Flyers' History: Top 10s in Flyers history and other recollections

[BiggE]

Top 10 "What If's"

What if?

1. Pelle had decided to stay home like he planned rather than going to the team party that horrible night
2. Stickle calls the offside in game 6 of the 1980 SCF
3. Parent and MacLeish were healthy for 1976 SCF
4. Tim Kerr was about somewhat healthy and able to go in the 1987 SCF
5. Lindros is awarded to New York
6. Lindros played with his head up
7. Hextall stops Claude Lemieux's 40 foot shot in game 5 of the 1995 ECF
8. The Flyers had just an average goalie for the 2010 SCF
9. The Flyer had healthy defensemen for the 2004 playoffs
10. Ed Snider declined that invitation to go the Rangers-Bruins game where he came up with the idea of having a NHL team in Philadelphia

Question for @MiamiScreamingEagles or @BiggE. Besides financing the building of the Spectrum, what was Eagles owner Jerry Wolman's involvement with the Flyers? It's been years since I read Full Spectrum, through I do remember Snider and Wolman being business partners who had a falling out concerning Eagles coach Joe Kuharich.

Great what ifs. Tough to say how things might have been, but it’s fun to think about.

Snider had worked for Wolman with the Eagles and, at the time, they were close. Wolman did help with the financing of the Flyers to a small degree, but the key was Joe Scott. Scott had the old time Philly main line roots and connections to the banks that landed them most of the financing. This is why Scott was given the title of Chairman of the Board Emeritus of the team. Snider and Wolman had a nasty fall out over the Flyers and other business ventures shortly after the Flyers began and they never reconciled.

It was very touch and go that Philly would even get a team as late as the winter of 66-67. Most of the NHL brass thought Philly would never support a pro hockey team and their preference was Baltimore.

 

[dragonoffrost]

The three greatest Flyers goals that I ever saw in person:

Dave Poulin scores while 2 men short versus Quebec in the 1985 conference final

JJ Daigneault scores the game winning goal in game 6 of the SCF vs Edmonton in 1987

Simon Gagne’s OT goal in game 6 of the conference final vs Tampa in 2004

Chicago played on the Ben Franklin Parkway that night. Many Mooseheads (don't kill me I wasn't old enough to buy so i drank what was available) were consumed. Walking back to the car we hear JJ scored. Immediately a "f*** the Oilers" chant breaks out on the Parkway. What a night!

 

[BiggE]

Chicago played on the Ben Franklin Parkway that night. Many Mooseheads (don't kill me I wasn't old enough to buy so i drank what was available) were consumed. Walking back to the car we hear JJ scored. Immediately a "**** the Oilers" chant breaks out on the Parkway. What a night!

Post game, we met some concert goers at JC Dobbs on South Street. I vaguely remember we closed the bar, after that, it’s all a haze.

 

[dragonoffrost]

Post game, we met some concert goers at JC Dobbs on South Street. I vaguely remember we closed the bar, after that, it’s all a haze.

Haze does not completely meet the recollection of that night.

 

[YEM]

Top 10 "What If's"

What if?
9. The Flyer had healthy defensemen for the 2004 playoffs

this needs to be higher
of the 6 "regulars" on D in the '04 ECF, 3 of them basically never played in the NHL again [with good reason]
and one of the others was Markov, who lasted about another 100+ games or so, about a thousand less games than Justin Williams to date...

 

[Normand Lacombe]

Top nicknames in no particular order. I know I'm missing a few guys.

1. Fred "The Fog" Shero
2. Dave "The Hammer" Schultz
3. Bob "Hound Dog" Kelly
4. Andre "Moose" DuPont
5. Reggie "The Rifle"Leach
6. "Iron" Mike Keenan
7. Kenny "The Rat"Linseman
8. "The Count" Bob Dailey
9. Keith "The Thief" Allen
10. "The Beast" Brad McCrimmon

 

[Stumble40]

Top 10 "What If's"

What if?

1. Pelle had decided to stay home like he planned rather than going to the team party that horrible night
2. Stickle calls the offside in game 6 of the 1980 SCF
3. Parent and MacLeish were healthy for 1976 SCF
4. Tim Kerr was about somewhat healthy and able to go in the 1987 SCF
5. Lindros is awarded to New York
6. Lindros played with his head up
7. Hextall stops Claude Lemieux's 40 foot shot in game 5 of the 1995 ECF
8. The Flyers had just an average goalie for the 2010 SCF
9. The Flyer had healthy defensemen for the 2004 playoffs
10. Ed Snider declined that invitation to go the Rangers-Bruins game where he came up with the idea of having a NHL team in Philadelphia

Question for @MiamiScreamingEagles or @BiggE. Besides financing the building of the Spectrum, what was Eagles owner Jerry Wolman's involvement with the Flyers? It's been years since I read Full Spectrum, through I do remember Snider and Wolman being business partners who had a falling out concerning Eagles coach Joe Kuharich.

What if the Flyers has gotten then #1 pick. In 07,( pat kane)
Every other team to finish last in league history picked #1 previously.

 

[Stumble40]

What if Pronger never sustained a career ending injury?

 

[Embiid]

Mike Bullard
Ric Nattress
Stewart Malgunas
Al Conroy
Mark Pederson
Norm Lacomb
Corey Foster
Bill Root
Nick Fotiu
Brad Jones

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Top nicknames in no particular order. I know I'm missing a few guys.

1. Fred "The Fog" Shero
2. Dave "The Hammer" Schultz
3. Bob "Hound Dog" Kelly
4. Andre "Moose" DuPont
5. Reggie "The Rifle"Leach
6. "Iron" Mike Keenan
7. Kenny "The Rat"Linseman
8. "The Count" Bob Dailey
9. Keith "The Thief" Allen
10. "The Beast" Brad McCrimmon

Good list. I am not sure I would change anything from what you wrote. In terms of nicknames themselves, "The Rat" would be top three with the Hammer and Moose -- not including skill levels or importance of the person. This was a Hockey News cover:

Others:

Ed "Boxcar" Hospodar
Rick "Hawk" MacLeish
Ron "Flocky Hockey" Flockhart
Larry "The Rock" Zeidel
Eric "Rico" Desjardins
Johnny "Johnny Vermont" LeClair

Gene Hart told a story of Bill Barber and how players called him Arnold Pigeletti or Arnie or Piggy. Typical hockey stuff but more inside than anything else. Probably a reference to Arnold the Pig from Green Acres.

 

[BiggE]

Good list. I am not sure I would change anything from what you wrote. In terms of nicknames themselves, "The Rat" would be top three with the Hammer and Moose -- not including skill levels or importance of the person. This was a Hockey News cover:

Others:

Ed "Boxcar" Hospodar
Rick "Hawk" MacLeish
Ron "Flocky Hockey" Flockhart
Larry "The Rock" Zeidel
Eric "Rico" Desjardins
Johnny "Johnny Vermont" LeClair

Gene Hart told a story of Bill Barber and how players called him Arnold Pigeletti or Arnie or Piggy. Typical hockey stuff but more inside than anything else. Probably a reference to Arnold the Pig from Green Acres.

Yup, it was Arnie the Pig from Green Acres. When it comes to nicknames, can’t forget Don “Big Bird” Saleski. Also, from the obscure dept, Jerome “Moses” Mrazek

 

[rinaldo]

Yup, it was Arnie the Pig from Green Acres. When it comes to nicknames, can’t forget Don “Big Bird” Saleski. Also, from the obscure dept, Jerome “Moses” Mrazek

Craig "the chief" berube is top 10

 

[rinaldo]

Mike Bullard
Ric Nattress
Stewart Malgunas
Al Conroy
Mark Pederson
Norm Lacomb
Corey Foster
Bill Root
Nick Fotiu
Brad Jones

bullard malgunas fotiu were solid here

 

[YEM]

Not a long time Flyer [thankfully] but Mike "peppermint fatty" York deserves mention

 

[Embiid]

bullard malgunas fotiu were solid here

Flash in the pan retreads...

 

[rinaldo]

Flash in the pan retreads...

doesnt change what i said. malgunas wasnt a retread.

 

[Kermit the Prog]

Wouldn't mind seeing Flyers' Top-10 best NHL rookie seasons. Has to be rookie-eligible. Barber, Renberg, Lindros, Clarke, sure. Lindberg. Cechmanek? Love him or hate him, the stats were ridiculous. Behn Wilson? Brian Propp? I'll hang up and listen.

 

[BiggE]

Wouldn't mind seeing Flyers' Top-10 best NHL rookie seasons. Has to be rookie-eligible. Barber, Renberg, Lindros, Clarke, sure. Lindberg. Cechmanek? Love him or hate him, the stats were ridiculous. Behn Wilson? Brian Propp? I'll hang up and listen.

I’ll do this one sometime soon, but the ones who come to mind first are:
Bill Barber
Brian Propp
Dave Poulin
Peter Zezel
Mikael Renberg
Eric Lindros
Simon Gagne
Pete Peeters
Ghost

 

[CanadianFlyer88]

I’ll do this one sometime soon, but the ones who come to mind first are:
Bill Barber
Brian Propp
Dave Poulin
Peter Zezel
Mikael Renberg
Eric Lindros
Simon Gagne
Pete Peeters
Ghost

Hexy, my man.

 

[BiggE]

Hexy, my man.

For sure!

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I’ll do this one sometime soon, but the ones who come to mind first are:
Bill Barber
Brian Propp
Dave Poulin
Peter Zezel
Mikael Renberg
Eric Lindros
Simon Gagne
Pete Peeters
Ghost

Pelle Eklund is up there. Great PP tandem with Tim Kerr.
Ron Flockhart? Never forget Flocky Hockey. One dimensional as it may have been.
Doug Favell is another in the Flyers first season.
Brian Boucher's rookie season should be recognized, too.
Sergei Bobrovsky, too. That is many goalies isn't it?

 

[Kermit the Prog]

Pelle Eklund is up there. Great PP tandem with Tim Kerr.
Ron Flockhart? Never forget Flocky Hockey. One dimensional as it may have been.
Doug Favell is another in the Flyers first season.
Brian Boucher's rookie season should be recognized, too.
Sergei Bobrovsky, too. That is many goalies isn't it?

Perhaps Top 10 Skaters' rookie seasons and Top 5 Goalies' rookie seasons.

Robbie Moore, anyone?

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Perhaps Top 10 Skaters' rookie seasons and Top 5 Goalies' rookie seasons.

Robbie Moore, anyone?

He didn't play enough in the regular season and the playoffs he and the team was exposed. Top ten flash-in-the-pan yes.

 

[Kermit the Prog]

He didn't play enough in the regular season and the playoffs he and the team was exposed. Top ten flash-in-the-pan yes.

I was kidding about Robbie Moore. He was the very definition of flash in the pan.

 

[YEM]

He was the very definition of flash in the pan.

I wouldn't mind seeing that top 10 list, a few that come to mind:
andy delmore
matt read? (based on his rookie year)
ville leino
jiri dopita
yves racine (52 pts in 67 games his one year in Philly)
mark pederson
ron flockhart