Lindros will play in Game 6 tonight In the end, after all the controversy and tumult surrounding Eric Lindros and the Flyers, the players decided that they needed their former captain back in the lineup to help them win the Stanley Cup. So yesterday, after polling the players and coaching staff - and without consulting Flyers president Bob Clarke - interim coach Craig Ramsay made the surprising announcement that Lindros would play tonight in Game 6 of the NHL Eastern Conference finals against the New Jersey Devils. Lindros has not played a game in nearly 10 weeks. He had suffered two serious concussions since March 4 and was not cleared to resume full-contact practice until Monday evening. At the earliest, he was not expected to play until Friday, if Game 7 was necessary in the best-of-seven series. But the players, one win away from a trip to the Stanley Cup finals, apparently did not want to wait. And neither did Lindros. "We talked today, and he said he was ready to go," Ramsay said. "He'll be in the lineup for Game 6. . . . You have to remember this is a premier player. . . . We are confident he can step in and give us a solid effort." Lindros will play a limited role in the game in East Rutherford, N.J., Ramsay said. He is likely to play either center or right wing. "This is what it's about: to play hockey and enjoy it," Lindros said. "I look forward to playing [tonight]. Any time you play the game this time of year, great things happen." Ramsay said he could not think of an example of another player who had missed more than two months playing in a game after just one practice. "If you look at the way I operate," Ramsay said, "I have put a lot of people in very critical situations who were perhaps inexperienced or coming off injuries. I asked them to do certain jobs, I gave them other jobs to do, and we had great success doing that. And I don't see any difference." Lindros suffered a concussion March 4 in a game against the Boston Bruins. He continued to play until March 12 when he was removed from the lineup after telling teammates that he couldn't remember shifts he had taken. On March 16, The Inquirer reported that for the previous 10 days, the team had known that Lindros had symptoms of a Grade II concussion. On March 23, Lindros criticized the Flyers' medical staff over the treatment of his headaches and concussion. Four days later, Clarke, after meeting with three alternate captains, stripped Lindros of his captaincy. On April 4, Clarke said Lindros owed the team an apology. Lindros never apologized and has not met with Clarke since he left the lineup. With all this as a backdrop, it was unclear how smoothly and how quickly Lindros would be inserted back into the lineup. Lindros said he might not be in game shape, but he wanted to return because the season is growing short and there wasn't time to work in a lot of practice. "We're not given that time," Lindros said. "Obviously, with time, things will improve. But I feel right now that I can help out. I'm looking forward to it." He said that to start out, he wouldn't be playing 18 or more minutes a game. "It'll be a much lighter role than that," Lindros said. "Just getting back into it, you gain some confidence." Ramsay said he first began thinking of how he would handle Lindros' return after Monday's 4-1 loss to the Devils when he was informed that Lindros could practice again. He talked to strength and conditioning coach Jim McCrossin, who told him that Lindros was in good condition. Then he talked to his players, individually and collectively. "Everybody in this dressing room and on the coaching staff is involved in every decision we make," Ramsay said. "I make the final decision." Lindros spoke Monday night to some of his teammates - Rick Tocchet and John LeClair, among others - and talked of his desire to come back and his willingness to accept whatever assignment he was given. Ramsay said he was convinced that Lindros was sincere about wanting to just play and help his team get to the next level. "He understands [his limited role], accepts that, and will earn more ice time as he goes," Ramsay said. "He understands how this team operates and was more than willing to participate at that level." Asked whether Lindros would harm the Flyers' chemistry given how far they have gone without their top player, Ramsay replied: "If we thought that, this wouldn't have happened." Ramsay said that playing Lindros tonight would allow him some time to get comfortable if the series goes to a seventh game. Asked whether that kind of atmosphere was distracting, Ramsay deadpanned, "Noooo," amid laughter. "Our team has had to deal with everything imaginative," Ramsay said. "In almost 30 years, I have never seen anything quite like what's happened in the last few months around this team. And I have also never seen a better response anytime, anywhere from individuals who rallied together and support each other and just deal with what happens." Although Ramsay said the players had been instructed not to talk about Lindros, some spoke of what Lindros can bring given the raised stakes at this point. Tocchet said Lindros can make a difference tonight with his shot. "His shot is one of the best in the league," Tocchet said. "Anything in the high slot." Tocchet said the move would force the Devils to adjust to Lindros. Defenseman Eric Desjardins, who inherited Lindros' captaincy, said Lindros had to understand that the atmosphere around the team must be "positive." "He is a great player," Desjardins said. "We all know he will be rusty. But he is a natural. He can come in and play great for us. We have to do it as a team. He has to come in and fit. That is what we expect of him." Later, Clarke was asked whether this would be an unwanted distraction in such an important game. "These guys seem to play better when they're all fouled up," Clarke said.