Every good person will tell you that they don't hold a grudge. But deep down, we all have that one person or one thing that we just can't forgive. Sports fans know that feeling all too well. We have those players or teams that hurt ours in one way or another, and we'll never forgive them for it.
Some become enemies for devastating hits and controversial blows. Others cross the line in unforgivable ways. And some inflicted emotional damage, crushing a franchise's championship dreams.
For Flyers fans, having fierce rivalries and disdain for players is nothing out of the ordinary. This is a city built on not caring what other people think. So the list of villains in Philadelphia is endless. But three specific players will go down as some of the biggest villains.
Scott Stevens
Most people will immediately know where this one is going. Some view Stevens as one of the dirtiest or most predatory players to play the game. At the time, the rules were quite different, and much of what he did was viewed as legal. Aside from his sometimes controversial hits, he was a solid defenseman and posted rather impressive numbers for most of his career. But there was one specific incident that no longtime Flyers fan can forget.
Initially up 3-1 in the 2000 Eastern Conference Final against the Devils, the end of Game 7 saw them not only lose the series, but arguably the face of their franchise as well. Eric Lindros had just returned in the prior game after missing more than two months due to headaches from a previous concussion. With the puck in the neutral zone, Lindros attempted to skate into the offensive zone with his head down, something he often did and paid the consequences for.
Stevens caught him in transition and laid a shoulder into Lindros' head, a hit that would have him kicked out of the game in today's NHL. Not only was it his sixth concussion in Philadelphia, but it was his fourth in five months. He would miss the next season while demanding a trade that would see him with the Rangers.
It's possible that things would've soured with Lindros anyway, but Stevens' hit ended up as the final blow.
Tie Domi
Domi is the perfect example of a player who was more known for his antics on the ice than anything else. He has the third-most penalty minutes in a career with 3,515. His most impressive was the 42 penalty minutes he posted in his rookie season, when he played two games for Toronto, amassing a wild 37 minutes in his first career game. Against the Flyers, he had 238 penalty minutes, his third-most against any other NHL team. The Sabres were his top enemy at 256.
He became the ultimate villain in Philadelphia during a March 2001 game. After being sent to the box for trying to fight Luke Richardson, fans immediately began to heckle and agitate Domi in the penalty box. He turned around and squirted a specific fan with his water bottle. And the fan did not take kindly to it.
Later identified as Chris Flacone, he began reaching after Domi above the glass. And to his likely surprise, the glass broke, sending him into the box, where Domi pulled him in and landed a few shots. It could've been much worse had the referee not immediately stepped in. And to his credit, Domi could've done more damage than he did.
The fan certainly played a role in the incident, but Domi didn't do himself any favors in Philadelphia with that one.
Patrick Kane
The complete opposite of the two above, Kane was a gifted offensive player. He was a key cog in the Blackhawks' dynasty, winning three Stanley Cups in six seasons between 2010 and 2015. There is only one moment that comes to a Flyers fan's mind when Kane's name comes up.
The Flyers' run to the 2010 Stanley Cup Final felt magical. They clinched on the final day of the regular season in a shootout against the Rangers. They made one of the most improbable comebacks against Boston in the Semi Finals. It felt like their long drought was about to end. Chicago was coming off one of their best seasons the year prior, and only seemed to be getting stronger. With high expectations, they set franchise records for wins and points.
The Stanley Cup Final saw plenty of offense throughout. A team scored at least four goals in five of the six games. The Hawks won the first two games, with the Flyers winning the next two. Chicago would take Game 5, setting up a must-win in Philadelphia. Game 6 was back and forth from the start, with each team grabbing momentum at key moments. Scott Hartnell's tying goal with just under four minutes remaining could've catapulted the Flyers to force a Game 7. But the clock ticked down, and overtime was needed.
That's when Kane scored a goal that no Flyers fan will ever forget. And most didn't even know the puck was in initially, except for Kane. He celebrated immediately, and once it finally hit, it was one of the most devastating losses in the franchise's history. The goal was later given the honor of Goal of the Decade, rubbing more salt in the wound.
These three aren't the only villains in Flyers' history. But most fans can pinpoint exactly where they were when each of those moments took place. And because of that, no amount of time can make the pain go away or erase the memories.
Add us as a preferred source on Google