Eric Lindros

When he was fifteen, Lindros was drafted number one by the Junior A Ontario Hockey League. He was selected by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, for which Wayne Gretzky had played. Lindros was not allowed to play for them because his parents did not want him to go there. They believed the travel involved in playing for such a remotely located team would negatively affect his education.

Instead, Lindros chose to play for the less prestigious North American Junior Hockey League. He played for the Detroit Compuware team based in Farmington, Michigan, and attended a local high school. Though he was playing against lesser talent, he was already regarded as one of the best young players in hockey. His future general manager, Bobby Clarke of the Philadelphia Flyers, told Jay Greenberg of Sports Illustrated, "He's the best 16-year-old player I've ever seen. He could play in the NHL right now."

After graduating from Farmington High School in January 1990, Lindros was left with several options because of his talent. He had a scholarship offer to play for the University of Michigan. Instead, Lindros was allowed to play Junior A hockey for the Oshawa Generals near his Toronto home, after the Greyhounds traded his rights (for three players, two draft picks and cash) to Oshawa because of a rule created just to service him.

Lindros spent the second half of the 1989-90 season with the Generals. In twenty-five games, scored nine goals and had nineteen assists. But his refusal to play for the Greyhounds still had repercussions: he was derided about the situation. He also had to deal with much physical play because he was so much bigger than the other players. He was often challenged and had to defend himself. Lindros stuck it out and played well. In the full 1990-91 season, Lindros had seventy-one goals and seventy-eight assists. In addition to hockey, Lindros also attended York University on a part-time basis.