His life, his reputation, have all been damaged, and he's still not playing. The fifth was Brian Burke, the general manager in Vancouver. Neither Carl Lindros nor Kirke returned phone calls. Eric's strategy here was wrong. He underestimated the resolve of the Flyers.
Big deals take time.
They don't happen quickly. Still, this wasn't only about whether Lindros would play, but also where. Had Lindros been an unrestricted free agent, he would have been able to pick his team. Since he is a restricted free agent, however, it's complicated. Yashin's agent, Mark Gandler, advised the player to hold out in Ottawa last season while under contract, in an attempt to force a trade that never came about.