Flyers legend Eric Lindros will be doing what once seemed impossible -- he will be donning the Flyers colors once again.
The former Flyers captain will be wearing the Orange and Black during the Flyers alumni game outdoors against the New York Rangers, Lindros told ESPN.com.
The game is set to take place Dec. 31 at Citizens Bank Park -- a couple of days before the annual NHL Winter Classic takes place between the Fly Guys and Rangers.
Lindros was the face of the Flyers for most of the 90s leading the team to three Conference Finals and a Stanley Cup Final before injuries, off-the-ice tensions and a lost 2000-01 season due to concussion and a contract dispute led to his unceremonious trade to the rival Rangers.
Lindros could have played for either the Flyers or Rangers but he made a name for himself with the Flyers -- six All-Star games, posting 659 points and scoring 290 goals in eight seasons with the Flyers -- so the Orange and Black made the most sense for Lindros.
But just because it made sense for Lindros to play with the Orange and Black legends team didn’t mean the team and the former player could let the past be past and put their differences beside.
“I was very happy to receive a phone call from Paul Holmgren, who invited me down to play,” Lindros told ESPN. “I said I would love to.”
Which, from Holmgren’s perspective, was a no-brainer.
“Eric had a tremendous career for the Flyers,” the Flyers' GM told ESPN.com Wednesday. “All the guys we’ve called to come back and play and have all been excited for the opportunity. We’re going to try to make it a great event. I’m looking forward to seeing Eric and a lot of these other guys. It’s going to be nice.”
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Lindros said he is trying to reunite former Legion of Doom line mates John LeClair and Mikael Renberg for the game to raise some money for charity. LeClair is in, but Flyers fans hoping to see the entire Legion of Doom line shouldn’t hold their breaths -- Renberg tells NHL.com that his job as a commentator for Swedish State TV will keep him away from Philly on game day.
"Of course it would be nice to meet up with Eric and John," Renberg told NHL.com, "but now I have a contract with SVT and have to do my job."
Lindros is in the fold but could the greatest player in NHL history be joining him on the ice?
Flyers analyst Al Morganti hinted while on Daily News Live Wednesday, as did ProHockeyTalk, that the Winter Classic would be a perfect way for The Great One to make his long awaited return to the NHL.
Even though Wayne Gretzky is better known as an Oiler or a King, he retired as a Ranger in 1999 and racked up 249 points in 234 games.
What would be better than seeing No. 99 back on the ice joining up with Ranger greats such as Mark Messier, Brian Leetch and Mike Richter?
While it may be a stretch, an opening face-off of Bobby Clarke and Wayne Gretzky would be must-see TV, perhaps even more so than the actual Winter Classic.
The Winter Classic itself is Jan. 2, 2012 at CBP.
