Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Mason, Flyers Hall of Fame, 20 Years Ago, Flanagan

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Mason, Flyers Hall of Fame, 20 Years Ago, Flanagan
- bmeltzer

To me the 2nd best Flyers Dman of all time is a toss up between Desjardins, Timonen and Jimmy Watson

Im 31 and for me desjardins is the best flyers defenseman of my time. One rung above timonen

Im 31 and for me desjardins is the best flyers defenseman of my time. One rung above timonen
- Just5

Seem pretty comparable to me (I'm the same age). Wasn't Desjardins a righty though?

Edit: he was, making me say that I would take him over Timmonen right now and in their prime. Not that that alone should decide who is better but I can't remember a time this team had a good mix of righty sand leftys. Maybe someone else can reach back in history for that?

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Mason, Flyers Hall of Fame, 20 Years Ago, Flanagan
- bmeltzer

Absolutely awesome read, Bill!!!



Thanks for your hard work. I really enjoyed reliving the 94-95 season through your text. What an awesome time in Flyers hockey!

Seem pretty comparable to me (I'm the same age). Wasn't Desjardins a righty though?

Edit: he was, making me say that I would take him over Timmonen right now and in their prime. Not that that alone should decide who is better but I can't remember a time this team had a good mix of righty sand leftys. Maybe someone else can reach back in history for that?
- coffee junkie

Yes, Desjardins was a righty.

Bill, great write up on that 94-95 season. I look forward to the larger piece on that topic. It was fun to watch that team develop and grow and I think that team and season really brought even more interest in hockey and the Flyers, in general, to a certain generation of sports fans in the Delaware Valley.

I know that Clarke has his critics for his work as GM, but his work from the summer of 1994 to the end of the 1995 season was one of the best years I have ever seen from an NHL general manager. Keith "the Thief" Allen couldn't have done it any better that year. Clarke also did it without spending a ton of extra money on salaries that season.

You are correct, insofar as, this was Clarke's best work as GM. I think if I had a beef in looking back at Clarke's reign as GM, it was the lack of real player development process. If a draft didn't work out back then or if players didn't develop as you'd hoped, Clarke could just spend or trade around it. This was especially true, given Ed Snider/Comcast deep pockets.

I was only 8 years old during that season, but I remember the excitement of that season. There is nothing like watching a young team come into their own. You feel like the sky is the limit.

I was only 8 years old during that season, but I remember the excitement of that season. There is nothing like watching a young team come into their own. You feel like the sky is the limit.
- PhillySportsGuy

And in 2014-2015 we will have a similar excitement

I was only 8 years old during that season, but I remember the excitement of that season. There is nothing like watching a young team come into their own. You feel like the sky is the limit.
- PhillySportsGuy

...hmm...

This reminds me of another Flyers team I've seen...

Seem pretty comparable to me (I'm the same age). Wasn't Desjardins a righty though?

Edit: he was, making me say that I would take him over Timmonen right now and in their prime. Not that that alone should decide who is better but I can't remember a time this team had a good mix of righty sand leftys. Maybe someone else can reach back in history for that?
- coffee junkie

I've seen all of Desjardins work with the Flyers and all of Timonen's work with the Flyers.

I can't say if I'd take one over the other, actually. I know some people think Desjardins was definitely better, but I'm not so sure. I think they are a little more even than folks think.

One thing I do know.....when each guy was in their prime, the team was in deep, deep trouble if either guy got hurt, even for a couple of games.

This reminds me of another Flyers team I've seen...
- Giroux_Is_God

Spring 11-12... that PIT series where all the kids looked fantastic, and Bob and JvR were still around... man seems like forever ago.

And in 2014-2015 we will have a similar excitement
- funmaster18

When does Hexy get us our Desjardins?

...hmm...

This reminds me of another Flyers team I've seen...
- Giroux_Is_God

Which one? The Richards era or the Giroux era?

Our players should be kept in quarantine during the off-season. Including padded walls and no sharp objects.

No balls or string either.

Seem pretty comparable to me (I'm the same age). Wasn't Desjardins a righty though?

Edit: he was, making me say that I would take him over Timmonen right now and in their prime. Not that that alone should decide who is better but I can't remember a time this team had a good mix of righty sand leftys. Maybe someone else can reach back in history for that?
- coffee junkie[/

Well the 94-95 team had Rico and Yuskeyvich and the following season they had Rico and Samuelsson. Also the 86-87 squad had McCrimmon and Samuelsson.

I can't recall them ever having 3 right handed dmen at the same time though

Im 31 and for me desjardins is the best flyers defenseman of my time. One rung above timonen
- Just5

Ditto that. 31 here as well.

I'm a tad cooler, but that's debateable.

Great article Bill. I am thankful that they got rid of that dumb crease rule. I am hoping that they will do the same with the trapezoid, and will expand the over-time minutes. In my opinion, I like to see the goalies handle the puck (see the Flower..hahaha), and i think that the league is in too much of a hurry to get to the shootout.
I loved watching Lindros on the ice. I was sad to see him fight with the Flyers during the end of his time with the team. Lindros would not take crap from anyone, and even though he wasn't the greatest fighter, he didn't back down from one. He did bring a leadership that I believe that the team has been lacking ever since.
Anyway, having a player on a team for such a long time is getting harder, and harder to find. Because of the bargaining agreement, and the cap, those days maybe over. Now, your team has to rebuild almost every 4 years in order to keep under the cap. But, that's ok, because we get to see some new faces, and nobody can change my hockey card collection..lol.
Great read as usual. Take care.

Our players should be kept in quarantine during the off-season. Including padded walls and no sharp objects.

No balls or string either.
- Flyersgod

Bubble wrap. Lots and lots of bubble wrap. Though if they wanna let Rinaldo and Rosehill spend the offseason playing with weapons and matches, I'm cool with that.

I've seen all of Desjardins work with the Flyers and all of Timonen's work with the Flyers.

I can't say if I'd take one over the other, actually. I know some people think Desjardins was definitely better, but I'm not so sure. I think they are a little more even than folks think.

One thing I do know.....when each guy was in their prime, the team was in deep, deep trouble if either guy got hurt, even for a couple of games.
- johndewar

Good point. And what does that mean for this coming year

Bubble wrap. Lots and lots of bubble wrap. Though if they wanna let Rinaldo and Rosehill spend the offseason playing with weapons and matches, I'm cool with that.
- BiggE

Bill,
Nice write up on one of the more fun and colorful Flyers teams/seasons.

Both LeClair and Lindros are no brainers for the Flyers HOF. As is Rico. It doesn't seem possible it was 20 years ago. I guess that would explain all the gray hair.

I still remember going to work and hearing that the Flyers have traded Soderstrom and one of the people at work absolutely doing a jig. He was ecstatic that Hexy was coming back. I remember the early season (pre trade) game against Boston when Cam Neely practically carried players around while scoring it seemed at will. While Hextall stood on his head to keep the Flyers in the game.

On the 2nd best Dman .... it is Rico. He managed to remake himself in the face of several major injuries and remain a top 3 NHL defenseman to the end. This is not a knock on anyone else, but playing the game he played in systems that at times left him exposed to get crushed and all along being the steadying/calming pressence...he is the man. Jimmy Watson and Kimo would by 3 & 4 and you can slot them however you wanted. I saw Jimmy Watson play from 73 on, he had a good complete game pre back injury, but he really didn't have anything on Kimmo or Rico.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Mason, Flyers Hall of Fame, 20 Years Ago, Flanagan
- bmeltzer

Imagine if the Flyers had gotten who they initially wanted from the Habs...according to several things I've read, including Jay Greenberg's Full Spectrum, the Flyers were after LeClair and Mathieu Schneider.

I wonder if Schneider, a very good defenseman, would have stayed in Philly as long as Rico, and been as well regarded, had he been the guy acquired with LeClair.

Jarmo Kekalainen traded a possession anchor, who the team would have bought out if they couldn't move, in R.J. Umberger for a better possession player and point producer in Scott Hartnell.

From Todd Cordel the CBJ blogger

I do not look forward to Hartnell's inevitable game winning goal upon his first return to Philly.

Jarmo Kekalainen traded a possession anchor, who the team would have bought out if they couldn't move, in R.J. Umberger for a better possession player and point producer in Scott Hartnell.

From Todd Cordel the CBJ blogger

I do not look forward to Hartnell's inevitable game winning goal upon his first return to Philly.
- coffee junkie

That was not a good hockey trade for the Flyers, optically speaking. And I like Scott Hartnell a lot. I'm a big fan. But CBJ fans/writers might want to pump their brakes a bit.

I wonder what Todd Cordel will write when Hartnell takes his first penalty and falls down with no contact on a line rush.