You can not stop the inevitable passage of time. You can't ignore it either, thanks to Facebook, Instagram, and X. They'll remind you every so often that it's been a certain number of years since something happened that will inevitably make you feel old, even if you aren't.
Ok, so it's only been 20, but that is long enough for our knees to crack when we stand and backs to throb if we have to carry anything. Still, it brings back fond memories of when we were young, and when Peter Forsberg FINALLY became a Flyer.
The Long Way Home
Peter Forsberg was drafted sixth overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the 1991 NHL Draft. It was a bit of a surprise move from then GM Russ Farwell. Despite scoring 102 points in 39 games in the Swedish junior league and then 17 points in 23 pro games that season, Forsberg was considered a fringe first-rounder, and the pick was a highly criticized reach in Philadelphia.
Turns out, it was a brilliant pick. Figures, as it also became a very key domino in what remains one of the biggest trades in the history of the NHL.
Our old friend Eric Lindros famously said he wouldn't play for the Quebec Nordiques. They called his bluff, and as it turns out, he wasn't bluffing. After holding out for a year and rejecting contract after contract, the Nordiques finally found a deal with the Flyers.
In the end, Eric Lindros went to the Flyers, and Steve Duchesne, Ron Hextall, Kerry Huffman, Mike Ricci, Chris Simon, Philadelphia's first-round pick in 1993, first-round pick in 1994, and
$15 million, along with Peter Forsberg, went over to the team that would eventually become the Colorado Avalanche.
This set off a wild trade tree that was in motion until 2015. Lindros became an MVP and one of the league's most feared players, but battled injuries, management, and hockey's worst stage parents and ended up out of town on the rival Rangers and never quite lived up to his potential.
Forsberg? He won Rookie of the Year in 1995, the Hart Trophy for MVP in 2003, along with the Art Ross Trophy for most points, was a three-time first-team All-Star, two-time Stanley Cup champion, and, perhaps most famously, tied for the Bud Light plus/minus award with Milan Hejduk in 2003.
Then the NHL was locked out. The Flyers decided to reboot and threw money at him, and Colorado couldn't match the numbers thanks to the brand new salary cap. Forsberg was finally a Flyer.
Foppa was far from a flop
Nearing the end of his career, Forsberg only played 100 games with the Flyers over two seasons. Still, he managed to score 115 points (30 goals and 85 assists) and put up 40 points in 40 games during his final season with the team, despite it being the worst season in the history of the franchise.
Forsberg's injuries prevented him from playing to his full potential and full time in Philadelphia, but he was still great. Simon Gagne scored 47 and 41 goals, riding shotgun with Forsberg. They both helped Mike Knuble reach his peak season at 33 years old. Joni Pitkanen had 45 points in 58 games in the 2005-06 season. That isn't exactly about Forsberg, but I'm so stunned I'm sharing it.
At 6'0", 205 pounds, Forsberg was far more powerful than his size let on. He was one of the first forwards to frequently utilize the reverse hit. He often won board battles against larger opponents. When he wasn't out muscling folks or scoring, he was skating in and out of defenders, and finding an impossibly open teammate because his opponents were all stuck chasing him.
He would be moved at the trade deadline, thanks to being unsure of his retirement status, for one last playoff run with Nashville. The Flyers ended up with Ryan Parent, Scottie Upshall, and would deal back the first-round pick from that trade to get Kimmo Timmonen and Scott Hartnell. Even though his Flyers career ended, Forsberg still dished out an assist.
In total, his career has made him one of the most prolific per-game scorers of all time. His highlight reels are 10 minutes or more, and his impact on two storied NHL franchises is indelible. It'll be a long time before the hockey world forgets Peter Forsberg, and hopefully Flyers fans remember the little bit of him we got fondly.