Lindros credits wife, Paul Holmgren for Flyers number retirement

The Philadelphia Flyers retired Eric Lindros' No. 88 on Thursday, forever uniting one of the game's greats with the team he spent his most dominant seasons with, and from which he later infamously parted ways.

Thirteen months after stepping back into the fold by playing with the Flyers at the 50th Anniversary Alumni game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Lindros credited two special people for making this particular occasion possible.

"It's no secret that when I left Philadelphia, it was under less than ideal circumstances," Lindros said during his speech. "I believe I'm here today - hockey aside - because of two people: my wife Kina, and (Flyers president) Paul Holmgren. Both in their own ways have taught me to move on, put in the past any differences of opinion, any hurt feelings.

"It was time to remember the great moments I experienced here in Philadelphia, the friendships I have built in this great city, and the respect I have for the fans of this team."

Perhaps Holmgren said it best earlier in the night:

Lindros won the Hart Trophy in 1995 and led the Flyers to the Stanley Cup Final in 1997, amassing big numbers and levying bigger hits along the ways. A series of concussions and subsequent questions over his treatment by the team's medical staff led to an ugly end to his tenure with the club, culminating in a 2001 trade to the New York Rangers that was made by then-general manager, Bobby Clarke.

He appeared in 486 regular-season games for the Flyers, recording 290 goals, 369 assists, and 946 penalty minutes, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2016.