NHL Greats Who Were With The Flyers For A Good Time, But Not A Long Time

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Basically, since their induction into this league, the Philadelphia Flyers- under the watchful eye of then-owner Ed Snider- always fought hard to be competitive. Year in and year out you could always expect that the Flyers were going to do whatever they had to do in the off season to try and win it all that next year. Maybe that meant trading away future draft picks to acquire a top-name talent, or being big spenders come free agency. Either way, this organization used to always show the willingness to do whatever it took to be a true contender. In fact, in the 54 years this franchise has been in existence they have made the playoffs an impressive 40 times. But, since Ed’s passing in 2016, the team has been unable to make the playoffs four out of six years (that’s assuming they won’t this year either). What could be the cause of their recent failures? Well, the team has gone away from their past practices. They have not been considered contenders for some time now and therefore haven’t felt obligated to go out and try to acquire a big name to try and help push them over the top. But should they? The team’s current Face of the Franchise (Claude Giroux) is nearing the end of his career and has an expiring contract at this year’s end.  With no successor in sight, the question now becomes how do they stay relevant? The team could go the route of so many other failing franchises and tank for a few seasons to see if they could land themselves an Austin Matthews, Connor McDavid, or Nathan MacKinnon; but we all know the kind of luck the Flyers have had when drafting that high (# 2 overall in 2017 Nolan Patrick, # 2 overall in 2007 James van Riemsdyk). So why not try Snider’s old methods with a twist? First though, let me remind you of what I mean: 

Hall of Famer Darryl Sittler was obtained back in 1981 halfway through the season in a trade with the Maple Leafs that cost the Flyers a second round pick and more. Darryl, who was voted as being one of the 100 greatest players of all time, played with the Flyers for parts of three seasons where he was as able to score 84 goals and 94 assists for 178 points during his time on South Broad Street. There’s no doubt that a player of his caliber was able to help the team win some games but when Sittler came to the Flyers he was already 31 years old.

Fast forward a few years and the Flyers once again were able to acquire a Hall of Fame talent, this time one who could help on the back end. That player’s name is none other than Paul Coffey. Paul, who was also named one of the league’s 100 greatest players of all time, came to the Flyers in the middle of the ’96- ‘97 season already in possession of four Stanley Cup rings and three Norris Trophies (award given to the league’s best defenseman annually) as well. While playing in parts of two seasons for the orange and black he was able to tally 55 points in 94 games played. Which- with his point production and playoff experience added- he was able to help the newly-formed Legion of Doom line reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 1997 where they were then swept by the Detroit Red Wings. But again, when Coffey came to the Flyers, he was already 35 years old.

Then, before the 1998-1999 season, the Flyers signed perhaps one of the best American born goaltenders of all time. That player is John Vanbiesbrouck, who was able to finish his career with 374 wins (which now ranks him 2^nd all-time in wins by an American born goalie). Vanbiesbrouck (better known as “The Beezer”) miraculously was able to achieve great success in this league despite only standing at just 5’8 and played with the Flyers for only two seasons. In those seasons, though, Beezer was able to help solidify the crease by accelerating the team’s transition flawlessly from the end of the Ron Hextall era to him in net for back-to-back playoff appearances. Sadly, this reign was short lived because (by the time the Flyers were able to bring him into the fold) he was already 35-years-old. 

Continuing on with this trend we now look to a legend- and Hall of Famer- by the name of Adam Oates who the Flyers gave up a 1^st a 2^nd, and a 3^rd round pick for back on March 19^th, 2002. While Oates (who was also voted one of the 100 greatest players of all time) may have finished his illustrious career with 1,420 points (ranking him 18^th overall) it was a lot to give up for a player that only played fourteen regular season games as a Flyer and scored just two post season points that year in five games. Although you can’t knock the organization for obtaining this elite playmaker, this did seem like quite the risk for a player who- at the time of the trade- was already 39 years old. 

The Flyers didn’t learn their lesson quite yet and went out and reacquired their former first round draft selection Peter Forsberg who they originally dealt away back in 1991 to the Quebec Nordiques for Eric Lindros. While both Lindros and Forsberg went on to become two of the best of all time, they both suffered nagging injuries that limited their all-time career statistics. The only difference is that Forsberg was able to win two Stanley Cups while playing with the Colorado Avalanche before his injuries caught up to him and Lindros’ career ended without achieving what every kid growing up playing the game dreams of (winning a Stanley cup). After agreeing to come back to Philadelphia for the ’05- ‘06 season, Forsberg went on to play in 100 games with the Flyers where he produced an incredible 115 points- all at the ripe old age of 32 and 33 years old. With the Flyers receiving that kind of production from him at that age just think of what he might have been able to do for the team in his prime. 

Next in this long line of elite talent to join the Flyers in their golden years was Jaromir Jagr. After choosing to play three seasons in the KHL, Jagr agreed to come back to the NHL to play for the Flyers in the 2011-2012 season. This signing, above all others in recent memory, was significant because for the first time in their current captain Claude Giroux’s career he had a true super star to play with: Before Jagr got there he had won two Stanley Cups with the Flyers’ archrival the Pittsburgh Penguins and later finished his career 3^rd all-time in goals with 766 goals and 2^nd all-time in points with 1,921 (with only the Great One Wayne Gretzky finishing his career with more). With that being said, even though Jagr was still able to produce 54 points in 73 games played that year for the Flyers, Philadelphia waited until he was 39 years of age to sign him. 

Then perhaps the last player in this franchise’s long list of geriatric transactions came in the form of Vincent Lecavalier after the team signed this then 33-year-old player to a five-year contract after just being bought out by the Tampa Bay Lighting. In his prime this 6’4 215 pound center played as if he was born to be a Philadelphia Flyer. Playing this game we all know and love the way legends like Gordie Howe did so many years before him. It didn’t matter if he had to finish a check or if he had to drop the gloves, this elite-level offensive talent did so without a second thought (which is why he was probably drafted first overall back in 1998 and was able to win a Stanley Cup in 2004). But playing this game the way he did hampered his abilities to compete later in his career. Which, unfortunately, we the fans were made to play witnesses to here in Philadelphia. After playing in parts of just three years of his five-year deal, Lecavalier was only able to score just 58 points in 133 regular season games with the Flyers before the team dealt him to the Los Angeles Kings for center Jordan Weal and a 3^rd round pick. 

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Although the Flyers have been able to bring in some of the best players to have ever played the game over the years, the large majority of them have come to the team well after their prime and proved to be very costly: financially and in the way of the kind of draft pick compensation that the Flyers had to give up in order to obtain them. While the team finally seems to have learned their lesson in this regard, they shouldn’t fear the possibility of making a massive trade once again. Like previously stated: the team’s aging super star Claude Giroux’s career is coming to an end and they lack the type of talent coming up through the system that could ever hope to reach the kind of point production that Giroux has had throughout his 15 seasons with the team. Think about it- if you feel that this team is struggling now, just wait until Giroux either leaves in free agency or retires. Therefore, to counteract this, a trade of colossal magnitude may be needed yet again. The only difference is this time the Flyers should focus on finding a player in their prime or just coming into their prime to give a King’s ransom for instead of paying dearly for a legend of the game whose best years are far behind him. For example, some recent trades that would compare to the kind of deal this writer is making a case for is the one the Las Vegas Golden Knights were just able to pull off for 25-year-old Jack Eichel, or the type of deal the Devils were able to complete for 26-year-old Avalanche defender Ryan Graves. Now, you may be saying a deal of this magnitude just doesn’t come around every day, but the Flyers had their chance recently when they were linked to the likes of now-former Winnipeg Jet sniper Patrik Laine who is still only 23 years old. Since that time it has been leaked that Philadelphia refused the offer made by Winnipeg because they were not willing to give up their young defender Ivan Provorov (who often times play upwards of twenty-five minutes a night) to make that deal come into fruition.  So, like Laine or not, this was just an example that if you want to get a deal done in this league- and you’re willing to pay up to make that happen- such a deal can be had. Let’s not forget: even Wayne Gretzky got traded twice in his career! The Flyers just have to find that one player they think could turn the franchise around and not take no for an answer.