Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits:

No disrespect Bill no one cares about other teams cup droughts. All this does is try to camouflage the flyers ineptness. What those other teams have or have not done is irrelevant.

On a side note way back when the flyers drafted an older russian Andre Razin. Why didn't he come over as seems odd to waste a draft pick on a 27 year old

Thanks for the work Bill. That was a very time consuming blog to write. It just illustrates how difficult it is to win a Cup.

No disrespect Bill no one cares about other teams cup droughts. All this does is try to camouflage the flyers ineptness. What those other teams have or have not done is irrelevant.

On a side note way back when the flyers drafted an older russian Andre Razin. Why didn't he come over as seems odd to waste a draft pick on a 27 year old
- hello it's me 2050

No, what it does in that it puts everything in perspective. Every team goes through it, and not winning the Cup in a long period of time -- although there may be spells of ineptitude within it -- only means that everything didn't align at just the right time. I realize that it's the nature of fandom to care only about the here and now and only their own team of choice but the reality is that a) things are cyclical and b) every team goes through long spells of frustration at some point.

Razin didn't want to come over. He was comfortable in Russia.

Thanks for the work Bill. That was a very time consuming blog to write. It just illustrates how difficult it is to win a Cup.
- MJL

do you prefer a coke or cherry flavored slurpee?

No, what it does in that it puts everything in perspective. Every team goes through it, and not winning the Cup in a long period of time -- although there may be spells of ineptitude within it -- only means that everything didn't align at just the right time. I realize that it's the nature of fandom to care only about the here and now and only their own team of choice but the reality is that a) things are cyclical and b) every team goes through long spells of frustration at some point.

Razin didn't want to come over. He was comfortable in Russia.
- bmeltzer

Wouldn't they know that before they drafted him?

Younger fans might not realize just how amazing the Flyers run from 1972-1989 was. In those 17 seasons:

Qualified for the playoffs all 17 years
2 Cups
6 final appearances
10 semi/Conf. final appearances
Total playoff series record: 25-15
2nd best overall regular season record
3 Hart trophies
4 Vezina trophies
4 Smythe trophies

I doubt we’ll ever see anything close to this again.

Wouldn't they know that before they drafted him?
- hello it's me 2050

They tried to convince him, via scout Evgeny Zimin. He wasn't swayed.

Keep in mind that it wasn't all that unusual back then. The Bruins, Islanders and Panthers all held the rights to Jiri Dopita. None were able to lure him over until the Flyers got his rights. Even then, it took the fact that the Czech team he played for (and had some ownership interest) was beset with financial problems and Roman Cechmanek (his longtime teammate) talked him into coming over.

They tried to convince him, via scout Evgeny Zimin. He wasn't swayed.

Keep in mind that it wasn't all that unusual back then. The Bruins, Islanders and Panthers all held the rights to Jiri Dopita. None were able to lure him over until the Flyers got his rights. Even then, it took the fact that the Czech team he played for (and had some ownership interest) was beset with financial problems and Roman Cechmanek (his longtime teammate) talked him into coming over.
- bmeltzer

Yeah, he put up good numbers in Russis. Guess we will never know. Who is the other Czech goalie the flyers drafted as his name escapes me. Think he still plays. Kovash or something?

No, what it does in that it puts everything in perspective. Every team goes through it, and not winning the Cup in a long period of time -- although there may be spells of ineptitude within it -- only means that everything didn't align at just the right time. I realize that it's the nature of fandom to care only about the here and now and only their own team of choice but the reality is that a) things are cyclical and b) every team goes through long spells of frustration at some point.

Razin didn't want to come over. He was comfortable in Russia.
- bmeltzer

I would hope that management and above would read that. It’s time to do this the right way and tear it down. This middle of the road nonsense is not going to end this drought.

When you take in account there was no salary cap in the NHL prior to the 2005-2006 season the Flyers current cup drought of 46 years and counting is probably third worst in NHL history. Flyers being a large market team having an advantage over 2/3 of the NHL for an extended period of time, you have find a way to win. In this Cap/expansion era it is difficult to win. Flyers are not close, and there isn’t an ending in sight for any rational fan.


1. Leafs current drought
2. Rangers 1940-1994
3. Flyers current drought

When you take in account there was no salary cap in the NHL prior to the 2005-2006 season the Flyers current cup drought of 46 years and counting is probably third worst in NHL history. Flyers being a large market team having an advantage over 2/3 of the NHL for an extended period of time, you have find a way to win. In this Cap/expansion era it is difficult to win. Flyers are not close, and there isn’t an ending in sight for any rational fan.


1. Leafs current drought
2. Rangers 1940-1994
3. Flyers current drought
- PLindbergh31

buffalo and Vancouver you can add.

Doesnt make anyone feel any better that other franchises have gone 40- 50 yrs without a CUP...who cares

Younger fans might not realize just how amazing the Flyers run from 1972-1989 was. In those 17 seasons:

Qualified for the playoffs all 17 years
2 Cups
6 final appearances
10 semi/Conf. final appearances
Total playoff series record: 25-15
2nd best overall regular season record
3 Hart trophies
4 Vezina trophies
4 Smythe trophies

I doubt we’ll ever see anything close to this again.
- BiggE

You likely wont..back then the Flyers could outspend most everyone which they no longer can do. Sad part is with all those decades we were able to outspend other we couldnt win a CUP....

buffalo and Vancouver you can add.
- hello it's me 2050

Your 10th alt hasn't improved your reading comprehension has it?
Did Buffalo and Vancouver have any advantages prior to the Cap era? Are they large market franchises?

Autopsy showed he was hit in the chest with a firework mortar.
- PLindbergh31

So he was in/near the hot tub, got shot w/ a mortar in the chest, then fell and cracked his head open?

We really need to find a better way to celebrate July 4.

Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits:
- bmeltzer

I appreciate the general sentiment, Bill, but the problem with the particular exercise you have undertaken is that it lays you open to the allegation of cherry-picking.

Here are the same stats I posted last year which look at everything. The Flyers # of cups is a little worse than average for the # of years they have been in existence (I started the clock from when Flyers came into league), but the current drought is an outlier. They are near the bottom as far as # of consecutive years without a cup.

No, what it does in that it puts everything in perspective. Every team goes through it, and not winning the Cup in a long period of time -- although there may be spells of ineptitude within it -- only means that everything didn't align at just the right time. I realize that it's the nature of fandom to care only about the here and now and only their own team of choice but the reality is that a) things are cyclical and b) every team goes through long spells of frustration at some point.

Razin didn't want to come over. He was comfortable in Russia.
- bmeltzer

Generally agree about timeline with cup drought. But 46 years is ridiculous. Not when no cap and spend above and beyond most teams

Your 10th alt hasn't improved your reading comprehension has it?
Did Buffalo and Vancouver have any advantages prior to the Cap era? Are they large market franchises?
- PLindbergh31

Vancouver wasn't disadvantaged.

Only 10? You sure about that?

Doesnt make anyone feel any better that other franchises have gone 40- 50 yrs without a CUP...who cares
- hfc355

whHO CarES I jUSt waNt To feEL AANnGGrRRrrrrrYYyyY RaawWWWRRrr!!

When you take in account there was no salary cap in the NHL prior to the 2005-2006 season the Flyers current cup drought of 46 years and counting is probably third worst in NHL history. Flyers being a large market team having an advantage over 2/3 of the NHL for an extended period of time, you have find a way to win. In this Cap/expansion era it is difficult to win. Flyers are not close, and there isn’t an ending in sight for any rational fan.


1. Leafs current drought
2. Rangers 1940-1994
3. Flyers current drought
- PLindbergh31

BINGO!! 10000000000000% AGREE

So he was in/near the hot tub, got shot w/ a mortar in the chest, then fell and cracked his head open?

We really need to find a better way to celebrate July 4.
- Tomahawk

As brutal as it gets. Terrible tragedy. There are fireworks tragedies every year. This one is truly sad because it seems like Kivlenieks was not doing anything reckless. 24 year old kid having fun and was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

buffalo and Vancouver you can add.
- hello it's me 2050

Buf/van tied for 4th 😂

As brutal as it gets. Terrible tragedy. There are fireworks tragedies every year. This one is truly sad because it seems like Kivlenieks was not doing anything reckless. 24 year old kid having fun and was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
- PLindbergh31

Depends… where was it? Who decided to have them? Is it legal there? If it comes out his place where he had them and in state fireworks illegal then while tragic then the having fun wrong place wrong time narrative ceases for me.

Just had this fight with my 17 year old yesterday. While I understand odds low of incident in NYS illegal for fireworks at private house. I’m not trained to use them. Why take the risk? 100% chance not hurt by not taking that risk

I would hope that management and above would read that. It’s time to do this the right way and tear it down. This middle of the road nonsense is not going to end this drought.
- ClaudeFather

Absolutely agree with the last sentence.