If the Lindros trade never happened would the Flyers have won the cup in 2003?

[Sticks and Pucks]

Or in other words, do the Flyers win the Cup in 2003 if they had Hart and Art Ross Trophy Peter Forsberg? They finished the regular season six points out of the President's Trophy race. With Forsberg, they likely win the President's Trophy, thus giving them an easier first round matchup. I remember the Flyers were feeling gassed near the end of the second round against the Sens. Much of that could be attributed to the fact that they had to face the #5 seed Maple Leafs and not the #8 seed Islanders in the first round. Additionally, the biggest problem for the Flyers was their inability to score. Forsberg would have solved that problem. Also, people forget Cechmanek posted two shutouts in that series against the Sens. Basically, if the Flyers had Forsberg, they probably wouldn't have traded for Roenick but Forsberg>>>Roenick. Add to the fact that the West blew up that year too...

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[hockeybrianboy]

Considering Giguere was the only reason Detroit didn't score about 50 goals in their first round series, it is entirely feasible that Philly could've won it all.

 

[Krishna]

There's entirely no way to say. Billions of different combos of trades, signings, and drafting could have happened between them.

If our D was healthy in 04, we could have won it

 

[hockeybrianboy]

You could just as easily say if it weren't for Giguere, it wouldn't have mattered who else was playing because Detroit would have rolled everyone; probably in 20-22 games total.

 

[Michael Farkas]

There's no way with the porous Cechmanek in the nets. No chance they win the Cup with him.

 

[Big Phil]

The Devils always had the Flyers' number. Always. Nothing says the Devils don't beat them then either. To be quite honest, the Lindros trade was bad for Lindros and the Flyers. But good for the Avalanche and Forsberg. The proof is in the pudding. Two Cup rings to zero. A HHOF career vs. one that is hotly debated. A bad reputation vs. a good one.

They gave up way too much to get a teenager who was already a headache.

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

The Devils always had the Flyers' number. Always. Nothing says the Devils don't beat them then either. To be quite honest, the Lindros trade was bad for Lindros and the Flyers. But good for the Avalanche and Forsberg. The proof is in the pudding. Two Cup rings to zero. A HHOF career vs. one that is hotly debated. A bad reputation vs. a good one.

They gave up way too much to get a teenager who was already a headache.

I don't know if I agree with the Devils always having the Flyers' number. These two franchises met in the playoffs four times (2000, 2004, 2010 and 2012) with the Devils winning in 2000 and 2012 and the Flyers winning in 2004 and 2010. The Devils were upset in 2010 and the Flyers were upset in 2000. 2012 was a close year (#5 vs #6) so I wouldn't exactly call New Jersey's win an upset.