*This archive was initially written by Colin Newby
in 1967, the Philadelphia Flyers have been one in all hockey’s most profitable franchises during the last half-century. They’ve the third-highest all-time factors proportion amongst NHL groups, trailing solely the Montreal Canadiens and the Vegas Golden Knights, a workforce that has but to play three full seasons.
That is the Flyers’ 53rd season. The Flyers have additionally received two Stanley Cups and had been the primary growth workforce to win the Cup. Clearly, such a profitable group has had its fair proportion of goalscorers. Listed below are the Flyers’ prime 20 all-time.
1. Invoice Barber (420 objectives)
One in all 13 Flyers within the Hockey Corridor of Fame, Invoice Barber is the main goalscorer in franchise historical past. In his 12-year profession from 1972-73 to 1983-84, he by no means scored lower than 20 objectives in a season. His finest was 1975-76 when he scored 50 objectives and 62 assists.
Barber was drafted by the Flyers and by no means performed for one more workforce. He helped lead the Flyers to their solely two Cup victories. He was additionally a six-time All-Star and the runner-up for the Calder Trophy in his rookie 12 months.
2. Brian Propp (369 objectives)
Brian Propp was one of many best gamers to ever put on the orange, white and black. Although overshadowed in his day by gamers like Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, and consequently denied a spot within the Hockey Corridor of Fame, Propp quietly amassed a 1,000-point profession in Philly, Boston, Minnesota and Hartford.
He spent the primary 11 years of his profession with the Flyers, and notched 4 40-goal seasons throughout this time. He was maybe finest identified for growing his “Guffaw” aim celebration within the 1986-87 season. Propp actually had no scarcity of alternatives to let the Guffaw free.
3. Tim Kerr (363 objectives)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1980 by the Flyers, Tim Kerr would go on to have the most effective goals-per-game common in franchise historical past. He scored 363 objectives in simply 601 video games with the Flyers, a goal-per-game charge of over 60%.
Kerr can also be one in all six members of the Flyers’ 50-goal membership. He scored no less than 50 objectives in 4 consecutive seasons from 1983-84 to 1986-87. He reached the 50-goal mark extra instances than another Flyer in franchise historical past. Although Kerr performed the ultimate 54 video games of his profession with the New York Rangers and the Hartford Whalers, he’s finest remembered as a Flyer.
4. Bobby Clarke (358 objectives)
The one motive why Bobby Clarke shouldn’t be on the highest of this checklist is that he was too busy establishing objectives for his teammates. Clarke is the franchise chief in assists, with 852; no different Flyer has cracked 600. He’s additionally the franchise chief in factors (1,210), plus/minus (507), and a number of other different classes. Oh, and he wasn’t too dangerous of a goalscorer both. His highest aim output got here in 1972-73 when he scored 37.
As a nine-time All-Star, three-time Hart Trophy winner and two-time Stanley Cup champ, Clarke was a simple inductee into the Hockey Corridor of Fame in 1987. The previous captain performed the whole lot of his 15-year profession with the Flyers. He is not only the best participant in franchise historical past; he’s among the many best in NHL historical past.
5. John LeClair (333 objectives)
Although Montreal drafted John LeClair, they made the error of buying and selling him to the Flyers through the 1994-95 season. He tallied no less than 50 objectives in every of his subsequent three full seasons with the Flyers and represented Philly 5 instances on the All-Star Sport.
After becoming a member of the Flyers in 1995, LeClair helped finish their five-year playoff drought. He then made certain they didn’t miss the playoffs once more throughout his 10 years with the membership. He performed the ultimate two seasons of his profession in Pittsburgh.
6. Rick MacLeish (328 objectives)
Rick MacLeish needs to be one of many solely gamers in NHL historical past to have 50 objectives and 50 assists in a season and fail to make it to the All-Star Sport. He might not have caught the eye of the choice committee that season, however he actually caught the eye of opposing net-minders along with his elite wrist shot.
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He’s additionally answerable for among the most legendary tales in Flyers historical past. One time, he threw a bat into the penalty field. One other time, when his throat was lower by a skate blade, he solely realized he was in hassle when smoke got here out of his neck. MacLeish performed his first 11 seasons in Philadelphia earlier than ending his profession in Pittsburgh, Hartford and Detroit. He briefly returned to the Flyers for a second stint in 1983-84, his ultimate season within the NHL.
7. Reggie Leach (306 objectives)
After enjoying in Boston and California, Reggie Leach got here to Philadelphia in 1974. He shortly turned a focus of the offense, and carried the Flyers through the 1975-76 season. He scored a franchise-record 61 objectives through the common season. He then added one other 19 within the playoffs, together with 4 towards Corridor of Famer Ken Dryden within the Remaining.
The Flyers had been swept by the Canadiens in that Remaining collection, however Leach was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy. He’s nonetheless the one skater in NHL historical past to be awarded playoff MVP with out additionally profitable the Stanley Cup. Leach performed his ultimate season in Detroit in 1982-83.
8. Claude Giroux (291 objectives)
Claude Giroux was drafted by the Flyers in 2006 and was the franchise’s finest and most constant participant for the previous decade.
Giroux ranks second in assists and video games performed and third in factors in franchise historical past. The 2021-22 season was his final one in Philadelphia as he was dealt to the Florida Panthers on the 2022 Commerce Deadline. By the point he is able to hold up his skates, he would possibly simply discover himself within the Hockey Corridor of Fame.
9. Eric Lindros (290 objectives)
If Eric Lindros had made his NHL debut in nearly another 12 months, he most likely would have received the Calder Trophy along with his 41 objectives and 34 assists. Sadly, he had robust competitors and misplaced to a participant named Teemu Selanne. Nonetheless, Lindros acquired no scarcity of accolades throughout and following his illustrious 13-year profession.
Associated: Flyers’ 50-Aim Scorers
Lindros was a seven-time All-Star and received the Hart Trophy in 1995. In 2016, he was inducted into the Hockey Corridor of Fame. In 2017, he was included on the NHL’s ‘100 Biggest Gamers’ checklist. In 2018, he acquired the last word Flyers honor by having his jersey retired. After eight dominant seasons in Philadelphia, Lindros performed his ultimate 5 seasons in New York, Toronto and Dallas.
10. Simon Gagne (264 objectives)
Simon Gagne was among the finest Flyers of the 2000s. Although hampered by accidents for an excellent proportion of his Flyers profession, he pieced collectively a number of sturdy seasons in Philly. He even performed in two All-Star Video games. Gagne led the Flyers in objectives in 2005-06, with 47 objectives, and in 2006-07 with 41. On the time, it had been 5 years since a Flyer final scored 40 objectives in a season.
After 10 injury-riddled seasons in Philadelphia, Gagne was traded to Tampa Bay in 2010. After that, he was often on the transfer, enjoying in Los Angeles, briefly returning to Philly after which concluding his profession in Boston.
11. Rod Brind’Amour (235 objectives)
Although he performed the vast majority of his profession with the Carolina Hurricanes, the place he’s now the pinnacle coach, Rod Brind’Amour performed his finest hockey in Philadelphia. As a Flyer, he had 4 30-goal seasons. His finest season was in 1993-94 when he scored 35 objectives and tallied 62 assists. He was initially drafted by the St. Louis Blues and performed two seasons there, earlier than eight and a half seasons in Philly and 9 and a half seasons in Carolina.
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Regardless of scoring almost 1,200 factors in his 20-year profession, Brind’Amour has thus far been snubbed by the Corridor of Fame, (from ‘Will success as coach assist Brind’Amour’s Corridor case as participant?’ Information & Observer, 06/24/2019). Nonetheless, if he continues his success as a coach, he would possibly discover one other means in.
12. Rick Tocchet (232 objectives)
One other NHL head coach, and one-time teammate of Brind’Amour’s, Rick Tocchet started his enjoying profession with seven and a half sturdy seasons in Philadelphia. He scored 122 objectives over three seasons with the Flyers from 1988-89 to 1990-91.
Although he additionally performed in Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington and Phoenix he, fittingly, completed the final three years of his profession in Philly. Nowadays, Tocchet is teaching the Arizona Coyotes, a workforce for which he performed three seasons.
12. Mark Recchi (232 objectives)
The Flyers acquired Mark Recchi in a commerce that despatched Tocchet to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Apparently, each gamers wound up scoring the identical variety of objectives with the Flyers.
The Flyers then traded Recchi to the Canadiens for a trio of gamers together with John LeClair. Recchi performed properly in Montreal, however LeClair performed higher in Philadelphia. In an try and get the higher of the Canadiens once more, the Flyers re-acquired Recchi 4 seasons later. Between all of the trades, he pieced collectively a really sturdy 22-year profession, which included a 53-goal marketing campaign with the Flyers in 1992-93.
14. Wayne Simmonds (203 objectives)
Wayne Simmonds got here to the Flyers in 2011 as a key a part of the bundle that despatched Mike Richards to the LA Kings. All the time flirting with stardom, Simmonds performed eight sturdy seasons in Philadelphia and two that eclipsed 30 objectives.
The Flyers despatched him to the Nashville Predators on the 2019 commerce deadline. He then performed for the New Jersey Devils and the Buffalo Sabres. Final season, he performed for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
15. Gary Dornhoefer (202 objectives)
Although Gary Dornhoefer was not the Flyers’ finest choice within the 1967 NHL Growth Draft (that honor goes to Bernie Mum or dad), he nonetheless turned an efficient goalscorer.
Dornhoefer was initially signed by the Boston Bruins however spent many of the first 4 years of his profession within the minor leagues. The Flyers clearly noticed one thing in him that the Bruins didn’t, and he had 5 20-goal seasons in Philly as a member of each Stanley Cup groups. Dornhoefer would by no means play for one more workforce.
16. Ilkka Sinisalo (199 objectives)
Ilkka Sinisalo is the Flyers’ main European goalscorer in franchise historical past, although Jakub Voracek will probably declare this honor quickly. Sinisalo had a number of sturdy seasons within the Eighties, however his finest was in 1985-86 when he had 39 objectives and 37 assists.
He’s additionally the eighth-highest Finnish aim scorer in NHL historical past and helped pave the way in which for future Finns to affix the NHL. Regardless of ending his enjoying profession with the Minnesota North Stars and the Los Angeles Kings, Sinisalo later returned to the Flyers group as a scout.
17. Sean Couturier (191 objectives)
Sean Couturier has blossomed into among the finest 200-foot facilities within the NHL throughout his 12-year profession in Philadelphia. His current extension will preserve him underneath contract by 2029-30, and he’s certain to climb the checklist throughout that point interval.
18. Jeff Carter (181 objectives)
Jeff Carter was the Flyers’ prime aim scorer from 2008-09 to 2010-11. In 2008-09, his 46 objectives had been second within the NHL solely to Alexander Ovechkin’s 56. His 12 game-winning objectives that season did lead the NHL. Nevertheless, maybe Carter’s finest contribution to the franchise was the return they acquired on the deal that despatched him to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2011.
The Flyers acquired Jakub Voracek, a first-round draft decide and a third-round decide. The primary-round draft decide turned Sean Couturier. Carter performed solely 39 video games in Columbus earlier than getting traded to the Kings, the place he spent the majority of his profession.
19. Jakub Voracek (177 objectives)
Jakub Voracek blossomed right into a prime offensive participant throughout ten seasons with the Flyers from 2011-2021. He constructed his offensive sport predominantly on play-making capability, and he by no means had extra objectives than assists in a season throughout his tenure in Philadelphia. Nevertheless, he may very well be counted on for roughly 20 objectives in an 82-game season.
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Voracek was additionally a key a part of the Flyers’ energy play. In 2014-15, half of his 22 objectives got here with the person benefit. He was dealt again to the Blue Jackets, the workforce that drafted him, in July 2021 in change for winger Cam Atkinson.
20. Travis Konecny (174 objectives)
Travis Konecny has appeared in eight NHL seasons with the Flyers. The 27-year-old proper wing took the quantity 20 spot on the franchise’s all-time scorers checklist from longtime Philadelphia aim scorer Dave Poulin earlier this season. Chosen twenty fourth general by the Flyers within the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, the Ontario-native made his skilled debut for the workforce through the 2016-17 marketing campaign, scoring 11 objectives in 70 video games.
Final season, Konecny had a career-high 31 objectives in 60 video games. He additionally embraced a management position within the locker room and on the ice that was formally acknowledged by head coach John Tortorella and his employees main as much as the 2023-24 season. The alternate captain of the Flyers’ offensive contributions through the first half led to a second journey to the All-Star Sport in January. He set profession highs in objectives and factors by season’s finish.
