Philadelphia Flyers: The 20 Best Nicknames and Slogans

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“The Fighting Dans”/”The Dan Line”

Not exactly known for their skill, in the 1996-97 season, the Flyers used a 4th line of bruisers Dan Lacroix, Scott Daniels, and Dan Kordic.

Next: #19

“Nittymaki Hockey”/”Frank”

As Antero Nittymaki slowly broke into the lineup, fans starting looking forward to some “Nittymaki Hockey.” While that saying rolled off the tongue nicely, coach Ken Hitchcock gave Nittymaki a more permanent nickname in “Frank.” This was inspired by the famous gangster and Al Capone associate, Frank Nitti. Nittymaki used a picture of Nitti and a smoking machine gun on his mask for a few seasons as an homage.

Next: #18

“Bundy”

It took a while for the fans to catch on to this intra-team nickname for Chris Therien, but it works pretty well. Now a Flyers radio announcer, Therien was known as “Bundy” (inspired by Al Bundy of Married…with Children) since breaking into the NHL.

Next: #17

“Deuces Wild Line”

They weren’t together for the longest time, but the line of Simon Gagne (#12), Peter Forsberg (#21), and Mike Knuble (#22), was a lethal trio for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Next: #16

“Chico”/”Silent Bob”

Goalie Robert Esche was generally referred to as “Chico”, although I am partial to “Silent Bob”. He earned the nickname “Silent Bob” during the 2004 playoff run based on his decision to abstain from talking to the media that spring.

Next: #15

“Houndog”

The nickname “Houndog” told you everything you needed to know about Bob Kelly’s style of play for the Flyers in the 1970s. If that wasn’t clear enough, alternatives nicknames for him were also “The Hound”, “Mad Dog”, “Mutt”, and “Machine Gun Kelly.”

Next: #14

“Cowboy”

“Cowboy” was a perfect nickname for Bill Flett, who played for the Philadelphia Flyers for 2.5 seasons and was a member of the 1974 championship team. Flett owned a cattle ranch in Alberta and was a rodeo performer.

Next: #13

“Checko” and the “Cranium Carom”

“Checko” was an apt nickname for the talented but erratic goalie, Roman Cechmanek. With limited English and an orthodox style, the name “Checko” captured his personality. That offbeat reputation was only amplified by his habit of intentionally deflecting high shots with his goalie mask, like a soccer player heading the ball. Flyers announcer Jim Jackson called them “Cranium Caroms” on the air after taking suggestions from the fans.

Next: #12

“Only the Lord Saves More Than Bernie Parent”

This cheeky, mildly sacrilegious slogan was a popular bumper sticker around Philadelphia when the Flyers were the toast of Philadelphia and winning Stanley Cups in the mid-70s.

Next: #11

“The Riverton Rifle”

High-scoring forward Reggie Leach picked up this nickname, sometimes shortened to simply “The Rifle”. The only Flyer to ever score 60 goals in a single season (1975-76), Leach had perhaps the best shot in the league at the time.

Next: #10

“Crazy 8s Line”

As a young Eric Lindros rapidly asserted himself in the NHL, big #88 was flanked by Flyers great Mark Recchi (#8) and Brent Fedyk (#18) to form the Flyers top line with this stupendous nickname in the early 90s.

Next: #9

“Keith the Thief”

It’s not often that general managers have nicknames, but Keith Allen earned this nickname for constantly tweaking the lineup through savvy trades and making the Philadelphia Flyers a contender year after year.

Next: #8

“The Hammer”

Perhaps no player embodied the rough-and-tumble Flyers teams of the mid-70s more than Dave “The Hammer” Schultz. There isn’t much Schultz wouldn’t do on the ice. More than willing to fight dirty, he still holds the NHL record league for penalty minutes in a single season (472, 1974-75).

Next: #7

“Rico”

Eric Desjardins was one of the best defensemen in Flyers history, and the nickname “Rico” captured his smooth, unflappable play on the ice.

Next: #6

“Rod the Bod”

A fan favorite, “Rod the Bod” was a fitting nickname for Rod Brind’Amour. No player worked harder in the weight room (or on the ice) than Brind’Amour.

Next: #5

“The Fog”

Mastermind of the Philadelphia Flyers championship teams, “The Fog” had a double meaning for coach Fred Shero. Playing a game in a humid rink in 1948, the ice fogged up terribly, although somehow Shero could find the puck better than the other players. Once having earned that nickname, it always worked pretty well for his personality as a coach, as he was a quiet loner and often lost in thought.

Next: #4

“The Rat”

Ken Linseman immediately became notorious in the NHL, leading the Flyers in scoring as a rookie. With fantastic speed, he was relentless in pestering and aggravating the opposition. Referring to him as “The Rat” was probably a form of both praise and condemnation.

Next: #3

“The Philly Flu”

“The Philly Flu” was the name for the mysterious illness that was known to suddenly afflict opposing players and force them out of the lineup just before they had a game against the intimidating Flyers teams of the mid-70s.

Next: #2

“The Legion of Doom”

This may be my orange-colored glasses talking, but the line of John LeClair, Eric Lindros and Mikael Renberg was one of the most dominant and notorious lines in NHL history. At their height, they were physically overpowering and could pour in the goals. A nickname inspired by professional wrestling felt about right for their play.

Next: #1

“The Broad Street Bullies”

There really was no other option for #1 on this list. The nickname so perfectly embodied the team and the city, essentially every hockey fan (and many non-hockey fans) knows it. It initially referred to a specific era and a specific group of players, but it became so ubiquitous that it is still used 40 years later when talking about the Philadelphia Flyers.

Next: ”Rumors,

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