I think he won the best defenseman trophy for the team a couple of years back.

I read many of the sites with interest and this is the only one I notice where an injured player is written off.
Most of the other sites and teams anticipate their return.
- strongsupporter

let's be friends

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: LeClair vs. Kerr, Defensemen of the 2000s
- bmeltzer

Great write up as always Bill, thanks!

I went with:
Timonen - no brainer
Desjardins- no brainer
Pronger - wasn't here long, but he was dominant when he did play
Johnsson - good skater and puck mover solid in all 3 zones
Coburn - struggled last year, but overall he has been a steady shutdown guy for a number of years

Just missed the cut:
Therien - his best years, like Leclair, were in the 90s
Hatcher - tough as nails and a good leader, but just wasn't healthy enough at this stage in his career to make the list
Ragnarsson- steady, underrtated dman, just an all around solid top 4 guy.

Timonen, Pronger, Desjardins, Johnsson, Coburn

Crims, Pick bros?
- PhillySportsGuy

Great minds think alike!

My list of the day. The top 10 faceoff men in Flyers history

1. Bobby Clarke - simply dominant, almost never lost a key draw
2. Joel Otto - the Flyers signed him to make sure none of their rivals would get him to go against Lindros and Brind'amour in the faceoff circle.
3. Eric Lindros - Unreal strength and quickness, a scary combo
4. Rod Brind'amour
5. Mike Sillinger
6. Rick Macleish - the master of the shot right off the faceoff, incredibly quick wrists
7. Craig MacTavish
8. Darryl Sittler - like Sillinger, he wasn't here long, but he was excellent on the draw
9. Blair Betts - Helped the pk immensely by winning nearly every opening faceoff
10. Keith Primeau

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: LeClair vs. Kerr, Defensemen of the 2000s
- bmeltzer

Interesting question. Who would you rather have on your team right now?

Tim Kerr of the years 1983-87, or John LeClair from 1995-99?

A close call and you'd have a good argument either way, nor could you lose with whomever you picked. But as much as I loved watching Kerr and what he was able to do with his strength, that deadly wrist shot, and his immovable body in front of the net, I may have to lean towards LeClair (not the John was a slouch in the strength dept.) because he was more mobile.

In today's higher paced game, it would've seemed that John's skating would perhaps give him a slight advantage.

On an unrelated note if the flyers want to resign gagne, there's no way I'd give him more than 1 mil. If handzus can sign for 1 mil with Chicago, we should be able to get gags for that much.

Is there really any question...Kerr vs LeClair....
I want them both....on a line with Lindros

I want a healthy Renberg on a line with a healthy Forsberg. I don't know who to put on that LW, but .... maybe Gagne .....

Kerr and LeClair were both cut from similar cloth. And both were a joy to watch. For those (and they know who they are) who discount Tim Kerr's scoring because of the era in which he played, consider that the Flyers were one of the few teams that actively stayed away from the run and gun run up the score style of the era that helped inflate many players stats. Kerr had a role and he filled it, just like Propp and Pouling and Sinisalo. Healthy Tim Kerr and there could be another Cup in Philly...just saying....

Timonen, Carle, coburn, johnsson, desjardins


Sorry prongs but need at least 2 seasons worth of games
- Just5

I don't know he had one helluva season here tho... Kinda messed up to look back at that trade then the concurrent signing and realize he only played one full season here... Hence why I don't like overpaying aging players anymore.

I'd prolly lean towards leclair just because he was more durable.

My list of the day. The top 10 faceoff men in Flyers history

1. Bobby Clarke - simply dominant, almost never lost a key draw
2. Joel Otto - the Flyers signed him to make sure none of their rivals would get him to go against Lindros and Brind'amour in the faceoff circle.
3. Eric Lindros - Unreal strength and quickness, a scary combo
4. Rod Brind'amour
5. Mike Sillinger
6. Rick Macleish - the master of the shot right off the faceoff, incredibly quick wrists
7. Craig MacTavish
8. Darryl Sittler - like Sillinger, he wasn't here long, but he was excellent on the draw
9. Blair Betts - Helped the pk immensely by winning nearly every opening faceoff
10. Keith Primeau
- BiggE

If you are putting a guy Like Betts on this list than Jimmy Dowd should be on it, he was lights out on the PK and was put out a ton of times in cructial situations to win draws...I would even count Poulin and Murray Craven higher than some on this list.

Long time reader first time post. Let me start off and say Bill, for the past couple years you have made my 12 o'clock break time much more interesting. The first thing I do at break is take off my hard hat off but number two is to always check hockey buzz and see if you have posted a blog. Unlike a lot of the other bloggers on here who post bs to garner "hits", your blogs are always well written and well thought out.

Ok, enough of the Meltzer d sucking from me and back on the topic... Flyers Best D Men of the 2000s. Even though Bundy played his last game on '06, I think he should be getting a little more respect. He was always consistent and could always be counted on to take up a lot of ice time. He may not have played as big as he actually was or scored the amount of goals that his booming slap shot was capable of, but he was rock on the flyers blue line for many years. He was to Jaromir Jagr as Sean Couturier is to Frankenstien Malkin. Oh, and he's pretty entertaining on twitter.

Lets Go Flyers!!!

An oversight, but frankly, he would have been another one getting 5 percent or less in the vote.
- bmeltzer

No randy jones?! Where were you on that one Bill??

If you are putting a guy Like Betts on this list than Jimmy Dowd should be on it, he was lights out on the PK and was put out a ton of times in cructial situations to win draws...I would even count Poulin and Murray Craven higher than some on this list.
- Pyzik

I could see Dowd, he was definitely someone I considered. However as someone who saw nearly every game Poulin and Craven played as a Flyer, neither belongs on this list. While both were very good players and excellent (especially Poulin) on the pk, neither was much better than average on faceoffs.

My list of the day. The top 10 faceoff men in Flyers history

1. Bobby Clarke - simply dominant, almost never lost a key draw
2. Joel Otto - the Flyers signed him to make sure none of their rivals would get him to go against Lindros and Brind'amour in the faceoff circle.
3. Eric Lindros - Unreal strength and quickness, a scary combo
4. Rod Brind'amour
5. Mike Sillinger
6. Rick Macleish - the master of the shot right off the faceoff, incredibly quick wrists
7. Craig MacTavish
8. Darryl Sittler - like Sillinger, he wasn't here long, but he was excellent on the draw
9. Blair Betts - Helped the pk immensely by winning nearly every opening faceoff
10. Keith Primeau
- BiggE

Bigg i enjoy these.
Suggestion: im sure its been done already but id like to see you do a list of best Flyers lines. Even if they were only together for one season.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: LeClair vs. Kerr, Defensemen of the 2000s
- bmeltzer

Desjardins, Johnsson, Coburn, Timonen and Pronger. Pronger should get as much praise as Forsberg has in voting, if not more. Pronger might be the single biggest reason why we made it to the Final in 2010.

John LeClair all the way baby!!

Bigg i enjoy these.
Suggestion: im sure its been done already but id like to see you do a list of best Flyers lines. Even if they were only together for one season.
- Crimsoninja

Sounds like a good idea for tomorrow, thanks!

Bigg i enjoy these.
Suggestion: im sure its been done already but id like to see you do a list of best Flyers lines. Even if they were only together for one season.
- Crimsoninja

1- LCB
2- Legion

Go...

kimmo, eric d, pronger, johnsson, hatch

easy peasy

swear to god


the streak continues
- Crimsoninja

Kim Johnsson got 1 of my votes

Timonen, Pronger, Desjardins, Johnsson, Coburn

Crims, Pick bros?
- PhillySportsGuy

I'm a pick bro too.

Can I be in the club?!

kimmo, eric d, pronger, johnsson, hatch

easy peasy
- FlyerMike18

yessss

My list of the day. The top 10 faceoff men in Flyers history

1. Bobby Clarke - simply dominant, almost never lost a key draw
2. Joel Otto - the Flyers signed him to make sure none of their rivals would get him to go against Lindros and Brind'amour in the faceoff circle.
3. Eric Lindros - Unreal strength and quickness, a scary combo
4. Rod Brind'amour
5. Mike Sillinger
6. Rick Macleish - the master of the shot right off the faceoff, incredibly quick wrists
7. Craig MacTavish
8. Darryl Sittler - like Sillinger, he wasn't here long, but he was excellent on the draw
9. Blair Betts - Helped the pk immensely by winning nearly every opening faceoff
10. Keith Primeau
- BiggE

Bob Corkum wasn't here very long but he was excellent on draws. Dave Poulin was no slouch, either.

Long time reader first time post. Let me start off and say Bill, for the past couple years you have made my 12 o'clock break time much more interesting. The first thing I do at break is take off my hard hat off but number two is to always check hockey buzz and see if you have posted a blog. Unlike a lot of the other bloggers on here who post bs to garner "hits", your blogs are always well written and well thought out.

Ok, enough of the Meltzer d sucking from me and back on the topic... Flyers Best D Men of the 2000s. Even though Bundy played his last game on '06, I think he should be getting a little more respect. He was always consistent and could always be counted on to take up a lot of ice time. He may not have played as big as he actually was or scored the amount of goals that his booming slap shot was capable of, but he was rock on the flyers blue line for many years. He was to Jaromir Jagr as Sean Couturier is to Frankenstien Malkin. Oh, and he's pretty entertaining on twitter.

Lets Go Flyers!!!
- TheJesus54

Thank you, and welcome to the board. Hope you keep posting.

Bob Corkum wasn't here very long but he was excellent on draws. Dave Poulin was no slouch, either.
- bmeltzer

LOL Corkum was here for such a short time, I had forgotten him. While Poulin was solid on draws, I wouldn't put him ahead of anyone in my top 10.

I could see Dowd, he was definitely someone I considered. However as someone who saw nearly every game Poulin and Craven played as a Flyer, neither belongs on this list. While both were very good players and excellent (especially Poulin) on the pk, neither was much better than average on faceoffs.
- BiggE

Blair Betts wasn't much better then average on faceoffs as a Flyer