If you can’t think of a trade between the Flyers and Devils off the top of your head, it’s because they almost never happened. The Devils moved to New Jersey in 1982 and their path with their newest neighbor and rival down the turnpike Philadelphia Flyers rarely crossed. The rivalry came to a boiling point in the late 1990’s when the team’s respective captains Scott Stevens and Eric Lindros had fierce battles on the ice, eventually leading up to the infamous hit by Stevens on Lindros in the 2000 Eastern Conference Final.
When the olive branch was extended and trades were made, it didn’t have much consequence for either team as the only three trades between organizations were all insignificant.
(to Flyers – to Devils)
9/27/84 – Futures for Sam St. Laurent
The first deal between the new rivals took place two years after the Devils relocated to New Jersey. Sam St. Laurent was an undrafted goaltender the Flyers signed in the summer of 1979 and spent five seasons in the AHL. He was dealt to the New Jersey Devils in 1984 but remained with the Maine Mariners until he was recalled by the Devils in early 1986. The Flyers dealt him for future considerations, a stip which was seemingly never followed up on.
3/11/86 – Glenn Resch for 1986 Third round pick (Marc Laniel)
Glenn “Chico” Resch was a 13-year NHL veteran by the time he was traded to Philadelphia and only suited up for 22 games over the course of the following season and a half. On the back-nine of his career, he gave up the net to young phenom Ron Hextall. That 1986 third round pick became Marc Laniel, who was a journeyman AHL defenseman who never made it to the NHL.
11/12/16 – 2018 seventh round pick (Brett Stepley) (traded to MTL) for Petr Straka
Over 30 years after their last trade, the Flyers and Devils made a deal again, this time for disgruntled prospect Petr Straka, who had spent three seasons with the Phantoms with little hope of ever seeing full-time NHL minutes. He was traded to the Devils, who ultimately re-assigned him to the AHL. He played one season with the Albany Devils before fleeing back to his native Czech to continue his career with his hometown club. The seventh round pick the Flyers acquired was traded to Montreal and was used to select forward Brett Stapley.
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By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
brotherlypuck.com 