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Twelve Potential Flyers Hall of Famers: Part Two

By Jacob Modugno

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 02: Danny Briere #48 of the Philadelphia Flyers skates during the game against the Ottawa Senators at the Wells Fargo Center on March 2, 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 02: Danny Briere #48 of the Philadelphia Flyers skates during the game against the Ottawa Senators at the Wells Fargo Center on March 2, 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images) /
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ILKKA SINISALO

Sinisalo spent his first nine seasons in the NHL with the Flyers, appearing in 526 games for the team from 1981 to 1990. Sinisalo registered 199 goals and 210 assists for 409 points in that span and was one of the Flyers’ top players for much of the 1980s.

Sinisalo reached the 20-goal plateau on six separate occasions with the Flyers, which included 36 goals in 1984-85 followed by a career-high 39 goals in 1985-86. His goal-scoring prowess currently ranks him 16th in Philadelphia history all-time in that category. Sinisalo is also the highest goal-scoring European-born player in Flyers history, currently sitting 22 goals ahead of second-place Jake Voracek (177).

Sinisalo’s 1985-86 season was the best of his NHL career as he chalked up 39 goals and 37 assists for 76 points in 74 games played. All of those numbers remained career highs for Sinisalo and his 39 goals that year still rank to this day as the most scored in a season by a European-born Flyer.

His shining moment as a Flyer came in overtime of Game 1 of the 1987 Wales Conference Finals against the Montréal Canadiens. Sinisalo, who had already scored once in the game, was looking on as Peter Zezel attempted a wraparound shot on Montreal netminder Brian Hayward. Sinisalo was able to skate in at the goalmouth and locate the puck under Hayward and Chris Chelios. He stuffed home the loose puck to win the game 4-3 and give the Flyers a 1-0 series lead.

Sinisalo scored five goals and one assist in the Flyers’ 18 playoff games that year, with his goal total falling one shy of his playoff high from 1984-85, another season where Philadelphia met the Oilers in the Final and couldn’t survive.

Sinisalo remained with the Flyers until 1990 when he signed with the Minnesota North Stars in free agency. He lasted 46 games before being traded to the Los Angeles Kings and played his final 10 NHL games with the Kings before leaving for his native Finland, where he retired from playing in 1996.

In 2004, Sinisalo returned to the Flyers organization as a European scout, helping the team look for new young talent across the Atlantic. He served the franchise in that role for 13 years before tragically passing away on April 5th, 2017 at the age of 58 due to complications from prostate cancer.

Sinisalo was the first real star European player the Flyers ever had, as scouting in that region wasn’t very common in the late 70s and early 80s. His skill and ability to create offense and score goals was something that not many players possess in their careers.

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