Eric Lindros finds peace upon entering Hockey Hall of Fame In retirement, Eric Lindros has built the kind of life he couldn’t quite find during his years as a NHL star. The 43-year-old spoke with gratitude and thankfulness during an emotional speech after being inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday night. He credited his wife, Kina Lamarche, for helping him find peace in recent years. He referred to their three young children – Carl Pierre, Sophie Rose and Ryan – as “the most important people in the world to me.” “My journey through the hockey world was a roller-coaster and there were times when I was left bitter,” said Lindros. “Kina’s taught me balance. She has taught me how to let go of negative feelings. Since the time I’ve started playing pro hockey until today my life is as good as its ever been. “I’ve never been happier.” That much was clear to anyone who spent time around Lindros during his induction weekend. Bobby Clarke, the former Philadelphia Flyers general manager who occasionally feuded with the Lindros family, said that Eric struck him as a man “at peace.” That’s a far cry from the player he knew at the end of his turbulent run in Philadelphia. “The controversies and the injuries and everything just must have got hard on him,” said Clarke. Despite all of the ups and downs they experienced, he has fond memories of the man he acquired in a blockbuster trade from Quebec for six players, two first-round draft picks and $15-million. Lindros hadn’t even skated in a NHL game at that point and came down to Philadelphia for a visit. “They came over to my house for dinner and his dad and I were having a beer and I look out and Eric’s playing street hockey with my 10-year-old son (Lucas),” said Clark. “It was special; special for my kid anyway. He’ll never forget that.” Lindros went out of his way to thank his father, Carl, and mother, Bonnie, for the guidance they provided. Those two were repeatedly accused of meddling in their son’s career – all the way back to when Eric refused to report to the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and forced a trade closer to home in Oshawa. Carl Lindros also served as his son’s agent and was adamant that he seek medical advice outside of what the Flyers were providing when he suffered a series of concussions. Even though Clarke didn’t like it back then, he acknowledged on Monday that Carl was probably ahead of his time. “Every kid should be so lucky to have parents that aren’t afraid to tell them all of their options,” Lindros said during his speech. “My parents offered me the guidance and direction they thought was best for me and allowed me to make my own decisions. They never wavered, even when those choices may not have been popular.” Lindros was passed over for six years before finally gaining entrance to the Hall. Clarke joined the 18-member selection committee in 2015 and was among those to support his candidacy. The selection process is shrouded in secrecy and he isn’t sure why it took so long to get Lindros in. “Well he was the best player in the game for quite a few years,” said Clarke. “And there still hasn’t been another player like him, with that size and skating ability and skill and some nastiness. We all dream of having a player like that.” When the moment finally arrived, he was more than ready to take his place as part of a class that included Rogie Vachon, Sergei Makarov and the late Pat Quinn. As Lindros was finishing up his speech on Monday, he called his younger brother Brett up to the stage. Brett Lindros had his own hockey career end at age 20 after just 51 NHL games because of concussions, and Eric put an arm around him as he spoke his final words. “Brett played on (Long) Island and we always had a dream of playing together, and unfortunately it didn’t come true,” Eric Lindros said. “But I would like to close this chapter of my life with you beside me.”