Lindros' presence heightens the drama of Wednesday's Game 6.

ESPN NHL analyst Barry Melrose, who recently stopped by to chat with ESPN.com users, says the focus should not be on how he plays but rather all the other factors surrounding his return.

"What I am going to watch tonight is who he plays with, how much he plays, and how the team responds to having him in the lineup," says Melrose. "I think they're playing him tonight because if they lose he will have one game under his belt before Game 7."

Melrose also chatted about the stellar play of Ed Belfour, his picks for the Conn Smythe award and the effect Wayne Gretzky will have in Phoenix.

In case you missed Melrose's May 24 chat, the following is an edited transcript.

Barry Melrose: Lindros is one of the five best players in the world. Certainly the Flyers are a more talented team today than they were yesterday. I don't believe a man can go over two months with no practices and be the player people are expecting him to be. What I am going to watch tonight is who he plays with, how much he plays, and how the team responds to having him in the lineup. I think they're playing him tonight because if they lose he will have one game under his belt before Game 7.

David in Dallas: Did you ever think Ed Belfour would be this important to his team when you made your pre-season prediction that Dallas would win the cup? (BTW - Barry, you are the only ESPN hockey analyst I respect!)

Barry Melrose: Let's be honest, the reason Dallas is winning this series 3-2 is Belfour. He has been unbelievable. He gives his team a chance to win every night, and it seems every time Colorado makes a mistake, it ends up on Brett Hull's stick who is playing the best hockey he's played in a couple of years. If Belfour keeps playing the way he is, it will be tough for the Avs to win two games in a row.

		Thu, March 23 When Melrose isn't riding shotgun on the network's nightly program, NHL 2Night, he's out on the road serving as a game analyst for games on ESPN and ESPN2. He also provides reports for SportsCenter and stops by ESPN Radio. Prior to working for ESPN, Melrose was the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings (1992-95). In his first season behind the bench, Melrose took the Kings to the Stanley Cup finals and he's won a Calder Cup (AHL championship) and a Memorial Cup (CHL championship) in his coaching career.

Matt: Who do you think has the better chance of beating either Dallas or Colorado, Philly or NJ?

Barry Melrose: I think New Jersey matches up better against the West than Philly does. Saying that, if Philly wins, it means Brian Boucher outplayed Martin Brodeur which he has up to this point, and it means the Philly defense has outplayed the N.J. defense which it has to this point. The Flyers have overcome so many things this season already, maybe they are a team of destiny.

Gina: Do you think Boucher has what it takes to win a Stanley Cup?

Barry Melrose: Boucher was a question mark at the start of the playoffs. He is not one now. He has beat Dominik Hasek, and Ron Tugnutt, two veteran goaltenders, and two very good teams. He has outplayed Brodeur to this point. He is solid and what I like about him is he does not give up soft goals which kills a team. The kid has had a great playoffs.

Tim in Dallas: Is Belfour the leading candidate for the Conn Smythe?

Barry Melrose: Right now, my two leading candidates for the Conn Smythe are Ed Belfour and John LeClair. I feel they both are the reasons their teams are up 3-2 in the third round.

Brian: Do you see the Flyers keeping the line of Mark Recchi, Daymond Langkow and John LeClair intact tonight, or do you think they will go back to playing Simon Gagne with Recchi and LeClair which worked so well in Jersey? Then would Lindros receive a regular shift with, say, Langkow and Valeri Zelepukin on the third line?

Barry Melrose: To me that is going to be one of the most interesting questions tonight is where does Eric play? Keith Primeau, Keith Jones, and Rick Tocchet have been great so I would think they would place him with LeClair and Recchi, seeing what his conditioning is like and how effective he is. Langkow would drop to the third line with Zelepukin and whoever else they decide to put on there. But it will be an interesting question.

Maria in Phoenix: Joe Nieuwendyk was such a factor in last years Stanley Cup playoffs. With the exception of last nights winning goal, he has not been playing as much of an active role in scoring. Do you think it is because of the line changes or more to do with the way the other players are covering him (like the way they have been on Modano), and do you see him stepping up in the next game?

Barry Melrose: Nieuwendyk has not been great this playoffs but he has two goals in two games. One a game winner. That is the story of this series. Last night the Avs had three great chances to score in OT, Dallas comes down throws the puck at the net, hits Nieuwendyk's stick and goes in. So he is not dominating this year but he is also seeing better defenses against him. But I also think that he is one guy that must pick up his play if Dallas is going to win the Cup.

Andy in Phoenix: What's your take on Gretzky and his effect on Phoenix if he joins that team in the front office?

Barry Melrose: I think Gretzky going to Phoenix will be just what the doctor ordered. With him there running hockey it gives the organization instant credibility, gives the team the biggest name in hockey, and the excitement in Phoenix will be crazy. I have to think that ticket sales will explode and now hopefully they can proceed and get the new rink built. I'm sure the NHL offices are a very happy place right now.

mikey: Hi Barry. Thanks for chatting with us. Usually in the playoffs, power play goals are crucial, but this year we aren't seeing as many scored. It seems like every team left is setting records for effective penalty killing. Are the penalty killers better, or are the power plays worse?

Barry Melrose: Although there is not as many power play goals this year, I think due mainly to great goaltending and great penalty killing, you still see how important they are when they happen. Game 5 in Dallas, Dallas scores two PP goals basically and wins a game, Game 4 in Denver, Colorado had a 5-on-3 when the score was 3-1 and could not score. Power plays are still turning points in games.

Kevin: Do you think the Devils will run at Lindros every opportunity they get tonight?

Barry Melrose: There is no love lost between the Devils and Flyers. The Devils know Eric has been out for over two months, they know he has concussion problems, they know he is a great player. They are trying to get to the Stanley Cup Finals, they will play Eric Lindros very, very hard. Eric has always played great against the Devils.

LeafsWereScrewedOver: Everyone has been asking questions about Eric Lindros' offensive ability now that he has returned from several concussions. What kind of defensive role will Eric play tonight?

Barry Melrose: Eric is not being added to the lineup to play defense. The Flyers are hoping he will jumpstart the offense and be a physical force and add some energy to their team. They are hoping he does not hurt them defensively.

Juan: What's wrong with Milan Hejduk and Chris Drury? Are the Stars doing anything special to stop them, and do you think the Avs have a chance of winning the series without them producing numbers offensively?

Barry Melrose: Everyone is asking what's wrong with Hejduk, what's wrong with Sakic, what's wrong with Drury, very simple answer. Ed Belfour. Hejduk had a great chance in the third period, Belfour made a great save. Sakic had two great chances in OT, Belfour made the save. Again, the reason Dalls is where they are at is Ed Belfour, and there is nothing wrong with that because Belfour is part of the Dallas team.

Probably, the most interesting playoff game of the year happens tonight. Let's all watch and see what happens. Thanks for all the questions and we will talk to you next week.