Zac Rinaldo

Flyers left wing Zac Rinaldo (lower right), fighting Edmonton Oilers center Matt Hendricks in a recent game, says that he gained his inspiration to become an NHL player from Eric Lindros. (Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)

VOORHEES — Flyers left wing Zac Rinaldo used to be one of those hockey-crazed Canadian kids.

He grew up 45 miles south of Toronto in Hamilton, Ontario oddly hating the Maple Leafs because his father didn't like them. His home was just 70 miles northeast of Buffalo, but he didn't care for the Sabres, either.

His team was the Flyers for a few years when their best player was Eric Lindros.

"I just followed Lindros, to be honest," Rinaldo said. "I liked the Flyers because Lindros was on them. I didn't like anyone else on the Flyers."

Lindros, who will be inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame on Thursday along with John LeClair, was more than just a childhood hero to Rinaldo. He was the early motivation for Rinaldo to become an NHL kamikaze.

"He brought me here," Rinaldo told NJ.com the other day.

Rinaldo really believes that even though he's a 5-foot-11, 190-pound middleweight checking-line winger who fights a lot while Lindros was a 6-foot-4, 240-pound superstar center who piled up a lot of points while delivering a lot of big hits.

"Lindros gave me inspiration," Rinaldo said. "I wanted to hit people when I was playing and I really didn't see anybody hit like Lindros. This guy blew people up."

Rinaldo's first NHL memories were as a six-year-old watching 1996-97 Flyers games on television. He was amazed seeing Lindros use his size and elite offensive gifts to dominate.

That was the first season little Zac played organized hockey. He was No. 88 for the Hamilton Reps.

"I wore 88 until I couldn't pick my number anymore ... 'till the OHL," Rinaldo said. "And you should have seen my bedroom. It was Big E posters everywhere."

That toughness element to Lindros' game was and still is copied by Rinaldo, who has 490 penalty minutes in 180 career NHL games.

"He didn't give a damn who you were," Rinaldo said. "He would hit the skill players. He would hit the tough guys. He would fight, not that anybody wanted to fight him. He did it all. That's what I liked about him."

Eric Lindros, stretching before a Flyers-Devils Eastern Conference finals playoff game in 2000, will enter the Flyers Hall of Fame on Thursday. (Andrew Mills / The Star-Ledger)

Rinaldo knows that Lindros' big hits made him a target for retaliation, which contributed to his series of concussions.

Seeing Lindros career end at age 34 doesn't scare Rinaldo.

"No, not at all, because if you think that way, then things might go that way," he said.

Rinaldo, who has one assist and 20 penalty minutes in 15 games this season, was asked if he was saddened that Lindros' career over prematurely. His answer was somewhat surprising.

"No, because I took so much from him that I kind used him to my full potential," Rinaldo said.

Rinaldo has met Lindros just once, on New Year's Eve 2011 after the Flyers-Rangers' Winter Classic alumni game at Citizens Bank Park.

Then a Flyers rookie, Rinaldo and his father approached Lindros at his locker to get two jerseys autographed.

"I don't even think he knew I played for the Flyers," Rinaldo said.

The conversation, as recalled by Rinaldo, went something like this:

Rinaldo: "Hello Mr. Lindros, how you doing? I'm Zac Rinaldo. I just want to let you know that if I wasn't for you, I wouldn't be the player I am today."

Lindros: "Thanks. And call me Eric."

Almost three years later, Rinaldo is excited about Thursday because Lindros (and former linemate LeClair) will be saluted in a pre-game ceremony before the Flyers-Minnesota Wild game.

"It's going to be an honor to be in the same building that he's going to be honored in," Rinaldo said. "It's a privilege playing where he played."

Rinaldo, by the way, wishes he could change his Flyers jersey number from 36 to 88.

"I'd love to ask for it, but I wouldn't out of respect," he said.

Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com Philadelphia Sports on Facebook.