Totally 80s: Flyers Edition

On Thursday, Dec. 1, the Flyers will stage the 1980s edition of the Throwback Thursday series of nostalgia nights. A host of Flyers Alumni from the decade including the likes of Mark Howe, Dave Poulin, J.J. Daigneault, Terry Carkner and Kjell Samuelsson will be part of celebration of one of the most successful decades in franchise history.

As a Gen-X native of Northeast Philly whose life-long love for the Flyers started in the Broad Street Bullies era but became an all-consuming passion as a teenager in the 1980s, the teams and players of the 1980s are forever the ones closest to my own heart.
It's a shame that the Flyers ran into two different dynasties -- the New York Islanders of the early 1980s and Edmonton Oilers of the mid-to-late 80s -- in their three trips to the Stanley Cup Finals during that decade. But as time has passed, I don't think I could possibly have been any prouder to cast my rooting loyalty on any club -- especially the "Keenan's Kids" era of 1984-85 to 1986-87 -- than I was to be a Flyers fan.
I wasn't alone. An entire generation of Flyers fans felt the same way.
In the early 80s, some of the top figures from the Bullies teams were still central parts of the club; Clarke, Barber, Leach, MacLeish, Jimmy Watson, Kelly and Dupont were all important to the "Streak" team that went 35 games without a single loss and made a run to an overtime Game 6 of the Cup Final. But with a few years, a new generation of stars, team leaders and fan favorites emerged. The Flyers became the NHL's youngest team yet a perennial top contender.
You know were a Flyers diehard in the 80s if many of these relics of the era trigger memories.
1. If you shopped at a Spectrum Showcase store, you were probably an '80s Flyers diehard.
It was during the 1980s that replica NHL hockey jerseys, with names and numbers first became widespread. If you were a Flyers fan, there was a good chance that you purchased yours at one of the Spectrum Showcase stores that opened mid-decade.
My first Flyers jersey, which I still have although it certainly doesn't fit anymore, was a Mark Howe (No. 2) jersey in the era's home-game white. I saved up my allowance and purchased at the Spectrum Showcase in the Court at King of Prussia. I wore it proudly to school, to the Spectrum and during street hockey games.
There were many places, of course, where you could purchase Flyers swag. However, Spectrum Showcase was THE hub not only for jerseys but for a wide array of Flyers apparel and merchandise.

2. Hairstyles: If you still associate a mullet with Rick Tocchet and a thick mop of hair with Brad Marsh, you were probably an 80s Flyers diehard.
Nowadays, Marshy and Tocc are decidedly "follicly challenged". Back the 80s, after keep his hair close-cropped as a rookie, Tocchet grew out textbook "hockey hair". Brad Marsh was 6-foot-3 plus even before he donned his skates and his hair added another couple inches of height.
3. If you shudder at the mention of the name "Leon Stickle", you were probably an 80s Flyers diehard.
Longtime NHL linesman Leon Stickle had a prolific NHL officiating career that started in 1969-70 and ran through 1997-98. He was one of the best in the business and earned immense respect leaguewide. Unfortunately, Stickle's name will always be associated with one of the few glaring mistakes he made in his career.
During the first period of Game 6 of the 1980 Stanley Cup Final between the Flyers and Islanders, the Islanders scored a highly controversial goal to stake the Islanders to a 2-1 lead. On the play, Butch Goring was about two feet offside when he received a drop pass from Clark Gillies and carried the puck back over the blueline. Somehow, Stickle ruled the play onside. Goring then found Duane Sutter going to the net, and Sutter scored.
There was no use of instant replay or a coach's challenge in that era, so the goal stood. Stickle felt awful after viewing the play on video. He owned up to his gaffe after the game and never subsequently ducked the responsibility for blatantly missing the call.
He knew the mistake would follow him around for the rest of his career, and it did. Flyers fans never let him forget it, vociferously booing and directing choice vitriolic words at the official any time he worked a game at the Spectrum.
In today's NHL, it wouldn't even have taken a lengthy review to overturn the goal. Back then, once the call was made on the ice, it stuck.
Watch: TSN piece on Game 6 1980 Stanley Cup Final - Duane Sutter Goal on Missed Offside Call
Actually, the offside goal was one of two controversial goals the Islanders scored. A Denis Potvin tally, which tied the game at 1-1, was arguably played into the net with a high stick. By the rules of the time, a player couldn't play the puck into the net with his stick above his shoulders. The play was borderline by that standard. By today's rule, a goal would be disallowed for being played above the height of the crossbar. Under that standard, the Potvin goal probably would have been taken off the scoreboard, too.
Neither call went the Flyers way. They went on to lose the game -- and the series -- in overtime. We'll never know if the Flyers would have been able to win a Game 7 on home ice but they'd been a dominant home club for years.
4. If you owned a "Bruise Brothers" t-shirt, you were probably an 80s Flyers diehard.
The rugged Flyers duo of right wing Dave Brown and defenseman Daryl Stanley became known as "the Bruise Brothers" after they jokingly posed for a publicity photo in Blues Brothers attire -- black suits and ties, black hats and dark sunglasses. Emblazoned on a t-shirt design, the Bruise Brothers t-shirt became a best-seller throughout the Delaware Valley, although Stanley's time as a Flyer was relatively brief.
The "Bruise Brothers" t-shirt was a favorite not only among Flyers fans but also among Flyers players of the era. The Flyers Archives includes photos of not only Brown wearing one (during a guest standup comedy appearance at a local comedy club) but of Mark Howe, Brad McCrimmon, Lindsay Carson and other teammates sporting the shirts in public.
In 2019, the Flyers Alumni Association reunited the Bruise Brothers -- old friends and teammates with the WHL's Saskatoon Blades, the AHL's Maine Mariners, and the NHL's Flyers -- for the inaugural "Friday Night Nights" event with all proceeds from the speaking engagement going to the charities the Alumni support.
As part of the event, a one-off reboot reprint run of Bruise Brothers t-shirts were sold at the merchandise stand. The entire inventory sold out at the event -- 25 years after their initial run -- and there were overrun requests for additional shirts among Flyers fans who were unable to attend the event in person.

4. If you played goalie and clanged the posts ala Ron Hextall, you were probably an 80s Flyers diehard.
Ron Hextall revolutionized the goaltending position in the late 1980s. Tall, athletic and fiery, Hextall took puckhandling to an all new level for goalies. He was almost like having a third defenseman on the ice. Simply watching Hextall practice his puckhandling and shooting on a practice day was worth the trip to Voorhees.
One of Hextall's other signatures was his between-the-whistles routine rhythmically clangling the blade and handle of his goalie stick across the goal posts and crossbar before the drop of the next faceoffs. Youngsters across the Delaware Valley -- from ice hockey rinks, roller hockey courts to street hockey games from South Philly to the Northeast, the suburbs and everywhere in between -- took to emulating the goalie's familiar ritual.
The clanging pattern could be copied. What couldn't be emulated so easily was Hexy's ability to outlet the puck with his goalle stick and shoot it the length of the ice on net with zip on it. It was no coincidence that Hextall became the first goalie in NHL regular season -- and then NHL playoff -- history to be credited with a goal by virtue of shooting it into an empty net at the other side of the rink.
Watch: Ron Hextall Highlights
5. If you had "Howie vs. Coffey" debates, you were probably an 80s Flyers diehard.
A mainstay department of Hockey Digest magazine was its "Who's Better?" feature, comparing and contrasting two prominent NHL players in various aspects of their respective games and then declaring which player, on the whole, was the "better" in the opinion of the columnist. When I was in school at Baldi Middle School and George Washington High School, such debates were the lifeblood of conversations that I had with fellow hockey-loving friends.
One of my best friends in middle school was an Oilers fan. He loved Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri and Grant Fuhr above all. We had our Pelle vs. Fuhr, Propp vs. Kurri and Messier vs. Poulin discussions but the go-to, which often got heated, was Howe vs. Coffey. Guess what? I'd still debate it to this day. I'm biased because Howe is my all-time favorite hockey player but I'd take Howe's complete game at the height of his prime over Coffey's astounding offensive numbers and barely adequate own-zone play.
To this day, it rankles me that Howe never won the Norris Trophy. He was a three-time first runner-up to Rod Langway, Coffey and Ray Bourque. I'd concede the 1986-87 Norris to Bourque with Howe as the top runner-up but Howe's superior offense to Langway and superior defense to Coffey made him the more deserving candidate in 1982-83 and 1985-86.
Oh well, at least Mark Howe eventually took his rightful place in the Hockey Hall of Fame, along with the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and the Flyers Hall of Fame. His number 2 jersey was retired by the Flyers, too. With all due respect to Eric Desjardins, Kimmo Timonen, five-time NHL All-Star selection Jimmy Watson and everyone whose come along since, in the pantheon of great Flyers defensemen, there's Mark Howe and then a debate over who'd rank second, third, fourth or fifth.
6. If you associate an Ikea store with Pelle Lindbergh, you were probably an 80s Flyers diehard.
We'll never know how much greatness lay ahead of Pelle Lindbergh in his NHL career had he not perished in a fatal car crash in Nov. 1985. What we do know is that he was the best goalie in the world -- the defending Vezina Trophy winner and off to a better start in 1985-86 at the time of his car wreck than he was at the comparable point of the previous season -- at the time his life came to such a heartbreakingly sudden end. We also know that his career progression -- World Junior Championship standout, Olympic hero for Team Sweden, AHL Rookie of the Year, league MVP and top goalie award winner for the Maine Mariners, NHL All-Star as a rookie in 1982-83, second-time NHL All-Star, Vezina winner and Hart Trophy finalist -- in 1984-85 was one that suggested he was destined for long-term greatness.
Lindbergh became a huge favorite of teammates, Flyers fans and reporters alike during his way-too-short career. In 1985, the Swedish hockey superstar, did a one-off public appearance at a recently-opened Ikea store in Plymouth Meeting, PA.
The line to meet Lindbergh was so long that it ran well past the allotted two hours, he stayed and made sure he shook every hand, signed every autograph and posed for every picture.
Months later, when the 1985-86 season was underway, Pelle was visited by his brother-in-law, Göran. and his mother, Anna-Lisa. Returning to his car with his brother-in-law after the game, Lindbergh was mobbed by Flyers fans. When the last fan left and Lindbergh was able to get in the car, an amazed Göran said in Swedish, "Good God, Pelle. I've never seen anything like this! Is this what it's like every night?"
Lindbergh nodded, then chuckled at the flabbergasted expression on his brother-in-law's face.
7. If Peter Zezel and Rick Tocchet were the local celebrity heartthrobs at your school, you were probably an 80s Flyers diehard.
Both Zezel and Tocchet were fan favorites throughout the Flyers' fan base of the mid-1980s. However, the two players were especially popular among pre-teen, teenage to early-20s female fans in the Delaware Valley.
Such was their heartthrob status in that era that the Flyers held a "win a date with Zezel/Tocchet contest' -- something that would never fly in the 2020s but which was uncontroversial in its time. According to Tocchet, Zezel was the more popular of the two among that fanbase segment.
"If we'd go out to get something to eat, usually the girls would go up to Peter and the guys would come up to me to say, 'Nice fight'." Tocchet recalled with a chuckle in Adam Kimelman's 100 Things Flyers Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die.
There was much more to both men, of course, than just good looks and hockey skill. The entire fanbase admired them for their work ethics and down-to-earth approachability. In fact, what those who knew the late Zezel personally remember the most about him was generosity and caring.
"Pete had a huge heart. He was a fun-loving guy but he really cared for his teammates, on and off the ice. He was also great with kids and kind of a big kid himself," Dave Poulin recalled in 2012
"When the Flyers players used to visit children's hospitals, the kids always took to Pete most of all. They didn't even have to be hockey fans. There was an instant bond. More than once, after we finally left, Peter had to wipe away a tear or two because he felt for their situations. That was Zez. He also had a silly side; just a great sense of humor, and could make his teammates laugh."

8. If you reminisce over Cooperalls, you were probably an 80s Flyers diehard.
NHL.com's Adam Kimelman recently wrote a retrospective article on the Flyers use of full-length hockey pants -- colloquially known by the "Cooperalls" brand name although there were competing brands -- during the 1981-82 and 1982-83 season. In 2022-23, the Flyers rolled out a variation of the one of the designs the Flyers wore in the early 80s. However, they are used only for select
pregame warmups.
9. If the song "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" makes you wistful for the 1986-87 Flyers, you were probably an 80s Flyers diehard.
During the 1987 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Flyers adopted Starship's soft-rock song "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" as their theme song for the postseason. The Flyers, banged up, worn down and outgunned by the dynastic Edmonton Oilers took the champs to the 7th and deciding game before losing an agonizing 3-1 decision after scoring first in the game.
On the postgame show of the local broadcast -- aired on UHF channel Philly 57 -- host Steve Coates introduced one final montage of playoff highlights. It was set to "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now".
Watch: 1986-87 Flyers: Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now
10. If you still haven't forgiven Chris Chelios for elbowing Brian Propp, you were probably an 80s Flyers diehard.
The 1988-89 season was the last hurrah as Flyers for the remaining members of the "Keenan's Kids" era players, although Paul Holmgren by then had replaced MIke Keenan as head coach. After an underachieving regular season, the team rediscovered its magic in the playoffs to advance to the Wales Conference Final against the Montreal Canadiens.
In Game 1 of the series, Montreal defenseman Chris Chelios delivered a high-elbow hit to Flyers veteran star Brian Propp -- sandwiching Propp's head into the board. Falling to the ice, Propp struck the back of his head. Unconscious, Propp was stretchered off the ice and hospitalized overnight.
Watch: Chelios hits Propp
The series went six games. Throughout the series, the Flyers tried to focus on winning games rather than seeking revenge. However, with the Flyers facing a two-goal deficit in the waning minutes of the third period, Chelios had a target on him. First, Ron Sutter left his feet with his stick up high to deliver a hit aimed for Chelios' head at the 16:18 mark.
Watch: Ron Sutter smashes Chris Chelios 1989 Playoffs
Chelios escaped damage. At 18:23, Just as the Sutter penalty expired, the Canadiens went offside. Hextall conceded the game and series to the Canadiens in the name of trying to avenge Propp. He charged out of his net at Chelios, attempting to clock him. As the two players were separated from the ensuing tussle, Hextall flung his blocker at Chelios.
For the rest of Chelios' career with Montreal, Chicago and Detroit, he was booed every time he played in Philadelphia, whether it was a puck touch or Lou Nolan announced Chelios' name prior to or during the game. The passage of years toned the booing volume down only slightly.
11. If you still miss "Prism", you were probably an 80s Flyers diehard.
The now-defunct Prism cable channel was created in the mid-1970s but was not widely available within Philadelphia proper until cable TV became available throughout the city in the 1980s. Among the households that still did not have access to cable TV, the local market conversion of the "SelectTV" premium channel to Prism further accelerated access.
In an era when relatively few home game broadcasts of the Flyers, 76ers and Phillies were available for free on television -- not to mention the fact that every Flyers home game was sold out -- watching Prism was the way to see the games. Prism was also the home of Big Five basketball, monthly WWF cards from the Spectrum, the occasional local boxing event and other sports. The channel also showed movies, but local sports games were the station's No. 1 allure.
Watch: PRISM ID 1982
12. If you remember the "Guffaw", you were probably an 80s Flyers diehard.
In the mid-1980s, Flyers Hall of Fame left winger Brian Propp added a little extra flair to celebrating his frequent goals. The five-time NHL All-Star Game participant adopted a personalized goal celebration that he called the "Guffaw". Propp would remove his glove after scoring, thrust his hand skyward and exclaim "guffaw!"
The backstory: Propp attended a standup comedy performance by Howie Mandel. As part of his act, Mandel suggested that his audience show their appreciation by making the hand gesture and shouting "guffaw" in unison rather than clapping and cheering. "Propper" found the bit quite humorous and he adopted it into his on-ice goal celebrations..

13. If you've ever wondered how Todd Bergen's career might have gone had he stayed with the Flyers, you were probably an 80s Flyers diehard.
Twenty-one year-old winger Todd Bergen burst onto the NHL scene with the Flyers in the second half of the 1984-85 season, signaling his arrival with two goals against the Vancouver Canucks in his debut. By the time the regular season was over, Bergen racked up 11 goals and 16 points in just 14 games. In the postseason, he added four goals, nine assists and 13 points in 17 games.
Despite the player's seemingly magical scoring touch, Mike Keenan was not a fan of the youngster's game. Keenan considered Bergen to be a one-trick pony who was indifferent to play without the puck, soft physically and who lacked the work habits to attain long-term success. For Bergen's part, the Flyers 1982 fifth-round pick (98th overall) detested Keenan and did not consider hockey to be his true sporting passion.
Bergen left the Flyers before the 1985-86 season, refusing to return. On Sept. 25, 1985, he announced that he was retiring from hockey and planned to pursue a professional golfing career instead.
Asked if the Flyers were planning to trade Bergen, Flyers GM Bob Clarke quipped, "Who am I going to trade him for, Lee Trevino?"
Eventually, Bergen agreed to return to hockey when the Flyers traded him to the Minnesota North Stars on Nov. 29, 1985 in a deal that sent Swedish forward Bo Berglund and rugged defenseman Dave Richter to the Flyers.
Bergen reported to the North Stars. In his second practice with Minnesota, the player suffered what today would be called a sports hernia (the second of the player's still-young career). He missed the rest of the 1985-86 season without getting into a game for Minnesota.
In 1986-87, the North Stars assigned Bergen to their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Indians, in the hopes he'd work his way back into hockey shape and stay healthy. Bergen played 27 AHL games (12 goals, 11 assists) but never returned to the NHL.
Bergen was not offered a new contract by the North Stars. He retired again, this time for good, in the summer of 1987. He was still only 24 years old.
14. If you associate 'Twas the Night Before Christmas with the Flyers, you were probably an 80s Flyers diehard.
During the 1984 holiday season, Flyers players, coaches, trainers and general manager Bob Clarke participated in a pre-recorded TV intermission segment where each participant read a portion of the famous 1823 poem, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.
The segment was a huge hit, and became a semi-annual tradition to create a new version to show on the final TV game broadcast before Christmas. My personal favorite moment was the 1996 edition, in which Trent Klatt got the honor of reciting the line, "There arose such a clatter".
In an article published on the Flyers Alumni's official site (FlyersAlumni.net), alum defenseman Brad Marsh shared his recollections of the filming of the 1984 edition, and memories of each of the participants.
"Night Before Christmas, Flyers Style"
By Brad Marsh
Christmas is a special time of the year that you spend with family and friends, but when you are a professional hockey player you can add your teammates to that list.
My memories of Christmas throughout my NHL career are very special with the team's family Christmas party right at the top of the list. Every year there was a great mixture of food, drink, a visit by Santa and a skate on the ice. For many families, the Christmas Party skate was a chance for the young children to try skating for the first time, as it was for my two boys, Erik and Patrick.
My first NHL team Christmas party in Atlanta was very simple and very heartwarming. We had an early practice, which was followed by a quick shower and a few beers in the dressing room, then the wives would bring in the food; food which they made, no caterer involved. A few snacks, and a few laughs, and then we would take to the ice with kids and also many of the wives. And then it was time for Santa…ME! Since I was a rookie and I also didn't have any kids of my own, I borrowed Santa's St. Nick's suit and had a blast skating with the kids.
In Philadelphia the Christmas party was for the team and all of the hockey front office staff, which was really neat because it brought the entire hockey operations together. It was held in Ovations, the Spectrum's dining restaurant. I was no longer Santa, they hired a professional, and it was always a great time.
In Toronto, I just remember skating at Maple Leaf Gardens with my son Erik and taking Patrick for his first ever skate and Johnny Bower playing Santa Claus.
Detroit had the biggest Christmas as it was for everyone in the organization, as well as Little Caesar employees. We still had the sanctity of our dressing room to relax and put our skates on to take a leisurely skate with the families. The party was on the arena concourse, there was food everywhere and they had two Santas, one each on opposite sides of the concourse.
The following clip was made with the 1984 / 85 Flyers, I remember making it with my teammates. While teams making Christmas video messages are very commonplace now, it was virtually unheard back in the 80's. As you could imagine, there were a lot of false starts and re-takes!
Watch: Philadelphia Flyers The Night Before Christmas 1984
Bill Barber
A Hall of Famer who had just retired. I'm not sure if he retired a bit too early but Bill had worn out his knees. We sure could have used some of his scoring touch during the season and especially against Edmonton.
Glen Cochrane
A great guy, a great teammate, and one of the toughest guys in the league. He fought for the team - the so-called tough guys in today's game wouldn't hold a candle to Glen. I never met someone who loved his job as an enforcer quite as much as Cocher did!
Mark Howe
A very unassuming superstar, I mean he came from hockey royalty but you would never know it. A Hall of Fame player just hitting his prime at this time, and a quiet leader.
Dave Poulin
The same traits that made him a great captain will also make him a great NHL Executive - GM or President either position would suit him fine. Incredible leader and one of the smartest and most articulate people in hockey. Book smart and hockey smart.
Ray Allison
Ray was a very talented player but like many of the veterans forwards, got caught up in the youth movement (even though he was only 25 years old). I mean who would have thought that a team with a rookie GM, a rookie coach and 6 players under the age of 21 would have the success that we did. Ray never did make it back as a full time player in the NHL but his strong play and leadership skills lead to a long AHL career for the Flyers farm team - these types of players were very important to the organization.
Ed Hospodar
"Boxcar" was a team guy, and a tough guy. He understood his value and understood his role - hence the pre-game brawl in the Montreal playoff series.
Kurt Mundt
Trainers are a big part of every team; Kurt was the equipment guy and took pride in his work. Under his watch, no player could ever use his equipment as an excuse for a poor game.
Lindsay Carson
There are so many Lindsays Carsons in pro sports; guys who don't get the headline or the gaudy stats but your team cannot win without them. Lindsay just came to work everyday and really enjoyed what he did.
Tim Kerr
Like a big oak tree, Timmy was a power forward before there was a term for it. He was absolutely the best at what he did - score goals from the front of the net. I haven't seen anyone come close to him since he retired. He was injured a lot but had an incredible pain threshold and was as unflappable as they come under pressure. Best hand-eye coordination I've ever seen, and he could score from his knees or even from his stomach a few times.
Doug Crossman
"Cross" was my defence partner that year and beyond. Together we made up a very successful tandem. Individually there were others that were better, but we clicked and we fed off of each other. Doug pushed things offensively, while I was the stay-at-home guy.
Rick Tocchet
One of the kids on the team that year, Rick worked for everything and became the type of player back then and to this day that every team craves: A forward that could score and play tough. Tocc was (and still is) a very intense competitor who worked hard to make himself into a 40-goal scorer in the NHL as well as a tough guy.
Ilkka Sinisalo
One of the first Finns to have success in the NHL. He was always over-shadowed by Jari Kurri, but Ilkka was every bit as good in my opinion. No offense to his linemates, but they were no Wayne Gretzkys! Illka had great speed, two-way awareness, soft hands and a quiet but competitive drive about him. Ilkka also had a dry sense of humor, dry as could be. One time, Mike Keenan tried to call him out, wondering aloud how Ilkka possibly could be scoring so many goals despite what the coach deemed to be lackluster play. Ilkka shrugged and replied, "Power play!" Even Iron Mike couldn't help but laugh.
Len Hachborn
A young kid (22 yrs old), the emergence of Peter Zezel hurt him. Lenny played in 40 games that year and chipped in some big moments in several games. Pete was the more complete player, and had more trust from Keenan.
Miroslav Dvorak
I became very close with "Cookie" over the years. I visited him many times in the Czech Republic. He was arguably the first player trained from behind the Iron Curtain to have real success in the NHL, we all chuckled at him as he was sort of a real-life version the Wild and Crazy guys from Saturday Night Live. He was not your stereotypical Communistic Bloc athlete of that era; robotic and unemotional. "Cookie", by choice, dressed in clothes that were 10 years or more out of style. He enjoyed his Budweiser and chain-smoked unfiltered cigarettes, probably just because he could, so he took advantage of it. He played very well for the Flyers for 3 years. He was my roommate for all 3 of those years. I will tell you something else about Miro. He had a joy for life, a joy for hockey and was a warm-hearted and caring person with a great sense of humour. He died young. Sadly, the heavy smoking caught up with him. I miss him.
E.J. McGuire
Probably the best assistant coach I ever had, E.J. was always positive, never looked at your mistakes, always the good plays. He was also a very intelligent man with a Ph.D. but never talked down to anyone. Another warm-hearted and caring person, whom I miss.
Rich Sutter
How could you not love the way the Sutters play hockey? We had 2 of them, they were always eager and always ready to play whether it was a practice or a game.
Brad Marsh
How about dem glasses! I even had hair back in the day. For the video, I did my top button up as a tribute to my buddy Cookie, I was imitating him as he quite often had his top button done up.
Ted Sator
Without Ted, I would not have played 15 years in the league. I remember a meeting I had with him like it was yesterday. It was in LA and I said to him that I was tired of being stereotyped into this slow methodical defenseman. 4 on 4 play had just been introduced and I was not playing in these situations, the thinking that I couldn't keep up. Ted's answer was quite simply "Okay we'll start to work on it tomorrow" and we did. I began to build up my leg strength, my lateral movement, my agility, my quickness and my reaction time. He pointed out that I'll never become a beautiful Mark Howe type of skater but I can build on the foundation that I have. Basically, the thought was to get from A to B as quick as I could, it did not matter how it looked. I used to love beating guys to the puck when there was an icing!
Kevin Cady
Another one of those dressing room guys that the players loved having around. Kev was like a kid brother to many of us, especially to Pelle Lindbergh. After working as a Flyers equipment guy for many years, Kevin went on to have a long and successful career in law enforcement and detective work.
Brad McCrimmon
The Beast was a big part of Mark Howe's success; the two of them may have made the best pairing in all of hockey. He was a left hand shot playing the right side and he was one of the best defenseman to be able to play his offside with effectiveness. A quiet, stoic leader. He would have made a good head coach but the tragic plane crash in Russia a couple years ago took his life along with the rest of the Lokomotiv team.
Mike Keenan
A lot has been said about Mike, but he really did like and care about his players. He just had a funny way of showing it at times.
Ron Sutter
I always laughed at Richie and Ronnie. When we went on the road they would just pack one suitcase for the two of them. One the ice, they were as tough and competitive as they come. Off the ice, they loved to joke around and were always there for their teammates when they were needed. Once you befriended Ronnie or Richie, you had a friend for life. Even now, I can go a long time without speaking to either guy but as soon as I do, it's like no time has passed at all.
Dave "Sudsy" Settlemyre
The trainers were a different breed back then. Sudsy and his staff were more than just "trainers" they were best friends, confidants and always had the best interests of the players in mind. Sudsy was definitely one of those guys.
Bill Delaney
Every dressing room needs a Bill, he was a retired gentleman that was always there, always smiling, always positive, didn't have a bad word to say about anything or anyone. Just happy to be a part of the Flyers, Bill was barely about 5 feet tall and he always called me "Shorty"!
Darren Jansen
A backup goalie that was played sparingly at the time. His importance to the team would fully be recognize the following year when Pelle died. Bob Froese, injured at the time this video was made, was our main backup. After his career, Bob went on to become a minister.
Brian Propp
Guffaw! Not sure where that came from, but when you score goals like he did, you can do what you want. Brian was one of the NHL's best pure goal scorers. If you needed a goal, get him the puck. He had a lot of moves and a good head for the game. Off the ice, he's a good family guy and an avid golfer.
Pelle Lindbergh
Not a lot needs to be said except that all of us who knew him miss him to this day. Pelle lived his short life to the fullest and loved to make other people smile. I laugh every time I watch this video. His Swedish accent -- which he could play up or play down depending on the situation -- cracks me up. Pelle is in full Swedish chef mode here! His "real" accent in everyday speech wasn't nearly this exaggerated.
Thomas Eriksson
A very big and talented Swede defenseman, who relied mostly on his mobility and smarts. At the time, he was not your typical Flyer player. Unfortunately for Thomas, coach Mike Keenan liked playing with four defenseman most of the time and he didn't have much faith in Eriksson. In a different time I really think that Thomas would have been a star player. Off the ice, he was quiet but smart and dignified.
Murray Craven
He came to the Flyers in a trade for Darryl Sittler; a great trade for us! Murray and I lived together for a time and we had a riot. Murray would be a superstar in today's game because he was a very smart hockey and could do it all.
Dave Brown
When you think of big Dave, you think of fighting but what people do not realize is that Brownie worked his butt off and made himself a complete player. No, he wouldn't be on your first line, but you could play him at any time of the game and he wouldn't hurt you. He was tough as nails on the ice but has always been a gentle and caring guy off the ice.
Derrick Smith
A workhorse. I think it is safe to say that Derrick was not on the radar to make the team that year. Smitty played in seven exhibition games in seven nights that year, not sure how it happened but it did. Technically, it's against the rules but when you are a rookie trying to make the team you don't say anything. I think the brass was waiting for him to screw up but he never did, he just kept getting stronger and stronger, so they had to keep him.
Peter Zezel
Strong, strong player, I do not mean from a muscle standpoint. He centred the youngest line in hockey that year (Tocchett, Smith, Zezel) and they were one of the best lines in hockey and he made it work. Many current teams would love to have Peter as their 2nd or 3rd line centremen. Back then, Pete -- along with Tocchet -- was sort of our resident team heartthrob among the female fans, but we all knew what a competitor he was. He didn't play a soft game. Off the ice, he was a caring type of person. It was a tragedy that he died so young, but we all remember him fondly and his memory lives on.
Bob Clarke
He looks like an angel in this video clip, far from the fierce competitor that he was. Great Christmas sweater there, Clarkie!