction between goal-scorer and playmaker is also evidenced by their respective number of 30-goal seasons (1x for Forsberg vs. 7x for Lindros) and 100-point seasons (2x and 1x, respectively). Both players made the All-Star Game 7x and won a Hart Trophy, while Forsberg also won the Calder and Ross Trophies vs. Lindros taking home a Pearson Trophy. Despite struggling with injuries and concussions, particularly in the latter stages of their careers, Forsberg and Lindros nevertheless were both inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (Forsberg – 2014, Lindros – 2016).
Regular Season Statistics
| Peter Forsberg | Player | Eric Lindros |
| 13 (1994-2001, 2002-2004, 2005-2008, 2010-2011) | Seasons | 13 (1992-2000, 2001-2004, 2005-2007) |
| 708 | Games Played | 760 |
| 249 | Goals | 372 |
| 636 | Assists | 493 |
| 885 | Points | 865 |
| +238 | +/- | +215 |
| 7x | All-Star Games | 7x |
| 1x | Hart Trophies | 1x |
| 1x | Ross Trophies | – |
| 2x | Stanley Cups | – |
| – | Conn Smythes | – |
| ROY | Other Awards | 1x Pearson |
| 2014 | Hall of Fame Induction | 2016 |
Source: Hockey-Reference.com
Both Forsberg and Lindros helped bring playoff success to their respective previously moribund franchises; during their careers, both the Avalanche and the Flyers would make it to the Stanley Cup Finals, though only Forsberg would come away victorious with hockey’s top prize.
In Forsberg’s 13 NHL seasons, he essentially made the playoffs every year, twice winning the Stanley Cup. During that maiden season in Colorado, he joined forces with fellow Hall of Famers Patrick Roy and Joe Sakic to lead the Avalanche to a sweep over the Florida Panthers for their first-ever Cup; during the playoffs, Forsberg put up 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points and a +10 +/- rating. Half a decade later, in 2000-2001, Forsberg had 4 goals and 10 assists for 14 points (+5 +/- rating) as the Avalanche came back from a 3-2 deficit in the Finals behind Patrick Roy’s heroics to beat Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils in seven games for their second title (the championship is perhaps most notable for trade acquisition Ray Bourque finally lifting the Cup). From an individual perspective, Forsberg twice lead the playoffs in points, though the Avalanche would lose in the Western Conference Finals on both occasions:
- 1998-1999: 24 points (8 goals and 16 assists) with a +7 +/- rating; lost in seven games to an Eddie Belfour and Brett Hull-led Dallas Stars team
- 2001-2002: 27 points (9 goals and 18 assists) with a +8 +/- rating after missing the regular season to recuperate from having his spleen removed; lost to the Detroit Red Wings
Lindros’ six career postseason appearances primarily came with the Flyers, with one Stanley Cup Finals appearance. After leading Philadelphia to their first playoffs in six years during the 1994-1995 lock-out season, he would carry the Flyers to the Finals in 1996-1997 while leading the playoffs in points (12 goals and 14 assists with a +7 +/- rating); however, they were swept by the Red Wings, as Lindros was blanketed by Detroit defenders Nicklas Lidstrom and Larry Murphy and only managed one goal at the end of Game 4 when the series was already decided. In the 1999-2000 season, Lindros was infamously knocked out by Scott Stevens of the Devils in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals with yet another concussion, marking the last game he would ever play for the Flyers.
On the international stage, Forsberg was highly decorated for his native Sweden, winning gold at both the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway (in which he scored the game-winning goal in a penalty shootout vs. Canada) and the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy; additionally, Forsberg also won golds at the 1992 and 1998 World Championships to go along with three silvers (1993, 2003, and 2004). Though not as decorated, Lindros played for Team Canada at the 1992, 1998, and 2002 Winter Olympics, coming away with a silver in 1992 and then, gold at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City vs. Team USA.
Playoff Statistics
| Peter Forsberg | Player | Eric Lindros |
| 151 | Games Played | 53 |
| 64 | Goals | 24 |
| 107 | Assists | 33 |
| 171 | Points | 57 |
| +54 | +/- | +8 |
Source: Hockey-Reference.com
Every athlete goes through a natural career lifecycle, from starting off as a rookie to reaching peak years of performance and finally, declining into the inevitable retirement due to a combination of age and/or injury; as has been discussed at length, Forsberg and Lindros were both brilliant at their peak, but eventually slowed by various health issues. For Hall of Fame caliber players across sports, I like to look at a concept I call a “decade of dominance.” The thinking behind this is that for most Hall of Fame type careers, there are roughly 10 great seasons that define an athlete (this idea is embodied in a sense by the NFL’s All-Decade teams), though due to injury or other factors, they might not be 10 consecutive years.
Decade of Dominance
| Peter Forsberg | Player | Eric Lindros |
| 1994-2001, 2002-2004, 2005-2006 | Decade of Dominance | 1992-2000, 2001-2003 |
| 640 | Games Played | 639 |
| 235 | Goals | 346 |
| 581 | Assists | 439 |
| 816 | Points | 785 |
| +228 | +/- | +212 |
Source: Hockey-Reference.com
Again, the same statistical trends are evident in each player’s decade of dominance – Lindros was more proficient at scoring goals, but Forsberg was the better playmaker and overall point-scorer, which also manifested itself in a slightly higher +/- rating.
My Thoughts
When he came into the NHL, Eric Lindros was supposed to revolutionize hockey as an incredibly skilled power forward with the potential to succeed Wayne Gretzky as the best player in hockey; while he did live up to these impossibly high standards early on in his career, concussions eventually derailed him and his career is a cautionary tale as perhaps the ultimate “what could have been”. Similarly, Peter Forsberg was an amazing talent on the ice, but all too often injured – a stark contrast to his less flashy, but far more consistent teammate Sakic. It is interesting how intertwined their careers were – not only were they traded for each other, but both struggled with health issues, yet finished with very close numbers. In a very close comparison, while each player was equally great at his peak, I think Forsberg was able to sustain his excellence for just a little bit longer than Lindros and was also the more accomplished playoff performer.
Thus, after weighing their careers against each other in terms of statistics, achievements, and impact, the winner of this faceoff is:
Peter Forsberg
As always, vote for your choice and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Further Reading
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