Growing up everybody has one moment that defines a major part of the path you take in this crazy world we live in. In almost every instance, it only takes one lasting memory to create a lifelong fan of something no matter the subject. I think you could ask just about anybody why something or someone is their favorite and you’re bound to get a great story. Well here is mine! As we get into the start of rookie camps, today marks 26 days until Flyers Hockey returns! I’d like to share a little bit about myself and why Michal Handzus is my favorite Flyer of all time.
The year is 2004, with my birthday falling on May 1st, I was not quite 8 years old during the majority 2003/2004 NHL season. (Good math I’m 27)
Shortly after my birthday, this was the year the Flyers would go on to the Eastern Conference Finals vs the Tampa Bay Lightning. Yes, the same Tampa Bay team that was coached at the time by current Flyers head coach John Tortorella.
Before we got to that heartbreak, Let’s set the tone of where it all started. My Dad took my younger brother and I to our very first Flyers game at what was then called the Wachovia Center (2003). Until recently, I couldn’t remember the exact date of my first hockey game I just knew it was a game against the Islanders. That always stuck with me because Garth Snow and Rick DiPietro were the goalies of that time for the Islanders. At the game, I remember a very loud man screaming for the Islanders to “Put Ricky in!” as the Flyers were hammering them. Ricky did not play much to the drunkards dismay. With the help of the internet and Hockeyreference.com I was able to figure out which game this was. December 20th 2003, the Flyers took on the New York Islanders in an Atlantic Division (remember that?) matchup.
(Look back at Dipietro’s contract now knowing the salary cap has hardly moved since then….Yikes bought out 2013, 1.5 mil still owed til 28/29 season- side tangent but Wow!!!)
Heading into this game the Flyers were comfortably ahead in the standings with a record of 18-4-8-3 yes you read that correctly. Prior to the 2005 season games could earnestly end in a tie! What a crazy world that was? The Flyers, led by Captain Keith Primeau, would go on to easily win this game on the back of two goals from Jim Vandermeer and a third period powerplay goal from Simon Gagne! Truthfully, I don’t remember Jim Vandermeer being a Flyer as a kid but in my defense I was 8 years old and he only played two seasons with Philly. (Part of 03 and returned in 08). All I know is early in this game one of their biggest strongest players would garner special attention every time he touched the puck. No not just because he had incredible flowing hair or the fact that he towered over players at 6 ft 5. During the game the fans would all start to carry a chant that to me sounded like they were saying “Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo” every time he touched the puck. I was young and our seats were pretty high up far and away, but I was smart enough to know he was playing for the home team. I was wildly confused as to why they would boo him when ever he touched the puck. I finally asked my dad what gives? To this he laughed and explained to me they were saying “Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuusssssssssssssssss” every time Michal Handzus touched the puck. He was a fan favorite who was at that moment having the best season of his career production wise. Handzus would go on to finish second on the team in scoring behind only newest Flyer Hall of Fame Inductee Mark Recchi, with 67 points on the season including the playoffs. Zus would outscore John Leclair, Tony Amonte, and Jeremy Roenick that year though none of those 3 saw all 82 games, Roenick only playing in 62 regular season games still had 47 points.
That story has always stuck with me about that moment and that memory with my Dad. Looking back now as an adult it’s a hilarious innocent kid story to tell and just really makes me laugh. That was thee defining moment Hockey fully sunk it’s teeth into me and I’ve loved every minute of it! I can tell you I can hardly remember a time I was more distraught than the moment Handzus was traded to Chicago in the 2006 offseason. I would religiously watch the ESPN bottom line scroller for news because, and you may find this shocking, even then the NHL coverage on ESPN wasn’t great so a lot of my news was from the OG Doom Scrolling on ESPN. To this day, I still feel the decision to trade him instead of Branko RadivojeviÄŤ was a poor decision. I digress, feeling old and nostalgic.
While Stopping to write this I really got to sit back relive where life was at that time and came across several stories i’d never heard before due to being a kid back then. Unreal to me to think that this 03/04 team had the likes of Mark Recchi, John Leclair, Eric Desjardins, Jeremy Roenick, Michal Handzus, Chris Therien, Tony Amonte, and a baby faced Simon Gagne. Keith Primeau was the Captain of the team and my Dad’s favorite player at the time, Primeau’s jersey still hangs in his closet. From what I grew up watching of this historic franchise it’s hard to compare another Flyer team that dominant since then. I wager the 2010 team was a pretty good comparison probably the best 2 teams of the past 20 years of this franchise, though I’m unsure if that isn’t even more depressing to say of the team these last 2 decades. It was a different league back then, hard to really compare them given we no longer award ties during the regular season. “Had to sneak that in there”
The current Flyers team is looking to grow and develop the future in a way that is promised to be “The Right way”. Flyers Legends have come back to the city looking to return the once proud organization back to it’s former glory. The alumni have come home, and the future begins! While many are not optimistic there will be significant change seeing past Flyers hired yet again to help the team, things truly feel different this time. It really does remind me of other champion stories watching the heroes return to give back to the city that made them legends. With Briere and Leclair leading the way, I feel immensely confident things will be different this time.
Now, If only they would listen to the Nasty Nuckles Podcast and give Bryzgalov a call, now that would be something special. Bryz did say he was hoping to return and help the team in any way he can as a player coach. 🤣
Enjoy guys and thanks for checking in, Go Flyers and let’s have a great season! So much more to come from yours truly.
Written by Anthony Spotts (@spottsongoal)
Photo credit: bleacherreport.com
brotherlypuck.com 