During the Flyers' 50th anniversary season in 2016-17, one night before a sold-out game at Wells Fargo Center between the Flyers Alumni and the Penguins Alumni teams, the Flyers and the Flyers Alumni Association held a gala reception in Philadelphia.
Flyers players from every era of Flyers history attended, ranging from the late Lou Angotti to recently retired players. In total, more than 60 alumni were on hand. Several hundred Flyers fans also purchased tickets to attend, mixing and mingling with their favorite players.
The Golden Anniversary reception, which was held at the Rivers Casino (then called the SugarHouse Casino), was a night that Flyers Alumni and fans who attended still talk about nearly seven years later. Between the reception, the warmth and enthusiasm of the Wells Fargo Center crowd, a reunion of the surviving members of the 1967-68 inaugural team, and the presence of everyone from Bob Clarke and Bill Barber (playing in their final Alumni Game as on-ice participants) to the Legion of Doom and Danny Briere (playing his first Alumni Game), it was an unforgettable time for everyone involved.
"The whole weekend has been great. The only thing that was missing was Mr. Snider. He would have loved this," Clarke said in the postgame locker room. "Flyers fans are amazing. We had 20,000 Flyers fans in the stands to watch us old guys play hockey. I can't play very good these days, but I was happy to do it."
Added Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Mark Howe, "I don't know about how I'll feel tomorrow, but being in an event like this is pretty cool."
During the game, Howe was paired on defense with longtime Flyers teammate Brad Marsh. On this night, Marsh was the "offensive defenseman," pinching in deep to try and score. Howe was the stay-at-home partner. Fans who remembered Howe and Marsh's styles from playing days saw the humor in the role reversal.
It was an "inside joke", of sorts: one that longtime fans were in on, along with the players themselves.
"Yeah, how about that?" Howe said with a grin. "It was kind of funny, Marshy did most of the skating. He still rides his bike long distances and stuff like that, so I let him go up and down the ice all he wanted."
At its root, the Golden Anniversary Weekend was the epitome of what Alumni hockey is all about: the fun and enjoyment of hockey by players and fans alike. It's about the camaraderie, the shared memories, the renewal of old friendships and forging of new ones. On the ice, there's also just enough competitive juice still following, especially by the third period, that neither team wants to get embarrassed by the guys in the other uniform. The pace of play is decidedly slower, but the old instincts remain.
Ever since the Golden Anniversary Weekend, Marsh has sought ways to rival the magical atmosphere of that year's VIP reception and Alumni game. In 2021, in conjunction with the Flyers Hall of Fame inductions of Rick Tocchet and Paul Holmgren, there was a "Team Holmgren vs. Team Tocchet" game between two teams of Flyers Alumni. There was also a smaller-scale version of the VIP reception.
Since there were two rosters to fill, the all-Flyers concept allowed for more Alumni to play in the game or participate as honorary coaches.
Pelle Eklund, for example, traveled from Sweden to play in the game, while the Sutter twins were among the Alumni behind the bench. Meanwhile, on the ice, there was wider involvement from younger players as Scottie Upshall and Joffrey Lupul to play in their first Flyers Alumni Game.
Come January 26 and 27, 2024, the Flyers, Flyers Charities and the Flyers Alumni are aiming to stage a weekend with the sort of "once-in-a-lifetime" impact that the 2012 Winter Classic Alumni Game at Citizens Bank Park and Golden Anniversary celebrations had on the fans and participants alike.
"We want everyone who attends the VIP reception and the Alumni Game on Friday -- and then comes to the current team's game on Saturday -- to come away feeling like they were part of something special," Marsh said.
"There's a lot to celebrate. For one thing, 2024 is the 50th anniversary of the Flyers' first Stanley Cup championship. Nearly all of the surviving members of the 1974 and 1975 Cup teams will have a weekend-long reunion they'll share with each other and the fans. We have Alumni and family members coming from all across the U.S. and Canada. This may be the final time they all get together as a big group.
"Second, Mark Recchi is being inducted on Saturday into the Flyers Hall of Fame. Frankly, that honor was overdue. So, part of the weekend is about celebrating 'Recchs" and his Flyers career. In the Alumni Game, Mark will skate with his old 'Crazy Eights' linemates, [Eric] Lindros and [Brent] Fedyk, I'm sure Eric will play some shifts with John LeClair, too, so there's also a Legion of Doom feel, too.
"Third, we really want to make the VIP reception something that's worth every penny to the fans that come. There will be more than 50 Alumni at the reception. The Cup team guys, who are there for the reunion. The Alumni who are playing in the Alumni Game will be there before getting ready for the game. We encourage the folks who come to the VIP take photos with the Alumni. The guys are also happy to sign autographs. Everyone understands it's as much about the fans as the players.
"Best of all, the proceeds from the Alumni Game go directly to Flyers Charities and the Flyers Alumni Association. For example, the Alumni's programs such as 'Every Child Deserves a Bike', which builds and donates adaptive bikes for special needs kids, will benefit. So will our annual '12 Days of Christmas', series of donations to community organizations, small non-profits, charities and families in need."
Participating players in the Flyers Alumni Game on January 26 include players from every decade of Flyers history.
Mike Richards will make his Flyers Alumni Team debut, donning a Flyers uniform for the first time since 2011. The forwards also include the Crazy Eights and two-thirds of the Legion of Doom. They'll be joined by Scott Hartnell, Patrick Sharp (in his first Flyers Alumni appearance), Mike Knuble and more. On the blueline, Howe will be joined by the likes of Kimmo Timonen and Marsh. Brian Boucher and Robert Esche will share the goaltending duties. The Flyers' legacy of team toughness will be represented by the original "Bruise Brothers" (Dave Brown and Daryl Stanley) and Todd Fedoruk playing in the Alumni Game.
Another special touch: 80-year-old Flyers Hall of Fame defenseman Joe Watson will suit up to play in the Alumni Game. A member of the inaugural 1967-68 team, both Stanley Cup winning squads, a two-time NHL All-Star Game participant and a co-founder of the Flyers Alumni Association and Alumni Team in 1984, Watson is the only player who has worn a Flyers/Flyers Alumni uniform in seven different decades.
"Sometimes, I think, 'What am I trying to prove?' But it always comes down to that I love to play hockey and it makes me proud to represent the Flyers. That's what it is. Reggie [Leach] and I were the final two guys from the Cup years who were playing in Alumni Games, and now I'm the last one. So for the 50th anniversary of the first Cup --- holy smokes, 50 years -- I'll do it one more time," Watson said.
Added Marsh, "Ah, Joe always says, 'This is the final time. Then he plays in the next one. All kidding aside, he's a hockey lifer and a Flyers lifer. It's in his blood."
A final notable touch to the weekend: both on Friday and Saturday, the Flyers Alumni and current Flyers will be taking on squads representing the Boston Bruins. That is no accident.
The two Flyers Stanley Cup teams was largely built on players who started out with the Bruins: Bernie Parent, Joe Watson, Gary Dornhoefer, Leach, Terry Crisp, the late Rick MacLeish, the last Barry Ashbee, and the late Ross Lonsberry. The 1974 Stanley Cup Final saw the underdog Flyers defeat the Bruins. In the 1976 Stanley Cup Final, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Flyers defeated the Bruins to earn a third straight trip to the Cup Final.
In 2010, the Flyers earned a place in NHL history by rallying back from three-games-to-zero deficit to defeat the Bruins in the Eastern Conference Semifinal. The Flyers, captained by Richards, went on to reach the Cup Final for the eighth time in franchise history. Hartnell, Timonen and Boucher were all key members of that Flyers team.
Last but not least, there's the "Recchi Factor". The Hockey Hall of Fame forward spent the longest portion of his playing career as a two-stint Flyer. But he also had special memories as a Bruin, being part of their 2010-11 Stanley Cup championship team. As such, holding the Alumni Game and Recchi's Flyers Hall of Fame induction ceremony with the Bruins in town made a lot of sense.
The Bruins Alumni will be sending several notables to represent their historical legacy. Most notably, Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque will lead his team into battle against the Flyers side. Al Iafrate, one of hardest-shooting players in NHL history, is also confirmed. There are other big names whose participation is not yet finalized.
Alumni Game tickets start at just $25. VIP Reception passes are available as an add-on option before final checkout. To purchase click here.
