Flyers, I Choose You! 5 Pokémon that remind us of the Philadelphia Flyers

#1: Lucario

Lucario, the Aura Pokémon, is a Steel and Fighting-Type Mon from the Diamond and Pearl games released in 2007. A fan favorite, Lucario boasts strong attacks, an iron will, and a spirit for justice. Ok, so that last part really doesn’t track with the whole “Broad Street Bullies” moniker, but whatever.

Lucario, and the games from which it originates, represents what many consider to be the peak in the franchise. The designs were fresh, the story was a step up from past titles and the gameplay was overhauled a bit.

In fact, during Friday’s Pokémon Presents conference which featured a trip down memory lane, it was announced that Lucario and the Diamond and Pearl games would be getting remakes.

What’s old is new, and the Flyers are no stranger to this tactic.

Throughout the team’s history, the Flyers have employed the use of former players and heroes of the franchise in order to appeal to the most hardcore portions of its fanbase. Currently, we’re seeing this with the aforementioned Reverse Retro jerseys that harken back to the Lindros days.

Similar to Lucario, Eric Lindros and the Legion of Doom era teams reached a level that no Flyers squad has come close to since. Sure, they didn’t capture the Cup and live up to the original Flyers greats, but that’s a task unlikely accomplished by any team.

The 90s Flyers were strong, physically imposing, and full of offensive firepower. Few teams could hang with them, and it took the historically great Russian Five of the Detroit Red Wings to halt them.

Lucario is in a similar boat as its high offense allows it to overpower most, but is held back by the defense. Even still, while it may not surpass the original 151 Pokémon in popularity, Lucario has become a franchise staple for many fans today.

This Pokémon also lands on this list because according to its description, it can sense emotions (both positive and negative) and feed off of them. I’ll call that a nod to the relationship between the Flyers and the Philadelphia faithful.

We’re always quick to bring the noise to the rink — whether it’s thunderous cheers, a reign of boos, or yelling “Shoot!” while the team is on the man-advantage. Either way, the Flyers seem to love it and acknowledge that the fans are always behind them.