Top 10 All-Time Flyers Rookie Free Agent Signees
As much of a crapshoot as the NHL Draft is, signing free agent rookies is an even dicier proposition with the odds of success being roughly equal to hitting the mark with late-round Draft picks. Throughout their franchise history, however, the Philadelphia Flyers have had more than their fair share of success stories -- including hitting a few home runs -- by signing players who either fell through the cracks of the Draft entirely or went unsigned by the team that selected them.
There has been an active debate recently on HockeyBuzz's Flyers board about the team's frequent practice of signing numerous undrafted or drafted-elsewhere-but-unsigned free agents to entry-level contracts. On the positive side, some of these players -- such as Matt Read and Erik Gustafsson -- have gone on to play in the NHL. On the down side, the ones who have missed the mark (such as undrafted Luke Pither and Mike Testwuide and drafted-elsewhere free agents Niko Hovinen and Blake Kessel) have clogged up the reserve list without making significant contributions even at the AHL level.
My own view is that the Flyers have hit the mark with rookie free agents enough times to justify keeping up the practice. It has proven to be an effective way to bolster the farm system, especially with the club having traded away so many of its own picks in the 2000s to acquire NHL veterans. With older rookie prospects, it's usually apparent quickly after they turn pro if they've got a realistic shot at the NHL.
Here are the top 10 free agent "homegrown" signees in Flyers' team history.
1.
Tim Kerr (RW/C): As deep as the legendary 1979 Draft was, it's still hard to believe that both Kerr and Dino Ciccarelli went unselected -- that's 978 regular season goals (370 by Kerr) worth of undrafted talent. Kerr, a junior A center for Kingston, was signed by the Flyers two months after the 1979 Draft at the strong recommendation of scout Eric Colville. The Flyers had to up the ante in order to convince Kerr to sign with them instead of the Detroit Red Wings.
Despite being plagued by a host of knee and shoulder problems that ultimately cut his career short, Kerr proved to be one of the most dominant power forwards of 1980s. Strong as an ox with the ability to collect bushels of goals on rebounds and deflections from within three feet of the net and a highly underrated ability to score from distance, Kerr collected 54-plus goals in four straight seasons and 48-plus goals five times.
In Kerr's prime, he was every bit as productive as Hall of Famer Cam Neely. Kerr's 370 goals and 674 points in 655 regular season games (1.03 point per game average) compare favorably to Neely's 395 goals and 694 points in 726 games (.955 PPG). Before injuries took their toll on both players, their best years came during the NHL's highest scoring era, which spanned from the rise of the Oilers juggernaut in the 1980s until about 1993. Kerr was inducted into the Flyers' Hall of Fame in 1994.
2.
Dave Poulin (C): After four seasons of hockey and a fine academic career at Notre Dame, the undrafted Poulin was prepared after his 1982 graduation to leave hockey and join the corporate management training program at Procter and Gamble. At the last instant, he decided to prolong his hockey career a little further to accept an offer to play a season of minor league hockey in Sweden for Rögle Ängelholm. That set in motion a chain of events that would lead Poulin to a long and highly productive hockey career.
Poulin's coach with Rögle was Ted Sator, who also served as the Flyers' skating coach (later a full assistant coach under Mike Keenan before Sator left to accept the New York Rangers' head coaching job). At the end of the Swedish season, Sator recommended Poulin to the Flyers. Philadelphia signed him to a contract, and he reported to the AHL's Maine Mariners. Before the end of the 1982-83 season, Poulin would earn a call-up to the NHL and play so well that he forged a lineup spot with the Flyers.
Poulin had back-to-back 30-goal campaigns in his first two NHL seasons, and went on to score 25 or more goals in each of his first four NHL seasons. A stellar defensive forward who won the Selke Trophy in 1986-87, Poulin was one of the top penalty killers in franchise history. He is also widely regarded as the Flyers' best captain after Bobby Clarke.
Poulin assumed the captaincy in 1984-85 and was absolutely crucial not only in the role he played in helping teammates cope with the death of Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender Pelle Lindbergh but also in helping to quell several potential full-scale mutinies against the tyrannical Keenan. One of the headiest players in team history, both on and off the ice, Poulin was elected to the Flyers' Hall of Fame in 2004.
After his NHL player career ended, Poulin returned to Notre Dame, where he served as the head coach of the hockey program from 1995-96 to 2004-05 and later served in its athletic department. He subsequently returned to a front office career in the NHL, being hired by Toronto in 2009 as its vice president of hockey operations.
3.
Illkka Sinisalo (LW/RW): The smooth-skating Finn was one of the NHL's most underrated two-way players of the 1980s. The Flyers signed Sinisalo -- a star forward for HIFK Helsinki of Finland's SM-liiga -- to a free agent contract on February 14, 1981. He went on to become the fourth highest Finnish goal scorer in NHL history and a member of the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame (inducted 1997). Although he frequently dealt with injuries during his career, Sinisalo topped the 20-goal mark six times with the Flyers and exceeded 30 goals twice (with a high of 39 tallies and 76 points in 74 games in 1985-86).
Sinisalo wasn't just a fine goal scorer, although he is best known for his Sign Man-inspired nickname Ilkka Score-a-goal-a. He was also a rock solid defensive forward and one of the most versatile players in club history. He could play any forward position as needed and excelled both on scoring to checking lines at even strength.
Unfortunately, Sinisalo had absolutely miserable luck with injuries -- nearly as much as Kerr. He never dressed in more than 74 games in a season. At various junctures of his career, the Flyers lost Sinisalo for extended stretches due to a broken collarbone (courtesy of frustrated teammate Glen Cochrane shoving him into the boards after scoring a goal in practice), four different knee injuries that forced him to miss time, a broken wrist, a cracked metatarsal, and back spasms that affected his play late in his Flyers career.
Even so, Sinisalo remains to this day the top-scoring European player in Flyers' franchise history. Since 2004, he has been back in the organization as a Europe-based scout. Previously, he was a scout for the San Jose Sharks and served a stint as general manager for SM-liiga club Espoo Blues.
4.
Orest Kindrachuk (C): The son of Ukrainian immigrants to Sasketchewan, Kindrachuk initially planned to honor the sacrifices his parents made for him by becoming an optometrist rather than pursuing a hockey career. A bit undersized and a below-average skater, Kindrachuk did not believe he had a future in hockey.
Kindrachuk had a strong junior career for the Saskatoon Blades but went unselected in the 1970 NHL Draft. For one year, he enrolled at the University of Saskatchewan -- where he did not sign up for the college's hockey team. The aspiring eye doctor had to attend three labs per week and the team practiced every day, so hockey participation was out.
Unbeknownst to Kindrachuk, the Flyers had interest in him. Based on a recommendation from a former Saskatchewan midget hockey on-ice rival and off-ice friend -- Flyers prospect Don Saleski -- Flyers general manager Keith Allen sent Philadelphia scouts to watch Kindrachuk during the 1970-71 season. He was signed to a free agent contract on July 1, 1971.
Kindrachuk still did not think he had much of a shot at an NHL career. He attended his first professional training camp fully expecting to be cut by the AHL's Richmond Robins, and then to return to college to work toward his degree. Instead, Kindrachuk wound up scoring 35 goals and 86 points to go along with 133 penalty minutes in 72 games during the 1972-73 season. He even dressed in two NHL games with the Flyers.
The next fall, Kindrachuk attended training camp with the Flyers. Before the first day of on-ice work, he approached Flyers head coach Fred Shero that he and his wife were unsure where to live during the camp and asked if Shero had any recommendations. Shero, who had never before spoken with Kindrachuk but knew full well who he was, looked at the rookie.
"If you've got any guts, kid, you'll rent an apartment in Philadelphia right away," said Shero.
Kindrachuk made the Flyers out of their 1972 camp, dressing in 71 regular season games and going to have a strong playoff run (five goals, nine points in 17 postseason tilts). He went on to become a very important role player on the Broad Street Bullies clubs of the mid-1970s.
A huge part of the success of the Shero-era Flyers lay in their work ethic and depth. Kindrachuk provided both in support of the team's top two centers, Bobby Clarke and Rick MacLeish. The Flyers' third-line center was very tough to play against -- a tireless worker along the boards, a fine defensive player, a pest who got under opponents' skin, and a player with very underrated hands who could produce supporting offense despite his significant lack of speed.
Kindrachuk was also one of the most extensively nicknamed players on a team full of players with colorful monitors. He never went by Orest among his teammates. Depending on the season and the whims of his fellow Flyers, he was variously known as Little O (in answer to basketball's Oscar "Big O" Robertson), Bobo, Chicky or Chuckles (plays on Kindrachuk), Ernie, Walrus or Russ (for his thick mustache).
In his best NHL offensive season of 1975-76, Kindrachuk racked up 26 goals and 75 points in 76 games to go along with 101 penalty minutes. That year, his friend and linemate Saleski scored 21 goals (the first of three straight 20-plus goal seasons by "Big Bird").
After the 1977-78 season, the Flyers traded Kindrachuk, Tom Bladon and Ross Lonsberry to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for the sixth overall pick of the 1978 Draft. The Flyers used the pick to select defenseman Behn Wilson.
5.
Matt Read (W/C): The current Flyers forward never played major junior hockey, standing out at the Junior A level in Ontario. After spending a year in the USHL, he was a late-bloomer in the NCAA collegiate ranks for Bemidji State University (which is also the alma mater of former Flames/Flyers center Joel Otto), where he played four seasons. The Flyers signed the undrafted 24-year-old to a free agent contract on March 24, 2011.
Upon signing with the Flyers, Read spent the remainder of the 2010-11 season on an amateur tryout contract with the AHL's Adirondack Phantoms. It was immediately apparent that Read was a very capable pro-level player. He racked up 7 goals and 13 points in 11 games with the Phantoms. Now, the question was whether Read was an NHL-worthy talent or if he was destined to top out as an AHL-NHL swingman.
It didn't take Read very long to affirmatively answer the question of his NHL worthiness. He was stellar at his first NHL camp in 2011, making it virtually impossible for Peter Laviolette to cut him from the roster. Read went on to score 24 goals and 47 points as an NHL rookie in 2011-12. His speed and finishing ability were only part of the story. Read also showed the versatility to play in all game situations, to play any forward position and to assume more offensive-minded or defense-first duties depending on which line he played on at five-on-five.
This past season, Read was leading the Flyers in goal-scoring through the first 18 games of the season (seven goals, six assists, 13 points) when he suffered a rib injury in a February 20 game against the Penguins. He returned to the lineup well ahead of schedule, missing just six games after it was initially said he'd be out six to eight weeks.
Unfortunately but not unexpectedly, Read struggled upon his return. He had just one point (an assist) in his next eight games. It took Read a full month to start to look like himself again on the ice, but he eventually reeled off a five-game point streak (two goals, three assists) and went on to finish the season with 11 goals and 24 points in 42 games.
Read can become an unrestricted free agent next summer. At his current $900,000 entry-level salary, he is still a bargain for the Flyers (or another team if he is traded). His next contract will see his salary inflate significantly. Unless the Flyers are able to get him re-signed early -- which might not be in the player's own financial best interests if he shows next season that he can resume producing at his rookie and pre-injury level -- the club may end up trading him before he hits the open market.
6.
R.J. Umberger (C/W): In Umberger's case, the Flyers were not dealing with some little-known prospect at the time they signed him as a free agent on June 16, 2004. Umberger was a first-round pick (16th overall) by Vancouver in the 2001 Draft.
Western Pennsylvania native Umberger left Ohio State before his senior year, intending to turn pro with the Canucks. However, negotiations stalled and then fell apart. Meanwhile, Umberger sat out the entire 2003-04 season. The Canucks traded his rights to the Rangers in early March of 2004, but the player opted not to sign with the Rangers, becoming an unrestricted free agent.
The Flyers had plenty of competition for Umberger's services, but beat out all competing offers (including one from the Pittsburgh Penguins) to land him as a free agent. Umberger was an important player on the Phantoms' 2004-05 Calder Cup championship squad and then graduated to the NHL with a 20-goal rookie season the following year.
In 2008, Umberger had a stellar playoff run for the Eastern Conference Finals-bound Flyers. In particular, he was a one-man wrecking crew in the second round series against Montreal. Umberger scored goals in every game of the series and racking up eight goals and nine points overall as the pre-series underdog Flyers ousted the Habs in five games.
The Flyers wanted to keep Umberger and sign him to a long-term contract extension. He really wanted to stay in Philly. Unfortunately, the team was in a salary-cap bind and had little choice but to trade him while they could still get value in return after his huge 2008 playoff run.
On June 20, 2008, the Flyers traded Umberger and their fourth-round pick (Drew Olson) in the 2008 Draft to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for the 19th overall pick of the draft (which Philly used to select defenseman Luca Sbisa) and a third-round pick (Marc-Andre Bourdon).
Now 31 years old, Umberger has continued to be a dependable if unspectacular player for the Blue Jackets since the trade from the Flyers. Before the 2012 lockout, he had four straight seasons of 20 to 26 goals and had 50 to 57 points in three of those seasons. The Blue Jackets have only reached the playoffs once during his tenure with the team but he had three goals in the team's four-game loss in the first round of the 2008 playoffs. During the lockout-shortened 2013 campaign, Umberger had eight goals and 18 points while dressing in all 48 games. The Blue Jackets narrowly missed the 2013 postseason.
7.
Bob Froese (G): Originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the 10th round of the 1978 NHL Draft, Froese was never signed by St. Louis. He bounced around the minor leagues for a few years before the Flyers signed him as a free agent on June 18, 1981.
Froese had a hard time gaining respect during his career, either among fans or from Mike Keenan (who did not regard him as the type of goaltender whom a team could rely on to win in the playoffs). Much like Roman Cechmanek in the early 2000s, Froese usually put up very strong regular season numbers but was inconsistent when tabbed to start in the postseason. As a result, he received as much criticism as praise.
Unfortunately for Froese, he is generally best remembered as either Pelle Lindbergh's backup or as the starting goalie the Flyers had in between Lindbergh's death and Ron Hextall's stellar rookie season. He simply came along at the wrong time, because he was not as good as either Lindbergh or Hextall but was a pretty good NHL goaltender in his right when he got the opportunity to play.
At a surface glance, Froese's raw stats were often better than Lindbergh's. However, it should also be noted that a higher percentage of Froese's starts came against the Flyers' lower-echelon opponents.
Froese always strongly believed himself to be worthy of being an NHL starter, and his relationship with Lindbergh -- while cordial on the surface -- was tinged by an unspoken rivalry. The two teammates were never close friends, although they made some efforts at bonding a little closer shortly before Lindbergh's fatal car crash.
Seeing himself blocked in his ambition of becoming a full-time NHL starter, Froese was an unhappy camper following Lindbergh's Vezina Trophy winning season and the Flyers' run to the 1985 Stanley Cup Finals. In November 1985, Flyers general manager Bob Clarke agreed to a long-term contract extension for Lindbergh and tentatively agreed to a trade with the Los Angeles Kings, which would send Froese to LA in exchange for defenseman Jay Wells. The Lindbergh contract extension and Froese trade were set to be announced on Nov. 12, 1985 when Clarke returned to Philadelphia from an in-season scouting trip to Boston.
Those plans came to a tragic halt when Lindbergh crashed his Porsche and was rendered brain dead in the early morning hours of Nov. 11, 1985. The impending trade with Los Angeles was called off, and Froese was promoted into the starting job with the Flyers -- but not before Froese himself suffered an extremely painful injury in a practice preparing for the Lindbergh Memorial game against defending Stanley Cup champion Edmonton (earlier on the say day as Lindbergh's Philadelphia funeral, in fact).
Froese got hit in the protective cup with a slapshot with such force that the cup shattered and the goaltender still took the brunt of the impact. Doubled over in horrendous pain, Froese had blood in his urine for several days. As a result, Froese was knocked out of the lineup. The Flyers had minor league callup Darren Jensen start the game against Edmonton and they had to temorarily purchase the contract of minor leaguer Mike Bloski to have a backup until Froese was able to return to practice and take over the primary starting duties from Jensen.
Froese played in the 1985-86 NHL All-Star game, replacing Lindbergh (who was posthumously elected as the starter). He went on to win the Jennings Trophy and finished as the runner up to the Rangers' John Vanbiesbrouck in the Vezina Trophy race, earning eight first-place votes among the NHL's General Managers.
Unfortunately, Froese was significantly outplayed by Vanbiesbrouck in the 1986 playoffs and received much of the blame as the Rangers ousted the heavily favored -- but mentally and emotionally drained five months after Lindbergh's death-- Flyers in the first round of the playoffs. Months earlier, he received a backhanded compliment from Keenan when the coach was asked about selecting Froese for the All-Star Game.
"Statistically, he deserves to be there," said Keenan, who behind the scenes repeatedly told Clarke and team president Jay Snider that Froese was nowhere close to being of the same caliber as Lindbergh.
After the Flyers' ouster by the Rangers, Keenan once again damned Froese with a less-than-empassioned defense of his worthiness outduel elite goalies head-to-head. Specifically, Keenan said that Vanbiesbrouck played like the best goalie in the NHL throughout the series and the team didn't do enough to pick up Froese.
The next season, rookie Ron Hextall rapidly unseated Froese as the starter. In a story recounted in Jay Greenberg's Full Spectrum, Froese razzed Hextall on the bus during training camp by half-jokingly telling him that the spot where he was sitting was reserved for the team's starting goalie.
The rookie's eyes locked with Froese's.
"Then I'll be sitting here from now on," said Hextall.
Froese, who soon demanded a trade, appeared in just three games for the Flyers in 1986-87. On December 18, he was traded to the Rangers in exchange for defenseman Kjell Samuelsson and a 1999 second-round pick (Patrik Juhlin). Unfortunately for Froese, going to the Rangers meant that he'd still be a backup goalie.
Froese remained with the Rangers as the second-string goalie through the 1989-90 season. He later worked as the New York Islanders goaltending coach for one season (1995-96). However, Froese found his true calling in life in quite a different arena.
A devout Christian, Froese dedicated himself to religious studies after the end of his playing career, becoming an ordained minister and obtaining a Ph.D. D. in Biblical Counseling from Trinity Theological Seminary. Today, Froese is the senior pastor at Faith Fellowship Church in Clarence, New York.
8.
Ron Flockhart (C/RW): A product of Smithers, British Columbia (same hometown as Joe and Jimmy Watson), Flockhart was signed as a free agent on July 1, 1980. The freewheeling forward soon created a brief sensation in Philadelphia known as Flockey Hockey.
"Flockey Hockey" was all the rage in Philly in 1981. After a cup of coffee with the big club in 1980-81, Flockhart was a sensation in his first NHL season, racking up 33 goals and 72 points in 72 games. The dipsy-doodling stickhandlind wizard was a one-dimensional player but no one cared as long as he kept scoring goals.
Flockhart still holds the Philadelphia Flyers record for fastest two goals (8 seconds apart) by one player, set during a game against the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 6, 1981. Unfortunately, Flockhart was never able to build on his great rookie season and his totals declined thereafter. He lasted two-plus seasons in Philadelphia (producing 29 goals and 60 points in his second full season) before being traded to the Penguins.
Flockhart had seasons of 27 goals with Pittsburgh and 22 goals with the St. Louis Blues but it was not enough to make up for the other deficiencies in his game. He was out of the NHL in 1989.
9.
Jim Vandermeer (D): Signed as an undrafted free agent on Dec. 21, 2000, Vandermeer is an example of how some overage junior players are able to go on to have lengthy NHL careers after being ignored in the NHL Draft.
While a member of the Philadelphia Phantoms, Vandermeer gained the confidence of head coach John Stevens as a physical and tough defensive defenseman. Although he was a big scorer in his overage junior season, Vandermeer realized that taking care of his own end of the ice would be his main role as a pro. Vandermeer spent parts of two seasons with the big club before he was traded to Chicago in the deal that sent Alexei Zhamnov to the Flyers for the 2004 stretch drive and playoffs.
Vandermeer would later have a brief second stint with the Flyers in 2007-08. Re-acquired from Chicago in exchange for Ben Eager, he was reunited with John Stevens. The Flyers head coach installed Vandermeer on his top pairing with Kimmo Timonen and stubbornly stuck with it even as media and fan criticism of Vandermeer's play mounted. Although Stevens' loyalty to and confidence in the player was admirable, Vandermeer was overmatched going up against other teams' top lines on a regular basis. He especially had trouble dealing with opponents who attacked with speed.
Vandermeer was finally moved down in the lineup near the end of his 28-game return to Philadelphia. On Feb. 20, 2008, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren pulled the plug. He traded the impending unrestricted free agent to Calgary in exchange for a 2009 third-round pick (Simon Bertilsson). Vandermeer went on to play as a sixth/seventh defenseman for the Flames, Oilers and Sharks.
Now 33 years old, Vandermeer returned to the minor leagues in 2012-13 after being unable to hook on with an NHL club. He dressed in 34 games for the AHL's Chicago Wolves. He has played in 461 career NHL regular season games, including 75 with the Flyers.
10.
Mike Busniuk (D/F): Drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the 5th round of the 1971 NHL Draft, Busniuk was not signed. He played four collegiate seasons with the University of Denver and then bounced around the minor leagues as a gritty and tough role player with the ability to play either defense or wing as needed. The Flyers signed him as a free agent in the fall of 1977.
Busniuk eventually cracked the Flyers' NHL roster, spending two years with the big club. Most notably, he was a regular starter for the 1979-80 team that reeled off a record 35-game unbeaten streak during the regular season and reached the Stanley Cup Finals before losing in a six-game heartbreaker to the New York Islanders. That year, Busniuk posted a plus-39 rating while compiling 20 points (two goals, 18 assists) and 93 penalty minutes in 71 regular season games. The following season, Busniuk racked up 204 penalty minutes while dressing in 72 games and boasting a plus-27 rating at even strength.
Bob McCammon, who succeeded Pat Quinn as the Flyers head coach, was not as enamored of Busniuk as his predecessor. The player was demoted back to the minor leagues the following season and was not called up again.
After his retirement as an active player, Busniuk has gone to have a lengthy coaching career, primarily as an assistant coach for the New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators AHL farm clubs.
Honorable mention:
Jack McIlhargey (D): Bushy-haired McIlhargey was a player who frequently dropped the gloves and relished his reputation as an on-ice wildman. He usually sported either a heavy beard or a thick fu manchu mustache and skated with a crazed look in his eyes. McIlhargey understood that his main-role, apart from being a bottom pairing defensive defenseman, was to intimidate and fight. He had a bit of showmanship about performing his role, in a somewhat similar fashion to left winger Dave "The Hammer" Schultz (although Schultz was the better hockey player of the two).
Signed by the Flyers as a free agent on Sept. 1, 1972, he yo-yoed back and forth from the NHL to AHL during his early years. McIlhargey ended up resurfacing repeatedly with the Flyers, spending three different playing stints in the organization, interrupted by stints with the Vancouver Canucks and Hartford Whalers. For his NHL career, McIlhargey racked up 1,102 penalty minutes in 392 games (including 128 games and 497 penalty minutes as a Flyer).
After his playing career ended, McIlhargey went on to a long career as an AHL head and assistant coach as well as an NHL-level assistant coach. He spend two-plus years as a Flyers assistant under John Stevens (2007-08 to December of the 2009-10 season). By that time, McIlhargey's distinctive mustache remained but the flowing main of dark hair was long gone from his balding gray head.
Other honorable mentions: Erik Gustafsson (who will move onto the top-10 list above Vandermeer if the Swede successfully stakes down a full-time NHL job in 2013-14), Sergei Bobrovsky, Al Hill (whose five-point game in his NHL debut is a record that may never be broken), Randy Jones, Freddy Meyer.
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Former Flyers forward Ian Laperriere, now the organization's Director of Player Development, will be participating in the Ironman Mont-Tremblant: North American Championship on August 18. Apart from competing in the triatholon, Lappy is raising funds for a variety of charitable causes: the IRONMAN Foundation, Ronald McDonald House, the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation and Go4theGoal Foundation- Tunes4Teens. Laperriere has set a $10,000 fundraising goal. For more information or to make a donation,
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