#1: Bobby Clarke, C, Flyers: 1969-1984
According to ChatGPT, Bobby Clarke is the best Flyer of all time. This may be highly contentious, but that sounds about right. All jokes aside though, this means that a lot of notable Flyers also missed out on this top-10, including Claude Giroux. For what it’s worth, when I prompted ChatGPT for a top-20, it ranked Giroux 11th.
"“Legendary captain, playmaker, and leader who helped lead the Flyers to two Stanley Cup championships.” – ChatGPT"
With Giroux now with the Ottawa Senators, all of Clarke’s Flyers records will remain intact for the foreseeable future. Some of those records include most assists (852), most points (1210), best plus-minus (+506), most short-handed goals (32), most playoff games played (136), most playoff assists (77), and most playoff points (119). Only Clarke and Lindros have won the prestigious Hart Trophy and Lester B. Pearson/Ted Lindsay Award as members of the Flyers.
The Captain joins fellow two-time Stanley Cup Champions Barber, Leach, MacLeish, Parent, and Schultz on this list, and their successes seem to have played a big part in their placements on this list. Clarke’s spot at the top was always reserved, though.
At this point, it’s likely impossible that any player ever surpasses Clarke’s legacy in Orange and Black, and if it does happen, it will be a very long time before it happens. A player capable of doing that is not currently on the team’s NHL roster, that is for certain. At this time, Clarke is still working with the Flyers as a senior advisor alongside Bill Barber, Paul Holmgren, and Dean Lombardi.