Top Ten Philadelphia Flyers Of The Decade: 1960s-1970s

The Philadelphia Flyers have enjoyed a wealth of talent in their organization over the course of their 53-season history. The Flyers have boasted 13 Hockey Hall of Famers that have played for the franchise, a few of whom helped the team win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 1974 and 1975. Today we’re starting a breakdown of the ten greatest Flyers of each decade, beginning with the 1960s and 1970s. Philadelphia began play in 1967-68 so the ’60s will be grouped in here as well.

10) BOB KELLY (1970-1980)

Kelly spent 10 seasons with the Flyers from 1970-71 to 1979-80 after being selected by Philadelphia in the third round of the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft. A major physical presence on the Broad Street Bullies teams of the mid-1970s, Kelly racked up 128 goals and 168 assists for 296 points while with the Orange and Black.

Kelly’s best NHL season came in 1976-77 when he scored 22 goals and 24 assists for 46 points in 73 games, all career-highs for the Oakville, Ontario native.

The man they called “The Hound” recorded an astounding 1,285 penalty minutes and 77 fights as the punch-happy Flyers won two Stanley Cups with Kelly bruising opponents along the way. Kelly also scored the Cup-clinching goal in Game 6 of the 1975 Stanley Cup Final to help the team win their second consecutive championship over the Buffalo Sabres.

Kelly would be shipped off to the Washington Capitals for a 1982 third-round draft pick after the 1979-80 season concluded.

9) ROSS LONSBERRY (1971-1977)

Lonsberry joined the Flyers during the middle of the 1971-72 season following a trade from the Los Angeles Kings. Lonsberry would go on to spend the next 6.5 seasons with Philadelphia and was always a deadly offensive threat whenever he took the ice. Lonsberry registered 144 goals and 170 assists for 314 points in just 497 games from 1971 to 1978.

As a Flyer, Lonsberry would surpass the 20-goal mark in four different seasons, including a career-high 32 in 1973-74, a season in which he would help lead the team to their first Stanley Cup over the Boston Bruins, the team that Lonsberry started his NHL career with in the 1966-67 season.

Lonsberry’s time in Philadelphia would come to an end after the 1977-78 season as he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins along with Tom Bladon and Orest Kindrachuk for a 1978 1st-round pick, which the Flyers used to select offensive defenseman Behn Wilson.

8) ED VAN IMPE (1967-1976)

Ed Van Impe was one of the original Philadelphia Flyers, being claimed by the club in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft from the Chicago Blackhawks. The hard-nosed defender would spend the next 8.5 seasons with the team and was known as a physical player who played well in the defensive zone and wasn’t afraid to knock people out of the way, especially in front of his own net.

Van Impe scored 19 goals and 107 assists for 126 points in 620 games with Philadelphia. He was a part of both Stanley Cup-winning teams in 1974 and 1975 and even received three votes to make the NHL’s All-Star Team, placing 18th in voting among defensemen. Van Impe is perhaps most well remembered for his hit on Valeri Kharlamov in the famous 1976 Red Army Game at The Spectrum.

Van Impe ran into Kharlamov’s chin with his elbow and the Russian forward went down hard, prompting the Red Army team to leave the ice in protest of the Flyers’ rough and physical style of play. The Russians would return to the ice after they were threatened with no pay for their North American Super Series tour and subsequently lost 4-1.

Van Impe also served as team captain earlier in his tenure with Philadelphia. He donned the “C” for the Flyers from 1968 until partway through the 1972-73 season, making way for Bobby Clarke to take over the reigns as the club’s top voice of leadership.

Van Impe was shipped off to the Penguins midway through the 1975-76 season along with Bobby Taylor for Gary Inness and future considerations, ending his time in Philadelphia, and up to that point he was the longest tenured player in franchise history.

7) JOE WATSON (1967-1978)

If there was ever a “Mr. Flyer” in franchise history, Joe Watson is definitely in the conversation for that title. The hard-nosed defenseman was claimed from the Bruins by Philadelphia in the 1967 Expansion Draft and proceeded to spend the next 11 seasons in Philadelphia.

Watson spent the better part of 50 years representing the franchise in some way, as he played 746 of his 836 NHL games in Philadelphia from 1967 to 1978, and later worked for the team in sales and was a huge part of making the Flyers Alumni what they are today. And Watson is still an active member of the community in the Delaware Valley. Watson helped anchor a defensive unit during his playing days that included his brother Jimmy Watson, Ed Van Impe, and Andre Dupont among others.

Besides helping lift the Flyers to two Stanley Cups, Watson is perhaps most well remembered for his shorthanded goal in the famous 1976 Red Army Game, beating legendary goaltender Vladislav Tretiak on a rebound shot past his right pad after the initial shot by Don Saleski was stopped and laid in front of the crease for a split second. Flyers head coach Fred Shero quipped that Watson’s goal “set Russian hockey back 25 years” as Watson was not particularly known for his offense.

Watson recorded 36 goals and 162 assists for 198 points as a Flyer, good for seventh all-time to this day among Philadelphia blueliners. Watson’s 746 games played also ranks second among franchise defensemen and sixth among all Flyers players. He became the team’s longest tenured player after Ed Van Impe’s trade to Pittsburgh in 1976, a distinction he held until being traded to the Colorado Rockies in 1978.

6) GARY DORNHOEFER

Dornhoefer was selected by the Flyers in the 1967 Expansion Draft, one of many taken by Philadelphia after being unprotected by the Bruins. He had spent the entire 1966-67 season with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League, and general manager Bud Poile and company decided that Dornhoefer deserved a real NHL opportunity.

Dornhoefer’s first full NHL season saw him record 13 goals and 30 assists for 43 points in 65 games, trailing only captain Lou Angotti (49 points) for the team lead in total scoring. He also racked up 134 penalty minutes, which made him one of three Flyers to break triple digits for time spent in the box alongside Ed Van Impe (138) and Forbes Kennedy (130).

Dornhoefer’s shining moment as a Flyer came in Game 6 of the 1973 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals against the Minnesota North Stars. Dornhoefer buried the series-clinching goal in overtime to help Philadelphia move on to the Stanley Cup Semifinals. It was the first playoff series victory in franchise history, and the moment was forever immortalized with a statue of the goal that stood outside The Spectrum until the arena was torn down, and it now remains on display outside Xfinity Live.

Dornhoefer’s NHL career would come to an end in Philadelphia after the 1977-78 season. Besides helping the Flyers win their two Stanley Cup championships, he scored 202 goals and 316 assists for 518 points in 725 games played with the Orange and Black. He still ranks in the top 15 in most categories in franchise history, including eighth all-time in penalty minutes.

5) REGGIE LEACH (1974-1982)

Leach only joined the Flyers before the 1974-75 season after he was acquired in a trade from the California Golden Seals, but he made a lasting impact on his new club almost immediately.

Leach was the team’s leading scorer in his first season, potting 45 goals on the famous “LCB Line” with Bobby Clarke and Bill Barber. Leach also racked up eight goals and two assists during Philadelphia’s second Stanley Cup run that season, which would end up being the only Cup he would win in his NHL career.

The Riverton Rifle potted 61 goals during the 1975-76 season for Philadelphia, becoming the first and, to this day, only 60-goal scorer in the history of the franchise. He also led the entire league in goals that season, the lone occasion that a Flyer has accomplished that feat. Leach’s offensive abilities helped the team reach the 1976 Stanley Cup Final, the third straight Final that Philadelphia appeared in, but the Montreal Canadiens would defeat them in four games. Despite the loss, Leach was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP for his 19 goals and five assists in 16 games. The legendary individual effort by Leach gave him the distinction as the first, and only, losing skater to win the trophy in NHL history to this point in time.

Leach would remain with Philadelphia until 1982 when he signed with the Detroit Red Wings in free agency for his final NHL season in 1982-83. He stands seventh in franchise history in goal scoring with 306 tallies in Orange and Black, with 222 of his goals coming at even strength, good enough for fifth in team history. Leach remains one of the franchise’s most prolific goal scorers to this day.

4) RICK MACLEISH (1970-1981, 1983-1984)

MacLeish was one of the first elite goal scorers in the franchise’s history. Originally a fourth overall draft selection by the Boston Bruins in the 1970 Amateur Draft, the Flyers shipped Mike Walton up to Boston for MacLeish and Danny Schock on February 1st, 1971, and he would play his first 26 NHL games with the team that season.

Since making his debut in 1971, MacLeish still ranks in the top 10 in every major offensive category in team history to this day. His 328 goals are sixth, his 369 assists are tied for seventh, and his 697 points are fifth among all Flyers. MacLeish is also tied for seventh in games played with 741 appearances with Philadelphia.

His best NHL season came in his first full season back in 1972-73. MacLeish racked up 50 goals and 50 assists for an even 100 points in 78 games for the club. It would be the only time in his career he would break 50/50/100 in a single regular season. MacLeish would pot just 32 goals the next season, but led the team in postseason goals with 13 in 17 games. His 13th and final marker would be the opening goal of Game 6 of the 1974 Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins at The Spectrum. MacLeish’s power play goal on Gilles Gilbert at 14:48 of the first period would stand as the lone tally in Philadelphia’s championship-clinching effort in a 1-0 Game 6 victory before a raucous South Philly crowd.

MacLeish would help the Flyers win another Stanley Cup in 1975 as well, netting 38 goals in the regular season and scoring another 11 in postseason competition. MacLeish was unable to help the team aim for a threepeat in 1976, as he only appeared in 51 regular season contests and did not play in any playoff games as Philadelphia bowed out to the Montreal Canadiens in the 1976 Final in four straight games.

One game MacLeish did take part in during the 1975-76 season was the famous matchup against the Red Army on January 11th, 1976. MacLeish would score the second of four Philadelphia goals that day, and his tally on legendary goaltender Vladislav Tretiak would stand as the game-winner.

MacLeish would play every following season in a Flyers sweater until 1981-82, when he was traded to the Hartford Whalers for Russ Anderson and an eigth-round draft pick. After brief stops in Hartford, Pittsburgh, and even Switzerland, MacLeish returned to the Flyers as a free agent ahead of the 1983-84 season. He would post 22 points in his final 29 games with Philadelphia before being traded to Detroit on January 9th, 1984. MacLeish struggled to find his rhythm with the mediocre Red Wings, only netting two goals and 10 points in 25 contests. He appeared in one postseason contest, which would be his final NHL game.

MacLeish tragically passed away on May 30th, 2016 in Philadelphia after “battling multiple medical problems” as described by his daughter. He left behind the legacy of helping the franchise bring home their first ever Stanley Cup championship, and remains one of the most prolific goal scorers and players to ever skate in Philadelphia.

3) BILL BARBER (1972-1984)

Barber was the seventh overall selection by the Flyers in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft and made an immediate impact, scoring 64 points in 69 games in his rookie season in 1972-73. It was only a glimpse of how Barber would impact the team.

Barber would go on to become the franchise’s all-time leading goal scorer with 420 goals across his 12-year NHL career, all coming in Philadelphia. Barber never scored less than 20 goals in a season in his career, highlighted by a 50-goal campaign in 1975-76. Statistically it was the best season of his career as well, and he also posted 62 assists for 112 points in 80 games that year, all personal bests for Barber. Barber would lead the team in goal scoring on four occasions during his career in 1978 (41), 1979 (34), 1981 (43), and 1982 (45).

Barber also made six All-Star Game appearances as a member of the Flyers in 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, and 1982. He was a focal point of the 1979-80 squad that went unbeaten for an NHL-record 35 consecutive games and reached the 1980 Stanley Cup Final. Barber also served as team captain in 1981-82 and partly through 1982-83, briefly taking over for Bobby Clarke before the latter was given back his “C” during the season.

Barber would undergo reconstructive knee surgery after the 1983-84 season, and officially retired from playing in 1985 because of it. Barber’s career was forever immortalized in 1990 as he was enshrined into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Barber’s famous #7 was retired on October 7th, 1990 by the Flyers as well, making him just one of six players in franchise history to receive the honor.

2) BERNIE PARENT (1967-1971, 1973-1979)

Parent was originally claimed by the Flyers in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft after being left unprotected by the Boston Bruins and was the first player in the team’s history. Parent would tend goal for Philadelphia until 1971 when he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Bruce Gamble, Mike Walton, and a 1971 first-round pick.

Parent played for the Maple Leafs and for the Philadelphia Blazers of the World Hockey Association before returning to the NHL in 1973 after Toronto traded his rights back to the Flyers in another multi-player swap. Parent returned to the new and improved squad and was ready to help the club win, and that’s exactly what they did in his first two seasons back on Broad Street.

Parent would go on to win 47 games in the 1973-74 season, an NHL record that stood until 2007. Parent would also win the Vezina Trophy while posting a .932 save percentage, 1.89 goals against average, and a whopping 12 shutouts. Parent’s playoff run saw him go 12-5 with a .933 SV% and 2.02 GAA to help the Flyers win their first Stanley Cup over his former Bruins teammates as well as being awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as postseason MVP, most notably by shutting out Boston 1-0 at The Spectrum in the sixth and deciding game of the Final.

Parent would win another Conn Smythe Trophy the next season in 1974-75 thanks to a second straight Cup-clinching shutout over the Buffalo Sabres. Parent went 44-14-9 during the regular season with a .918 SV%, 2.04 GAA, and 12 more shutouts, and utterly dominated the league in those two seasons.

Parent appeared in five NHL All-Star Games in 1969, 1970, 1974, 1975, and 1977. He was also named to the league’s postseason All-Star teams in 1974 and 1975, taking home First Team honors in each season while playing as the league’s top goaltender.

Parent remains widely respected and known as the greatest goaltender in franchise history. He stands second in games played (486), second in wins (231), third in save percentage (.917), third in goals against average (2.43), first in saves (12,679), and first in shutouts (50). Parent was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984 and his #1 was retired by the Flyers on October 11th, 1979, and he remains the lone goaltender in franchise history to formally receive both honors.