As a kid in the mid 80s I admired the Flyers because they were what I wanted my Devils to become. Mel Bridgeman was a bit of a link and while I hated the Rangers, I was able to look at Philly differently.
I can't explain it better then that and maybe as an innocent little kid, I remember being devastated at the loss of Pelle Lindbergh. To this day they're the only team in the division I want to see win the cup.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Elation and Despair
- bmeltzer

Bill or anyone else, can you tell me if the new 50th jerseys will be available for purchase on line after the initial release to the sth and at the fan gear store in philly?

Thanks!

Bradford for a 1st is basically Hextall trading AMac with 50% retained for a first...I love it

As a kid in the mid 80s I admired the Flyers because they were what I wanted my Devils to become. Mel Bridgeman was a bit of a link and while I hated the Rangers, I was able to look at Philly differently.
I can't explain it better then that and maybe as an innocent little kid, I remember being devastated at the loss of Pelle Lindbergh. To this day they're the only team in the division I want to see win the cup.
- Queenie_5_hole

This is great to hear from a devils fan. I was a fan of brodeur the second I saw him play. Although I hated seeing the Devils beat our flyers several times, I respected him immensely and loved that he gave props to hextall for inspiring him to play the puck so well. I still have a hate on for Stevens that will never go away after 2000. I respect him as a competitor but that's it.

Bradford for a 1st is basically Hextall trading AMac with 50% retained for a first...I love it
- YuenglingJagr

Now suddenly Bradford is a saint,he was really hammerd by the fans when he was on the team

This is great to hear from a devils fan. I was a fan of brodeur the second I saw him play. Although I hated seeing the Devils beat our flyers several times, I respected him immensely and loved that he gave props to hextall for inspiring him to play the puck so well. I still have a hate on for Stevens that will never go away after 2000. I respect him as a competitor but that's it.
- Hextall271

Best I can say about the Devils is that I hate them way less than the Pens or Satan's imps aka the NY Rangers.

Best I can say about the Devils is that I hate them way less than the Pens or Satan's imps aka the NY Rangers.
- BiggE

I heartily endorse this comment. Rangers top my list, but habs and leafs are right up there.

Now suddenly Bradford is a saint,he was really hammerd by the fans when he was on the team
- Landsbergfan

I don't think that's the case at all. Most people had nothing personal against the guy, just that he likely wasn't a QB who could lead a team to a Super Bowl championship. He's likely better than the other two options they had, but so is half of the league's starters.

I don't think that's the case at all. Most people had nothing personal against the guy, just that he likely wasn't a QB who could lead a team to a Super Bowl championship. He's likely better than the other two options they had, but so is half of the league's starters.
- jmatchett383

Exactly. With Bradford, I had them finishing either 7-9 or 8-8; without him, probably 5-11. Since they don't hold their own first, who cares. At this point, I just want to see the kid develop and improve as the season goes on and, hopefully, for the Vikings to lose a lot of games.

Best I can say about the Devils is that I hate them way less than the Pens or Satan's imps aka the NY Rangers.
- BiggE

The Devils are a far distant second to the Rangers for me. I don't hate the Penguins at all, but I do hate a handful of their players. As I've said a few times before, with the Penguins, it's more of an individual hate than a team hate. For instance, I have nothing against guys like Murray, Hornqvist, Bonino, Kessel, Maata, Cullen, Daley, and most of the young guys despite the team they play for. With the Rangers, I despise them all simply because they are Rangers.

If Crosby, Malkin, and Letang retired tomorrow, the huge rivalry would die down immensely from the Flyers' perspective. With the Rangers, it doesn't matter who's on the team.

Exactly. With Bradford, I had them finishing either 7-9 or 8-8; without him, probably 5-11. Since they don't hold their own first, who cares. At this point, I just want to see the kid develop and improve as the season goes on and, hopefully, for the Vikings to lose a lot of games.
- BiggE

May Clay Matthews and his Valhallan steel bestow the #1 pick to the Eagles...and the last pick to the Steelers.

The Devils are a far distant second to the Rangers for me. I don't hate the Penguins at all, but I do hate a handful of their players. As I've said a few times before, with the Penguins, it's more of an individual hate than a team hate. For instance, I have nothing against guys like Murray, Hornqvist, Bonino, Kessel, Maata, Cullen, Daley, and most of the young guys despite the team they play for. With the Rangers, I despise them all simply because they are Rangers.

If Crosby, Malkin, and Letang retired tomorrow, the huge rivalry would die down immensely from the Flyers' perspective. With the Rangers, it doesn't matter who's on the team.
- jmatchett383

I hate the Pens for more reasons than just some of their players. I hate them for blatantly tanking to get Lemieux and for the league bending over backwards to bail them out when they were failing. I have no respect whatsoever for that franchise.

I'm sure it's been discussed before, but would you guys be happy if every Flyers player selected to the play in this farce known as the "World" Cup suddenly became injured and unable to play? Outside of the NHL community, no one else will care at all about this the way they care about the Olympics, so it's really just an excuse to make a little more money for the NHL (without it counting as HRR). It also puts players at risk of injury and ensures that the best players in the league will be a little more exhausted for the playoffs. I'll root for the Flyers' players to do well, but I have little interest in the tournament as a whole and would rather they just not play it.

Now suddenly Bradford is a saint,he was really hammerd by the fans when he was on the team
- Landsbergfan

I think the trade could worth great for both sides...yeah he has another offense to learn, but it's not hard to hand the ball off and Shurmur is there along with Norv Turner. This is probably his best opportunity yet.

I was a fan of waiting a while for Wentz, but if they think he is ready then so be it.

I hate the Pens for more reasons than just some of their players. I hate them for blatantly tanking to get Lemieux and for the league bending over backwards to bail them out when they were failing. I have no respect whatsoever for that franchise.
- BiggE

But see, that's more of an ownership and management (and fan base) issue, to me. That's different than the way I hate the Rangers. But I do agree that they should have been forced to sell the team.

I'm sure it's been discussed before, but would you guys be happy if every Flyers player selected to the play in this farce known as the "World" Cup suddenly became injured and unable to play? Outside of the NHL community, no one else will care at all about this the way they care about the Olympics, so it's really just an excuse to make a little more money for the NHL (without it counting as HRR). It also puts players at risk of injury and ensures that the best players in the league will be a little more exhausted for the playoffs. I'll root for the Flyers' players to do well, but I have little interest in the tournament as a whole and would rather they just not play it.
- jmatchett383

I'd be thrilled if no Flyer was participating in this farce. I don't like pros in the Olympics either. These guys are highly paid to work for their respective NHL clubs and fans shell out a small fortune to see them play in person and purchase theirs and their team's merchandise. They should not be risking injury playing for any other reason.

I think the trade could worth great for both sides...yeah he has another offense to learn, but it's not hard to hand the ball off and Shurmur is there along with Norv Turner. This is probably his best opportunity yet.

I was a fan of waiting a while for Wentz, but if they think he is ready then so be it.
- YuenglingJagr

They give him ball so it can go in and then yes. Young is good and better later for more good we have. Ball go to it and Super Bowl. E-A-G-L-E-S ESCOBIRDS.

I'm sure it's been discussed before, but would you guys be happy if every Flyers player selected to the play in this farce known as the "World" Cup suddenly became injured and unable to play? Outside of the NHL community, no one else will care at all about this the way they care about the Olympics, so it's really just an excuse to make a little more money for the NHL (without it counting as HRR). It also puts players at risk of injury and ensures that the best players in the league will be a little more exhausted for the playoffs. I'll root for the Flyers' players to do well, but I have little interest in the tournament as a whole and would rather they just not play it.
- jmatchett383

Im excited to watch some hockey and that pretty much sums it up for me.

Im excited to watch some hockey and that pretty much sums it up for me.
- YuenglingJagr

Within a week of the World Cup starting, real NHL preseason hockey will be starting. I'm more excited to see if guys like Provorov, Konecny, and Morin push for NHL jobs than to see a meaningless "Team Europe" versus Czech Republic game, or even a Canada versus USA / "Team North America" match-up.

Just catching this post this AM.

Great post, Bill! I always enjoy it when you write on the mid-'80's Flyers teams.

Within a week of the World Cup starting, real NHL preseason hockey will be starting. I'm more excited to see if guys like Provorov, Konecny, and Morin push for NHL jobs than to see a meaningless "Team Europe" versus Czech Republic game, or even a Canada versus USA / "Team North America" match-up.
- jmatchett383

Yes, but with the World Cup we get both

Yes, but with the World Cup we get both


- YuenglingJagr

I just hope we don't get some sort of "Shayne Gostisbehere out 4-6 months with a broken leg" during an exhibition match against Team Europe. I understand that injuries can happen at any time, but playing more games increases that risk. And if "Team North America" wins...should the USA and Canada hockey fanbases be happy that we won or sad that we lost?

It's kind of like that movie Invincible, where Papale plays the parking lot football game with his buddies. Yeah, it was great and all that the bumhole caught a touchdown, but I doubt the Eagles / Eagles fanbase would have been happy if he separated his shoulder.

I'm sure it's been discussed before, but would you guys be happy if every Flyers player selected to the play in this farce known as the "World" Cup suddenly became injured and unable to play? Outside of the NHL community, no one else will care at all about this the way they care about the Olympics, so it's really just an excuse to make a little more money for the NHL (without it counting as HRR). It also puts players at risk of injury and ensures that the best players in the league will be a little more exhausted for the playoffs. I'll root for the Flyers' players to do well, but I have little interest in the tournament as a whole and would rather they just not play it.
- jmatchett383

I'll watch the games and I'll be interested in the outcome of World Cup. I don't like how they've cobbled together some of these teams, though...(Team Europe? Team North America? Meh).

But I MUCH prefer playing these types of "best on best" international tournaments in the off-season rather than interrupting the season to play them. Interrupting the season is bullpoop, IMO.

I'll watch the games and I'll be interested in the outcome of World Cup. I don't like how they've cobbled together some of these teams, though...(Team Europe? Team North America? Meh).

But I MUCH prefer playing these types of "best on best" international tournaments in the off-season rather than interrupting the season to play them. Interrupting the season is bullpoop, IMO.
- johndewar

I agree with the latter portion. However, it seems like an early/mid-August start would be better. It would give the players more rest/recuperation time before the start of the season, and it would let them fully participate in NHL preseason.

I agree with the latter portion. However, it seems like an early/mid-August start would be better. It would give the players more rest/recuperation time before the start of the season, and it would let them fully participate in NHL preseason.
- jmatchett383

I would not mind having hockey in my life in August.