The Philadelphia Flyers have seen a lot of ups and downs between the years 2000-01 and and 2024-25, but the six teams listed below jump out across the first quarter of the 21st century. Some for good reasons, while others for not-so-good reasons.
So, who made the cut as the three best (and three worst) Flyers teams of the first 25 years in the 21st century? A couple of answers might shock you, and a few may leave you thoroughly unsurprised.
The 3 best Flyers teams between 2000 and 2025
3 - 2002-03 Flyers nearly aced the Atlantic with 107 points
This is one of the teams Flyers fans can look back on and smile at, given their 107 points and second-place finish in the Atlantic. They won 45 games that year, and topped the league in goals against, allowing just 166 in that frame.
Offensively, they weren't flashy, with Jeremy Roenick leading the team in points with 59 to go with 27 goals. But you know what? That's all they needed to embark on a playoff run that ended with a 4-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators in the semi-finals.
2 - 2003-04 team nearly took the Prince of Wales Trophy
Right before the 2004-05 lockout, the Flyers were once again one of the toughest teams in hockey, this time taking the Atlantic Division with 101 points. They were eighth in scoring with 229 goals and sixth in goals against with 186.
Mark Recchi was the top scorer and he was hard to stop, finishing with 26 goals and 75 points, while the Flyers once again made a playoff run. This time, they made it to the Conference Finals before the Tampa Bay Lightning stopped them in seven games.
1 - 2009-10 team shocked the hockey world
Yeah, the 2009-10 team may've only finished with 88 points, good for just third in the Atlantic. But it was also the team that made one of the most unprecedented runs for the Stanley Cup in NHL history. No, this Flyers team didn't take it, but they took a brewing dynasty in the Windy City to six games before bowing out.
Still, they took eighth place in the regular season with 232 goals scored, and although they weren't anything to write home about defensively, finishing 15th in the league with 222 goals allowed, the Flyers still peaked at the right time.
Mike Richards finished the regular season with 62 points and 31 goals, pacing the team in points. Meanwhile, Jeff Carter led the Flyers in goals with 33.
The 3 worst Flyers teams between 2000 and 2025
3 - 2022-23 team improved but it was far behind the eight ball
I debated whether I should put the 2022-23 team here, or the last squad of the quarter century mark, the 2024-25 squad. But I rolled with the former since at least in 2024-25, the Flyers gave fans hope and they have a young core looking to take another step.
That was the difference maker, and the 2022-23 squad had little going for them except for Travis Konecny, who put up 31 goals and 61 points in 60 contests. The team itself finished seventh in the Metro with 75 points, and their 220 goals ranked 29th in the league.
2 - The 2021-22 team laid the blueprint for a rebuild
During the latter half of the century's first 25 seasons, the Flyers have had some terrible teams. And you might remember the 2021-22 squad that finished with 25 wins and 61 points, putting them dead last in the Metro Division.
They were so inept offensively that they finished the season 31st in scoring with 210 goals while allowing 294 of them. Even their leading scorer, Travis Konecny, didn't give fans much to cheer for. In 79 games, he finished with just 16 goals and 52 points.
1 - 2006-07 Flyers were about as bad as you could get
Yeah, this team was bad, and anyone watching Flyers games at the time probably turned off most of them. Philadelphia at least ranked a (somewhat) respectable 23rd in the league in goals scored with 213, and yes, I'm being generouos here, but wow, they couldn't stop anyone defensively.
The Flyers allowed a ridiculous 297 goals, which ranked last in the league, and it's one reason they ended the season with just 22 wins and 56 points. Simon Gagne was about the only respectable player on the roster that year, logging 41 goals and 68 points. As for everyone else...yeah, it wasn't great.
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