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

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I think Schultz deserves to top the list mainly because no other enforcer on the list, and with the possible exception of John Ferguson in MTL, none in NHL history, was more vital to the success of his team. There are no Broad Street Bullies and probably no Stanley Cups without The Hammer.

For best pure fighter, I’d go with Dave Brown and for most imposing physical presence, it has to be Lindros.

I don't disagree in terms of importance and Schultz took part in some important goals.

• The OT series-clinching goal against Atlanta in 1974.
• Two goals in Game 5 of the 1975 Cup Finals against Buffalo when the series was tied 2-2 (he scored the first goal).
• And on his first OT shift of the game, it was his forecheck in the offensive zone and then pass to Bill Flett who set up Clarke for the GWG in Game 2. To watch that live, even though it was 45 years ago, still chills.

 

[BiggE]

If I was going to rank the 10 best pure fighters in team history, it would be:

Honorable Mentions:
Jack McIlharghy
Craig Berube
Ed Hospador

10. Glen Cochrane
Cochrane fought with reckless abandon and was actually a pretty decent Dman when he was able to stay out of the box.

9. Wayne Simmonds
Pound for pound, the stick legged Simmer was of the toughest players in team history and he routinely fought players who outweighed him by 30 lbs or more

8. Eric Lindros
The Flyers didn’t want him fighting too much but when the big guy dropped the gloves, it was bad news for the other guy. His destruction of multiple Lightning players in the 96 playoffs was epic

7. Rick Tocchet
A classic old school power forward, Toc could throw down as well as anyone. His bouts with Wendell Clark were amazing

6. Mel Bridgman
As MSE mentioned, his fights with Terry O’Reilly were a sight to behold. I really can’t remember Bridgman ever getting beaten cleanly.

5. Donald Brashear
Brash would have made a great Bullie. He was actually a pretty solid player and defensively responsible, but his fists won him an NHL job. Never forget, Ottawa didn’t find their courage in the famous brawl game until Brashear was ejected

4. Dave Schultz
Schultz was pure brutality unleashed. Playing in a much less regulated era, he was known for his vicious headbutts and his taped fists. His beatdown of Dale Rolfe in the 74 playoffs took the heart out of the Rangers. As MSE pointed out, Schultz was a also a fine player (he was a point per game scorer in Junior). He was at his best in the 74 playoffs, especially in game 2 of the finals.

3. Paul Holmgren
Early in Homer’s career, Dave Schultz was traded to LA. In his first game he and Homer dropped the gloves and Holmgren won decisively. Holmgren probably won half his fights from just his menacing stare alone. He was not a guy to mess with and he is solely responsible for Ken “The Rat” Linseman surviving his rookie year

2. Behn Wilson
Wilson was supremely skilled and strong on his skates, but his lack of all around hockey sense and bonehead lapses in judgements always held him back. When it came to fighting, he was a terror. Wilson had some great bouts with the Rags Nick Fotiu (a former gold gloves boxer) and he’s one of the few guys I ever saw beat the Isles Clark Gillies clean. He was known for his jackhammer knockout punch

1. Dave Brown
A 6’5 220 southpaw, Brown used his strength and great reach to his advantage. Rarely have I seen a guy that big with hands that fast. Very few guys wanted any part of Brownie and most who did regretted it. Brown also worked his tail off to be a better player and over the years he went from being a pure goon playing 4-5 minutes per game, to a smart, defensively responsible winger who could take a regular shift.

And there you have it, let me know what you all think.

 

[Danko]

Top 10 players who had great careers on other teams but sucked when they came to the flyers?

 

[Vikke]

Top 10 players who had great careers on other teams but sucked when they came to the flyers?

1. Vincent Lecavalier. Not really his fault, and i seem to remember he was pretty decent his first season here.

 

[Danko]

throwing a few names out there

Lecavalier
Adam Oates? only played 14 games
Chris Gratton

 

[BiggE]

Top 10 players who had great careers on other teams but sucked when they came to the flyers?

Some off the top of my head, in no order cept (vaguely) chronological

Allen Stanley
He was hall of fame player who spent most of his career with Toronto. By the time he got to Philly in 68 though, he was over 40 and pretty much done.

Rob Ramage
He was, due to injury, pretty much done when he got to Philly. In his prime though, he was a borderline top pair guy

Al Secord
He was a pretty good goal scorer in Chicago but here, at the end of his career, he was a generic 4th liner.

Dale Hawerchuk
Hawerchuk didn’t suck in Philly, he was actually pretty good but his ravaged hip had cost him a couple of steps and he was nowhere near the superstar he was in his prime.

Paul Coffey
Coffey was really good for a few games but after getting run over by teammate Eric Lindros, he was never the same and was probably playing with post-concussion symptoms the rest of that season

Derian Hatcher
Hatch didn’t suck in Philly, but his ravaged knees took away whatever speed he once had and he was far from the dominant top pair shutdown guy he was in Dallas

Vinnie Lecavalier
We all know how that worked out. A terrible signing in retrospect, VLC had lost a step and just couldn’t keep up anymore.

Nick Schultz
A solid top four guy in his prime in Minnesota, he was a middling bottom pair guy in Philly

Chris Stewart
A few years back, Ol Biceps was one of the NHLs better power forwards. Today? Today he’s basically an AHL 4th liner masquerading as an NHL player. Cut the cord Chuck!

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

Well, it was a fun game, but hardly one of the greatest in team history. They also had quite a few better brawls and fights in the 70s and 80s including a pregame classic vs Montreal in the 87 playoffs

I dunno man. I've seen the footage of a lot of the old games (too young to see many in person) and Sens one was pretty epic!

 

[bobbythebrain]

If I was going to rank the 10 best pure fighters in team history, it would be:

Honorable Mentions:
Jack McIlharghy
Craig Berube
Ed Hospador

10. Glen Cochrane
Cochrane fought with reckless abandon and was actually a pretty decent Dman when he was able to stay out of the box.

9. Wayne Simmonds
Pound for pound, the stick legged Simmer was of the toughest players in team history and he routinely fought players who outweighed him by 30 lbs or more

8. Eric Lindros
The Flyers didn’t want him fighting too much but when the big guy dropped the gloves, it was bad news for the other guy. His destruction of multiple Lightning players in the 96 playoffs was epic

7. Rick Tocchet
A classic old school power forward, Toc could throw down as well as anyone. His bouts with Wendell Clark were amazing

6. Mel Bridgman
As MSE mentioned, his fights with Terry O’Reilly were a sight to behold. I really can’t remember Bridgman ever getting beaten cleanly.

5. Donald Brashear
Brash would have made a great Bullie. He was actually a pretty solid player and defensively responsible, but his fists won him an NHL job. Never forget, Ottawa didn’t find their courage in the famous brawl game until Brashear was ejected

4. Dave Schultz
Schultz was pure brutality unleashed. Playing in a much less regulated era, he was known for his vicious headbutts and his taped fists. His beatdown of Dale Rolfe in the 74 playoffs took the heart out of the Rangers. As MSE pointed out, Schultz was a also a fine player (he was a point per game scorer in Junior). He was at his best in the 74 playoffs, especially in game 2 of the finals.

3. Paul Holmgren
Early in Homer’s career, Dave Schultz was traded to LA. In his first game he and Homer dropped the gloves and Holmgren won decisively. Holmgren probably won half his fights from just his menacing stare alone. He was not a guy to mess with and he is solely responsible for Ken “The Rat” Linseman surviving his rookie year

2. Behn Wilson
Wilson was supremely skilled and strong on his skates, but his lack of all around hockey sense and bonehead lapses in judgements always held him back. When it came to fighting, he was a terror. Wilson had some great bouts with the Rags Nick Fotiu (a former gold gloves boxer) and he’s one of the few guys I ever saw beat the Isles Clark Gillies clean. He was known for his jackhammer knockout punch

1. Dave Brown
A 6’5 220 southpaw, Brown used his strength and great reach to his advantage. Rarely have I seen a guy that big with hands that fast. Very few guys wanted any part of Brownie and most who did regretted it. Brown also worked his tail off to be a better player and over the years he went from being a pure goon playing 4-5 minutes per game, to a smart, defensively responsible winger who could take a regular shift.

And there you have it, let me know what you all think.

If I was going to rank the 10 best pure fighters in team history, it would be:

Honorable Mentions:
Jack McIlharghy
Craig Berube
Ed Hospador

10. Glen Cochrane
Cochrane fought with reckless abandon and was actually a pretty decent Dman when he was able to stay out of the box.

9. Wayne Simmonds
Pound for pound, the stick legged Simmer was of the toughest players in team history and he routinely fought players who outweighed him by 30 lbs or more

8. Eric Lindros
The Flyers didn’t want him fighting too much but when the big guy dropped the gloves, it was bad news for the other guy. His destruction of multiple Lightning players in the 96 playoffs was epic

7. Rick Tocchet
A classic old school power forward, Toc could throw down as well as anyone. His bouts with Wendell Clark were amazing

6. Mel Bridgman
As MSE mentioned, his fights with Terry O’Reilly were a sight to behold. I really can’t remember Bridgman ever getting beaten cleanly.

5. Donald Brashear
Brash would have made a great Bullie. He was actually a pretty solid player and defensively responsible, but his fists won him an NHL job. Never forget, Ottawa didn’t find their courage in the famous brawl game until Brashear was ejected

4. Dave Schultz
Schultz was pure brutality unleashed. Playing in a much less regulated era, he was known for his vicious headbutts and his taped fists. His beatdown of Dale Rolfe in the 74 playoffs took the heart out of the Rangers. As MSE pointed out, Schultz was a also a fine player (he was a point per game scorer in Junior). He was at his best in the 74 playoffs, especially in game 2 of the finals.

3. Paul Holmgren
Early in Homer’s career, Dave Schultz was traded to LA. In his first game he and Homer dropped the gloves and Holmgren won decisively. Holmgren probably won half his fights from just his menacing stare alone. He was not a guy to mess with and he is solely responsible for Ken “The Rat” Linseman surviving his rookie year

2. Behn Wilson
Wilson was supremely skilled and strong on his skates, but his lack of all around hockey sense and bonehead lapses in judgements always held him back. When it came to fighting, he was a terror. Wilson had some great bouts with the Rags Nick Fotiu (a former gold gloves boxer) and he’s one of the few guys I ever saw beat the Isles Clark Gillies clean. He was known for his jackhammer knockout punch

1. Dave Brown
A 6’5 220 southpaw, Brown used his strength and great reach to his advantage. Rarely have I seen a guy that big with hands that fast. Very few guys wanted any part of Brownie and most who did regretted it. Brown also worked his tail off to be a better player and over the years he went from being a pure goon playing 4-5 minutes per game, to a smart, defensively responsible winger who could take a regular shift.

And there you have it, let me know what you all think.

Great list. Dave Brown deservedly at #1 imo also

 

[Flyer lurker]

Some off the top of my head, in no order cept (vaguely) chronological

Allen Stanley
He was hall of fame player who spent most of his career with Toronto. By the time he got to Philly in 68 though, he was over 40 and pretty much done.

Rob Ramage
He was, due to injury, pretty much done when he got to Philly. In his prime though, he was a borderline top pair guy

Al Secord
He was a pretty good goal scorer in Chicago but here, at the end of his career, he was a generic 4th liner.

Dale Hawerchuk
Hawerchuk didn’t suck in Philly, he was actually pretty good but his ravaged hip had cost him a couple of steps and he was nowhere near the superstar he was in his prime.

Paul Coffey
Coffey was really good for a few games but after getting run over by teammate Eric Lindros, he was never the same and was probably playing with post-concussion symptoms the rest of that season

Derian Hatcher
Hatch didn’t suck in Philly, but his ravaged knees took away whatever speed he once had and he was far from the dominant top pair shutdown guy he was in Dallas

Vinnie Lecavalier
We all know how that worked out. A terrible signing in retrospect, VLC had lost a step and just couldn’t keep up anymore.

Nick Schultz
A solid top four guy in his prime in Minnesota, he was a middling bottom pair guy in Philly

Chris Stewart
A few years back, Ol Biceps was one of the NHLs better power forwards. Today? Today he’s basically an AHL 4th liner masquerading as an NHL player. Cut the cord Chuck!

The above names are better names but adding other consideration.Phil Myre early in career had potential but time he got to Flyers was pretty weak. It shows how good that 79-80 team was that they could win with such a bad backup goalie. Sean Burke every time you saw a cross ice pass it felt like automatic score. Chico Resch was pretty cooked when he got here.

 

[dragonoffrost]

The above names are better names but adding other consideration.Phil Myre early in career had potential but time he got to Flyers was pretty weak. It shows how good that 79-80 team was that they could win with such a bad backup goalie. Sean Burke every time you saw a cross ice pass it felt like automatic score. Chico Resch was pretty cooked when he got here.

So you are saying the Flyers have bad goaltending since Bernie?

 

[Flyer lurker]

So you are saying the Flyers have bad goaltending since Bernie?

80's at least was the vet at end of the career but they were the backup. The era when we would add the burke's and Beezers be shocked they weren't good enough to win was annoying beyond measure.

 

[BiggE]

You boys have me thinking about goalies, so one more before tonight's game and Christmas....

THE TOP 10 GOALIES IN FLYERS HISTORY

Honorable Mentions (well not that honorable, list of Flyers goalies after the top few isn't really that pretty)
Robert Esche - one good playoff run at least
Marty Biron- see above
Steve Mason- put up good numbers, often behind mediocre teams

10. Wayne Stephenson
Well, he wasn't no Bernie Parent, but he was one of the better backups of his era, and would have been the #1 for a lot of teams. He played behind a good team, but a record of 93-35-23 is still pretty damn impressive. He also played pretty well during the 76 playoffs when Parent was injured.

9. Carter Hart
Don't even give me the "he's only played 55 games" because I don't care. Sadly, there are not 10 goalies in Flyers history better than our Golden Child. Hopefully he can end up as high as #2 on this list one. day.

8. Brian Boucher
Boosh played 174 games as a Flyer and more often than not, he played pretty well. He'll always be remembered for the shootout in 2010, the Elias save in the 2000 playoffs and his amazing work in the 5OT game vs Pittsburgh.

7. Bob Froese
Frosty was pretty good for most of his run as a Flyer, but he always seemed to just not have the special quality the top starting goalies possess. Still a record of 92-29-12 is nothing to sneeze at and he was amazing for most of the 85-86 season, at least until the playoffs.

6. Roman Cechmanek
All goalies are at least a little crazy, but this dude was just nuts. I mean the dude purposely tried to stop shots with his head!! Cechmanek was technically very good but he was a lousy teammate and came up small in the playoffs, though, in his defense, the Flyers didn't give him a whole lot to work with. His Flyers GAA was a sparkling 1.96 and his sv% a spiffy .923 and that is extremely impressive. He is also 2nd on the Flyers all time shutout list with 20.

5. Doug Favell
Favvy had the misfortune to play for the Flyers during a lot of years when they couldn't buy a goal. An original Flyer, his 215 games played is still 4th most in team history. Favvy's 2.43 gaa is well above average for his era and he was fantastic against Minnesota in the 73 playoffs. Plus, they traded him to reacquire Bernie Parent and that alone would get him on this list!

4. Pete Peeters
Although getting back Brad McCrimmon from Boston for him was a pretty good deal, the Flyers probably gave up on Peeters a little too soon. Younger fans might only remember as a broken down backup at the end of his career, but Peeters played some great hockey for the Flyers, especially in his rookie season of 79-80. He carried a good, but flawed defensively and beset with injuries to one goal from a game 7 in the Stanley Cup finals that season.

3. Pelle Lindbergh
Alas, what might have been, what might have been. Pelle, in both demeanor and playing style, was Bernie Parent reborn and their relationship was like father and son. He was dominant in the 84-85 season and deservedly took home the Vezina trophy that year. Sadly, he got injured at the start of the Cup finals. If not, who knows, maybe the youngest team in hockey would have gone on to shock Edmonton and the hockey world and would have brought the Cup back to Philly. If not for that tragic November morning in 1985, he would likely be #2 on this list.

2. Ron Hextall
Ron Hextall just might have been the most competitive person to wear the orange and black since Bobby Clarke. He holds the team records for goalies in both starts and wins and won the Vezina (and should have won the Calder too) in his rookie season of 86-87. He then put a badly beat up team on his back and got them to within one game of the Cup that spring. Even coming close was a miracle. The Oilers were a dynasty and they were healthy and were dressing 7 or 8 hall of fame players each game. The Flyers, OTOH, were missing Tim Kerr (their top goal scorer) and both Mark Howe and Dave Poulin were playing injured. The Oilers held on to take game 7, but to no one's surprise it was Ron Hextall who took home the Conn Smythe Trophy. Hexy had his ups and downs in his second run with the team, but no one will never forget his run in 86-87

1. Bernie Parent
What, you were expecting Jerome "Moses" Mrazek in the top spot? As good as Hextall's 86-87 season was, it was only the 3rd best season for a goalie in team history. Don't believe me, check out these stats: GP/Record/GAA/SV%/SO/Awards
73-74: 73/47-13-12/1.89/.932/12 Vezina, 1st team all star
74-75: 68/44-14-9/2.03/.918/12 Vezina, 1st team all star
And in the playoffs
73-74: 17/12-5/2.02/.933/2 Won Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe
74-75: 15/10-5/1.89/.924/4 Won Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe
Bernie, for those 2 years, wasn't just the best goalie in Flyers history, he was the best goalie in NHL history. Including playoffs, he won a ridiculous 113 games and put up a staggering 32 shutouts. The Flyers don't come close to winning a Stanley Cup without Parent. In fact, the best actual Flyers team of that era was the 75-76 squad that put up 116 points and featured a top line that scored 140 goals. Yet with Bernie struggling to come back from a severe neck injury and nowhere remotely close to 100% the Flyers were forced to turn to the solid Wayne Stephenson and were swept, albeit in some very close games, by the Habs in the final. There is no doubt in my mind, that as good as that Montreal team was, if the Flyers had the Bernie Parent from the previous season, that series is going 6 or 7 and it's a tossup. Add in a healthy Rick Macleish and I think the Flyers take it in 6. Bernie Parent is my favorite all time Flyer and my room was full of his posters and magazine covers. Only the Lord saves more than Bernie Parent!

And there you have it. I'll be back with some more lists after Christmas. As always, please let me know what you think. Now lets go kick some Ranger ass!!

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

I still remember when they went to give Hexy the trophy after Game 7. I have never in my life seen someone who wanted something less than he wanted that hardware. He was insane, and I loved him, and do to this day.

 

[BiggE]

I still remember when they went to give Hexy the trophy after Game 7. I have never in my life seen someone who wanted something less than he wanted that hardware. He was insane, and I loved him, and do to this day.

Yup me too. Hextall would have taken on that whole Oiler team by himself, the dude had balls the size of watermelons. Much like Bobby Clarke, I don't care what he did as GM, I love the f***ing guy. You can never have enough guys on your team that play with the heart of Ron Hextall or Bobby Clarke.

 

[dragonoffrost]

You boys have me thinking about goalies, so one more before tonight's game and Christmas....

THE TOP 10 GOALIES IN FLYERS HISTORY

Honorable Mentions (well not that honorable, list of Flyers goalies after the top few isn't really that pretty)
Robert Esche - one good playoff run at least
Marty Biron- see above
Steve Mason- put up good numbers, often behind mediocre teams

10. Wayne Stephenson
Well, he wasn't no Bernie Parent, but he was one of the better backups of his era, and would have been the #1 for a lot of teams. He played behind a good team, but a record of 93-35-23 is still pretty damn impressive. He also played pretty well during the 76 playoffs when Parent was injured.

9. Carter Hart
Don't even give me the "he's only played 55 games" because I don't care. Sadly, there are not 10 goalies in Flyers history better than our Golden Child. Hopefully he can end up as high as #2 on this list one. day.

8. Brian Boucher
Boosh played 174 games as a Flyer and more often than not, he played pretty well. He'll always be remembered for the shootout in 2010, the Elias save in the 2000 playoffs and his amazing work in the 5OT game vs Pittsburgh.

7. Bob Froese
Frosty was pretty good for most of his run as a Flyer, but he always seemed to just not have the special quality the top starting goalies possess. Still a record of 92-29-12 is nothing to sneeze at and he was amazing for most of the 85-86 season, at least until the playoffs.

6. Roman Cechmanek
All goalies are at least a little crazy, but this dude was just nuts. I mean the dude purposely tried to stop shots with his head!! Cechmanek was technically very good but he was a lousy teammate and came up small in the playoffs, though, in his defense, the Flyers didn't give him a whole lot to work with. His Flyers GAA was a sparkling 1.96 and his sv% a spiffy .923 and that is extremely impressive. He is also 2nd on the Flyers all time shutout list with 20.

5. Doug Favell
Favvy had the misfortune to play for the Flyers during a lot of years when they couldn't buy a goal. An original Flyer, his 215 games played is still 4th most in team history. Favvy's 2.43 gaa is well above average for his era and he was fantastic against Minnesota in the 73 playoffs. Plus, they traded him to reacquire Bernie Parent and that alone would get him on this list!

4. Pete Peeters
Although getting back Brad McCrimmon from Boston for him was a pretty good deal, the Flyers probably gave up on Peeters a little too soon. Younger fans might only remember as a broken down backup at the end of his career, but Peeters played some great hockey for the Flyers, especially in his rookie season of 79-80. He carried a good, but flawed defensively and beset with injuries to one goal from a game 7 in the Stanley Cup finals that season.

3. Pelle Lindbergh
Alas, what might have been, what might have been. Pelle, in both demeanor and playing style, was Bernie Parent reborn and their relationship was like father and son. He was dominant in the 84-85 season and deservedly took home the Vezina trophy that year. Sadly, he got injured at the start of the Cup finals. If not, who knows, maybe the youngest team in hockey would have gone on to shock Edmonton and the hockey world and would have brought the Cup back to Philly. If not for that tragic November morning in 1985, he would likely be #2 on this list.

2. Ron Hextall
Ron Hextall just might have been the most competitive person to wear the orange and black since Bobby Clarke. He holds the team records for goalies in both starts and wins and won the Vezina (and should have won the Calder too) in his rookie season of 86-87. He then put a badly beat up team on his back and got them to within one game of the Cup that spring. Even coming close was a miracle. The Oilers were a dynasty and they were healthy and were dressing 7 or 8 hall of fame players each game. The Flyers, OTOH, were missing Tim Kerr (their top goal scorer) and both Mark Howe and Dave Poulin were playing injured. The Oilers held on to take game 7, but to no one's surprise it was Ron Hextall who took home the Conn Smythe Trophy. Hexy had his ups and downs in his second run with the team, but no one will never forget his run in 86-87

1. Bernie Parent
What, you were expecting Jerome "Moses" Mrazek in the top spot? As good as Hextall's 86-87 season was, it was only the 3rd best season for a goalie in team history. Don't believe me, check out these stats: GP/Record/GAA/SV%/SO/Awards
73-74: 73/47-13-12/1.89/.932/12 Vezina, 1st team all star
74-75: 68/44-14-9/2.03/.918/12 Vezina, 1st team all star
And in the playoffs
73-74: 17/12-5/2.02/.933/2 Won Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe
74-75: 15/10-5/1.89/.924/4 Won Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe
Bernie, for those 2 years, wasn't just the best goalie in Flyers history, he was the best goalie in NHL history. Including playoffs, he won a ridiculous 113 games and put up a staggering 32 shutouts. The Flyers don't come close to winning a Stanley Cup without Parent. In fact, the best actual Flyers team of that era was the 75-76 squad that put up 116 points and featured a top line that scored 140 goals. Yet with Bernie struggling to come back from a severe neck injury and nowhere remotely close to 100% the Flyers were forced to turn to the solid Wayne Stephenson and were swept, albeit in some very close games, by the Habs in the final. There is no doubt in my mind, that as good as that Montreal team was, if the Flyers had the Bernie Parent from the previous season, that series is going 6 or 7 and it's a tossup. Add in a healthy Rick Macleish and I think the Flyers take it in 6. Bernie Parent is my favorite all time Flyer and my room was full of his posters and magazine covers. Only the Lord saves more than Bernie Parent!

And there you have it. I'll be back with some more lists after Christmas. As always, please let me know what you think. Now lets go kick some Ranger ass!!

I find it hilarious that how many of these guys had more than one stint here.

 

[dragonoffrost]

Yup me too. Hextall would have taken on that whole Oiler team by himself, the dude had balls the size of watermelons. Much like Bobby Clarke, I don't care what he did as GM, I love the ****ing guy. You can never have enough guys on your team that play with the heart of Ron Hextall or Bobby Clarke.

I separate their on ice with their off ice careers. It's just a shame neither could bring a cup as a front office guy

 

[Strawberry Fields]

Mandog obviously tops the best fighters list.

Some off the top of my head, in no order cept (vaguely) chronological

Allen Stanley
He was hall of fame player who spent most of his career with Toronto. By the time he got to Philly in 68 though, he was over 40 and pretty much done.

Rob Ramage
He was, due to injury, pretty much done when he got to Philly. In his prime though, he was a borderline top pair guy

Al Secord
He was a pretty good goal scorer in Chicago but here, at the end of his career, he was a generic 4th liner.

Dale Hawerchuk
Hawerchuk didn’t suck in Philly, he was actually pretty good but his ravaged hip had cost him a couple of steps and he was nowhere near the superstar he was in his prime.

Paul Coffey
Coffey was really good for a few games but after getting run over by teammate Eric Lindros, he was never the same and was probably playing with post-concussion symptoms the rest of that season

Derian Hatcher
Hatch didn’t suck in Philly, but his ravaged knees took away whatever speed he once had and he was far from the dominant top pair shutdown guy he was in Dallas

Vinnie Lecavalier
We all know how that worked out. A terrible signing in retrospect, VLC had lost a step and just couldn’t keep up anymore.

Nick Schultz
A solid top four guy in his prime in Minnesota, he was a middling bottom pair guy in Philly

Chris Stewart
A few years back, Ol Biceps was one of the NHLs better power forwards. Today? Today he’s basically an AHL 4th liner masquerading as an NHL player. Cut the cord Chuck!

Couple more maybe:

Pavel Kubina?

Versteeg never really stuck anywhere but was decent elsewhere for a time.

The Flyers had a series of players who returned to them way past their point of usefulness after good original stints in Philly and a stop elsewhere. Umberger and Knuble immediately come to mind. Gagne too but his best seasons were definitely here anyway.

 

[FlyerNutter]

Worst Flyer goalies would be a good one

or

Worst Dave Hakstol moments

 

[macleish1974]

Most remarkable game from an unremarkable player was Tom Bladon. 4goals and 4 assists in a game against the Cleveland Barons,1977. I think he still holds the record for best +/- in a game. I am sure Clarkie still has the Flyers best +/- in a single season at 89, I think.

 

[FlyerNutter]

Fan since really that ‘04 run but I watched them some before.

I’d have to say nothing really beat that Boston series in my eyes. To go from such lows to highs earlier in that series to thinking you were done in game 7.

Then one more comeback. I just remembered laughing like a maniac and doing a lot of “air punches” when they finally took that one. Drove around with the car flag up and had honks/waves back from people for a few days after.

As for goaltenders, saw he wasn’t mentioned but Esche will always have a special place in my heart.

 

[Vikke]

That entire game seven, I was pacing back and forth in front of the tv, smoked almost a pack of luckies during it and jumped up and down so intense that I woke up my parents.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

@BiggE

Awesome summary on the goalies. I disagree slightly but the capsules were heartfelt. A problem with such lists is that rules change over the years and with that players adapted, benefitted or not. It happens with all sports. The dead ball era in baseball enhanced pitchers' stats for instance. I don't generally like ranking players in regards to abilities because of that reason. Training habits change, too.

But for the sake of conversation, I may go against the grain but I think Cechmanek is as high as number four on my list.

I would also put Lindbergh ahead of Hextall because we were denied Pelle's greatness. Sure, injuries deterred Hextall but a death is so extraordinary. Lindbergh came with lofty expectations and he struggled in North America before finding brief greatness. If the 1984-85 Flyers were cloned - absent of injuries and with Lindbergh's presence -- into the 1985-86 edition, that squad would have won the Cup with Edmonton not in the Finals. They learned in 1984-85, they would have exalted in 1985-86.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Most remarkable game from an unremarkable player was Tom Bladon. 4goals and 4 assists in a game against the Cleveland Barons,1977. I think he still holds the record for best +/- in a game. I am sure Clarkie still has the Flyers best +/- in a single season at 89, I think.

Add Al Hill's first game. Five points. No one has surpassed it since. You get one shot at a first game. Doesn't matter if your name is Gretzky, Orr, Howe or Hill.

Darren Jensen's 48-save shutout, most in team history.

 

[BiggE]

@BiggE

Awesome summary on the goalies. I disagree slightly but the capsules were heartfelt. A problem with such lists is that rules change over the years and with that players adapted, benefitted or not. It happens with all sports. The dead ball era in baseball enhanced pitchers' stats for instance. I don't generally like ranking players in regards to abilities because of that reason. Training habits change, too.

But for the sake of conversation, I may go against the grain but I think Cechmanek is as high as number four on my list.

I would also put Lindbergh ahead of Hextall because we were denied Pelle's greatness. Sure, injuries deterred Hextall but a death is so extraordinary. Lindbergh came with lofty expectations and he struggled in North America before finding brief greatness. If the 1984-85 Flyers were cloned - absent of injuries and with Lindbergh's presence -- into the 1985-86 edition, that squad would have won the Cup with Edmonton not in the Finals. They learned in 1984-85, they would have exalted in 1985-86.

I went back and forth between Hexy/Pelle for #2. In the end, length of service, his fiery competitiveness and the 87 playoffs gave a slight edge to Hexy. When it comes to Cechmanek, yeah he’s tough to rank. Great numbers, but such an odd duck and a guy who always seemed to be more about getting paid than getting wins. That being said, in my mind, there really isn’t much of a gap between 4-6 so I can see him at 4th.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Some off the top of my head, in no order cept (vaguely) chronological

Was Kyle Calder or Mike Comrie considered?