Many moons ago – looking at the Philadelphia Flyers' scoring statistics for their inaugural season (1967-68), and the list of players selected during the Expansion Draft – I noticed quite a number of the first-season Flyers had not been drafted, and wondered how those players had become Flyers. Thereafter, I learned that the Flyers had purchased the Quebec Aces of the American Hockey League a month before the Expansion Draft. That purchase turned out to be an astute investment.
Ten members of the 1966-67 Quebec Aces team – purchased after that season – would dress for the Philadelphia Flyers during their inaugural season. Both of the Flyers' 20-goal scorers – Leon Rochefort (21) and Bill Sutherland (20) – had been members of that Aces team. Sutherland joined the Flyers by way of that purchase; Rochefort was selected from the Montreal Canadiens in the Expansion Draft. Had Andre Lacroix played a full season with the Flyers, he – too – would have hit the 20-goal mark. With the Aces in 1967-68 – in just 54 regular season games – Lacroix had 41 goals and 46 assists for 87 points. That production earned him a promotion to the NHL, where he had six goals, eight assists and 14 points in 18 regular season games. In seven playoff games, Andre had two goals and three assists. His five playoff points tied him for the team's lead with Forbes Kennedy who had one goal and four assists.
That 1967-68 Aces team had future Flyers' coach Vic Stasiuk behind the bench – where he would twice lead his team to the Calder Cup Final (and lose both times) – and forwards such as Simon Nolet, Serge Bernier, Jean-Guy Gendron and Jim Johnson, who very shortly would contribute significantly to the Flyers offensively. Another Ace was Rosaire Paiement, who would have 18 goals, 30 assists, 48 points and 189 penalty minutes in 64 regular season games in the AHL. He also dressed for seven games with Philadelphia. Paiement was one player who had the physicality that that early Flyers team lacked. Imagine him with the Broad Street Bullies.
Philadelphia played a few of their home games in Quebec City in 1967-68, while the roof on the Spectrum was repaired.
Ten members of the 1966-67 Quebec Aces team – purchased after that season – would dress for the Philadelphia Flyers during their inaugural season. Both of the Flyers' 20-goal scorers – Leon Rochefort (21) and Bill Sutherland (20) – had been members of that Aces team. Sutherland joined the Flyers by way of that purchase; Rochefort was selected from the Montreal Canadiens in the Expansion Draft. Had Andre Lacroix played a full season with the Flyers, he – too – would have hit the 20-goal mark. With the Aces in 1967-68 – in just 54 regular season games – Lacroix had 41 goals and 46 assists for 87 points. That production earned him a promotion to the NHL, where he had six goals, eight assists and 14 points in 18 regular season games. In seven playoff games, Andre had two goals and three assists. His five playoff points tied him for the team's lead with Forbes Kennedy who had one goal and four assists.
That 1967-68 Aces team had future Flyers' coach Vic Stasiuk behind the bench – where he would twice lead his team to the Calder Cup Final (and lose both times) – and forwards such as Simon Nolet, Serge Bernier, Jean-Guy Gendron and Jim Johnson, who very shortly would contribute significantly to the Flyers offensively. Another Ace was Rosaire Paiement, who would have 18 goals, 30 assists, 48 points and 189 penalty minutes in 64 regular season games in the AHL. He also dressed for seven games with Philadelphia. Paiement was one player who had the physicality that that early Flyers team lacked. Imagine him with the Broad Street Bullies.
Philadelphia played a few of their home games in Quebec City in 1967-68, while the roof on the Spectrum was repaired.
