1-10 certainly gave us some of the best in Flyers history, but the Teens and Co. have been reliably strong numbers for the Flyers as well, like most hockey clubs.
11- Travis Konecny
While some more notable players like Mark Recchi, Tony Amonte, and Patrick Sharp have donned the number, Travis Konecny is my pick for #11. Konecny is only somewhat rivaled by Don Saleski for #11. Konecny has had a good tenure with the Flyers playing in 564 games and tallying 174 goals and 226 assists for 400 points. He has represented the Flyers at the All-Star Game twice (2020 and 2024). Konecny led the NHL in short-handed goals potting six to help the Flyers have the highest scoring penalty kill. Konecny also won the Bobby Clarke Award as the Flyers’ best player during the 2023-24 season.
12- Tim Kerr
This was a very hard choice to make as it was between Simon Gagné and Tim Kerr. Kerr has the edge in the points department, but he did play with the Flyers during the 80s which was a lot higher scoring than the late 90s and 2000s when Gagné played. I did ultimately go with Tim Kerr. Kerr was a goal-scoring machine for the Flyers in the 80s. He holds many Flyers records for goal scoring including most 50 goals season with 4, most regular season power play goals both in one season (34, which is also the NHL record, in 1985-86) and during his Flyers career (145), most regular season hat tricks both in one season (5 in 1984-85) and during his Flyers career (17), and highest regular season goals per game both in one season (.77) and over his Flyers career (.60). That’s just some of them, he’s also fondly remembered for his 4 goals in 8 minutes and 26 seconds during the third period against the New York Rangers in their first-round matchup of the 1985 Stanley Cup Finals, which is an NHL record for fastest 4 goals scored by one player in a playoff game. Kerr made the Second All-Star Team for the 1986-87 season and represented the Flyers at three consecutive All-Star Games from 1984 to 1986. He won the Masterton for the 1988-89 season and got votes for the Hart three times (finishing as high as eighth), along with a 16th place finish for the Lady Byng and15th place finish for the Selke during the 1984-85 season. Kerr was inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame in 1994.
13- Kevin Hayes
Kevin Hayes may not be the most popular 13 in Flyers history, that probably belongs to Daniel Carcillo, but Kevin Hayes was by far the better player and the clear cut best 13 in Flyers history. Though his time in Philly was very up-and-down, Hayes provided some stable defensive help and some solid center depth. In 253 games with Philly, Hayes put up 63 goals and 94 assists for 157 points. Hayes was traded to St. Louis during the 2023 offseason for a sixth-round pick in the 2024 Draft.
14- Sean Couturier
It can’t be anyone else really. Couturier is already fourth all-time in games played by a Flyer with 795 games, which is 349 behind Bobby Clarke. That is a mark he can pass if he stays healthy and with the Flyers for the rest of his current contract. In those 795 games, Coots has tallied 191 goals and 307 assists for 498 points. His defensive game is what has been his calling card as he’s gotten votes for the Selke in all but three seasons (his second and these last two seasons) being a finalist twice and winning the coveted trophy for the 2019-20 season. He finished 9thin Calder voting his rookie year and has gotten votes for the Lady Byng three times, finishing as high as 19th. Couturier won the Bobby Clarke Trophy three times from the 2018-19 season to the 2020-21 season. He won the Gene Hart Memorial Award (player with the most “Hart”) three times as well for the 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2020-21 seasons. He won the Pelle Lindbergh Memorial Award (most improved) for the 2017-18 season and won the Yannick Dupre Class Guy Award that season, too. He was also named the 20th captain of the Flyers on February 15, 2024.
15- Al Hill
There have been nearly 40 players to wear the number 15 in Flyers’ history, but I believe Al Hill was the best. This was a bit of a doozy because during the 1978-79 season he was listed on hockey-reference.com as being numbers 37 and 15. To the best of my sleuthing ability, it seems like he was issued 37 at the start of the year while former first-round pick Danny Lucas wore 15 for the first six games of the season and Hill wouldn’t make his season debut until January 4, 1979 never playing a game together. He is also wearing 15 in the team photo that year. Running with that, Hill played 193 games tallying 37 goals and 49 assists foor 86 points while wearing 15.
16- Bobby Clarke
Bobby Clarke is widely considered the greatest Flyer ever, period. This was an easy decision. Believe it or not, Clarke was not the first Flyer to wear 16. Claude Laforge wore the number in the 65 games he played for the Flyers in their first two seasons. But Clarke was the next, and last, Flyer to wear the number. In all but two of his 1144 games with the Flyers, he wore his iconic 16 (in the two games he wore 36, he had 1 assist). In those 1142 NHL games with the Flyers wearing 16, Clarke had 358 goals and 851 assists, for 1209 points. He was captain for most of his time in Philly, including captaining the Broad Street Bullies to back-to-back Cups in 1974 and 75. He won the Hart Trophy 3 times in 1972-73, 74-75, and 75-76 seasons. He won the Bill Masterton in 1971-72. He won the Selke in 1982-83. He won the Pearson (now Ted Lindsay) in 1972-73. He was also a four-time All-Star. The Flyers award for the best player is the Bobby Clarke Award. Need I say more?
17- Rod Brind’Amour
Rod Brind’Amour is one of the many NHL greats who played for the Flyers in the 90s. He was traded to the Flyers before the 1991-92 season from the Blues and served as an assistant captain for most of his time in Philly. He was considered one of the NHL’s best “ironmen”. He played in 633 games for the Flyers accumulating 235 goals and 366 assists for 601 points. Brind’Amour was well known for his two way play, he would win two Selke Trophies (neither of which with the Flyers), and his physique as he has earned the nickname Rod the Bod. Brind’Amour would be traded on January 23, 2000 to Carolina with the Flyers notably getting future captain Keith Primeau in return. Some other notable 17s are Jeff Carter, Wayne Simmonds, Paul Holmgren, and Craig Berube.
18- Mike Richards
Speaking of Jeff Carter, his partner in crime Mike Richards is my pick for the best 18 in Flyers’ history. Ross Lonsberry was a close second, but I believe Richards just edges him out. Richards was another fantastic two-way player and was the captain for the Flyers for several years including the 2010 run to the Stanley Cup Finals. After breaking out in the 2007-08 season, Richards would be a perrenial Selke candidate finishing as high as second place during the 2008-09 season. In 453 games with the Flyers, Richards scored 133 goals and added 216 assists for 349 points. Richards would be traded from the Flyers to the Kings during the 2011 offseason on the same day Jeff Carter was traded to the Blue Jackets.
19- Rick MacLeish
One of the stars for the Flyers during the 70s, MacLeish (along with Clarke) had the first 100 point season in Flyers history during the 1971-72 season (MacLeish had 100 and Clarke 104). During most of his career with the Flyers he wore 19. During those years, MacLeish would play in 712 games with the Flyers, MacLeish had 320 goals and 355 assists for 675 points. He was a big contributor for both Cup teams in 1974 and 1975. MacLeish would be a bit overshadowed by names like Bobby Clarke, Bill Barber, Bernie Parent, and Reggie Leach. 19 is another number that is prominent in Flyers history with fan favorites Scott Hartnell, Scott Mellanby, and Mikael Renberg.
20- Dave Poulin
This was a two-horse race between Poulin and Jim Watson. I gave the edge to Poulin, but if you believe it’s Jim Watson that’s perfectly fair. Poulin was named captain of the Flyers on the eve of the 1984-85 season, instead of Darryl Sittler (Sittler was told by Bobby Clarke he would be named captain but traded him the day he was supposed to be named captain). During his time wearing 20 for Philly, Poulin played in 439 games tallying 152 goals and 225 assists. Poulin was the captain during the two Stanley Cup Finals runs that were ended by the Oilers in 85 and 87. He represented the Flyers during the 1986 and 1988 All-Star Games. Poulin was a strong defensive forward and got votes for the Selke Trophy six times in his career, five of which with the Flyers, that included winning the trophy for the 1986-87 season (Poulin would finish second in voting for the 1992-93 season, but was in Boston and also won the King Clancy that year). With the Flyers, Poulin would also be voted fourth for the 1983-84 Calder Trophy and 15th in Hart voting for the 1984-85 season.
By Noah Caplan (@Phlyers24)
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