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Blues Still In Lindros Hunt

March 9, 2001 / 10:16 PM EST / CBS/AP

The St. Louis Blues are still interested in acquiring All-Star center Eric Lindros despite Philadelphia Flyers general manager Bob Clarke's rejection of their first offer.

St. Louis Blues general manager Larry Pleau said Saturday that he is still optimistic about reaching a deal for the oft-injured Lindros.

"I did talk to the Lindros family and with Clarke," Pleau told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "The Lindros family told us they were interested in St. Louis, but I won't comment on what else was talked about."

Lindros, who hasn't played since suffering a concussion in the playoffs last May, said Friday he will consider playing for a team other than his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. He has been a restricted free agent since rejecting the Flyers' $8.5 million qualifying offer and making it clear he would not play for Philadelphia again.

"I want to play this year," Lindros told the Toronto Star. "Toronto communicated to me that they didn't think a trade was going to happen.

"I don't have any regrets with what I've done or the decisions I've made. I just regret that a trade to Toronto didn't happen. I hope I'm playing next week."

Carl Lindros, Eric's father and agent, contacted the Blues to tell them Eric would accept a trade to St. Louis, family lawyer Gordon Kirke said. The decision came after the Maple Leafs told Lindros that a deal was unlikely before Tuesday's NHL trade deadline.

Pleau reportedly offered Blues leading scorer Pierre Turgeon for Lindros, but Clarke rejected it.

"We have no offers that we think can make our team better," Clarke said before Saturday's 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils. "St. Louis made one, we rejected it. Toronto made an offer, we rejected it. So that's all there's been."

The 28-year-old Lindros was cleared to play in November after his sixth concussion in two years. Because of injuries, Lindros has never played a full schedule in his eight NHL seasons.

Lindros was acquired from Quebec in 1992, but the six-time All-Star failed to lead the Flyers to a Stanley Cup championship. He ranks fifth on the all-time NHL list for points-per game with 1.356 behind Mario Lemieux (1.993), Wayne Gretzky (1.921), Mike Bossy (1.497) and Bobby Orr (1.393).