Lindros' golden opportunity.(hockey player Eric Lindros)(Brief Article)(Interview)

Two days on the ice hardly seem like enough time to prepare a team to compete against the world's best for the gold medal. But that's all the NHL Players Association has set aside for Olympic team training sessions before the league's training camps open.

No one is looking forward to those two days more than Eric Lindros.

With Lindros no closer to being traded by the Flyers now than he was at the trading deadline in March, his inclusion in the Canadian Olympic team's camp should attract a lot of attention because no one really knows much about his health. The Canadian team will gather in Calgary and Team USA will meet September 4-7 in Colorado Springs, Colo., but the teams can spend only two of those days on the ice.

"Right now I'm happy to be on the ice anywhere, anytime," Lindros told THE SPORTING NEWS last week. "You probably wouldn't be wrong if you said this was a good audition for Eric Lindros"

The enthusiasm and anticipation Lindros feels was obvious as he discussed how he finally will draw more attention when G.M.s and scouts see him working out next to Steve Yzerman and Chris Pronger, among others.

"There are a lot more questions out there about me than answers," says Lindros, who suffered six concussions in his last two seasons. "Questions about the concussions, my skills, just how I might be able to handle the competition after missing all of last season.

"I look forward to proving something to myself and others. It will certainly be a far cry from working out a few days a week with rink rats at (Toronto's) York University like I did for most of last season"