Oh, what could have been

By Steven Lienert

After watching Peter Forsberg put the entire Philadelphia Flyers franchise on his back and drag it kicking and screaming across the finish line in Game 3 versus the Sabres on Wednesday night, a thought popped into my head.

What if arbitrator Larry Bertuzzi ruled the other way on June 30, 1992?

Flyers fans have that date etched in their minds for several reasons. It used to be known as the day Philadelphia's hockey team was awarded Eric Lindros.

After last night's game, it should be remembered as the day the Flyers lost Forsberg.

Philadelphia paid the now-defunct Quebec Nordiques a handsome sum for the rights to a player that was supposed to be the Next One. But instead, it shipped the real Next One out of town.

What would have happened if Lindros was awarded to the Rangers? Sure, New York would have more than zero playoff wins over the past decade, but there was, nor is, any Cup in Lindros' future.

Forsberg did what Lindros was promised to do: Deliver a Cup (albeit with the Colorado Avalanche). Have the ability to put a team on his back and carry them when its needed most. To be the X factor on the ice to distract the opposition so that players like Simon Gagne can get free for a quick one-timer.

But what impressed me the most about Forsberg in Game 3 was how he changed the complexion of the contest. Down by a goal less than three minutes into the game, the Flyers' season was teetering on the edge of oblivion.

One more Sabres' goal, and the Fly-boys were done.

Forsberg not only delivered a crushing check in the left corner, but when the Sabres rushed him, he got a big-time swipe in on one of them to boot. Obviously, he had had enough.

Sure, he took a penalty, which is something the Flyers can ill afford to do in this series. But when a great player has had enough, he imposes his will. That's what Forsberg did. It's also what Lindros rarely could do.

My magic eight-ball is broken, so I couldn't tell you if Philly would have won the Cup if the Lindros trade never happened. But I can tell you that Lindros was falsely advertised while Forsberg represents the real deal.

Perhaps the Flyers would have been better off holding on to Ron Hextall, Steve Duchesne, Kerry Huffman, Mike Ricci, Forsberg, Chris Simon, first round picks in the 1993 and 1994 NHL Entry Drafts and the $15 million they gave to the Quebec Nordiques in exchange for the rights to Lindros.

But here's hoping that Forsberg has enough years left in the tank to help Philadelphia get its mission accomplished.

One win down, 15 to go.

You can reach Steve Lienert at stevelienert@hotmail.com