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A Stitch in a Half-Century Tapestry
Back on July 23, I wrote a blog that paid respects to the late Larry Mickey and Dmitri Tertyshny on the respective anniversaries of their untimely deaths. Yesterday, I received a phone call from Cory Mickey, Larry's son.
Via social media, Cory reached out a day or two after the blog was published to thank me for keeping his dad's memory alive. We exchanged contact information. Yesterday, Cory called. We talked a bit about hockey, ourselves and his dad.
Larry Mickey was never an NHL star. Like so many NHL role players, he had been a high-scoring player in junior hockey and the minor leagues, but he was not naturally gifted. He had to find a different niche at the top level. At the NHL level, he became a gritty utility player who could be plugged into a variety of different roles. He did some penalty killing. He periodically filled in on scoring lines because he was hungry for the puck and would do the unglamorous little things that created space for more talented linemates.
Mostly, he was what today would be called a bottom six forward. He made the NHL and stuck for nearly 300 games because he had a nonstop motor and was someone who outworked many more naturally talented guys.
The elder Mickey's best NHL years were in Buffalo with the Sabres, with whom he found a home after playing for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings and Flyers. To this day, son Cory is based out of Buffalo, where he is a hockey instructor, coach and operator of 3D Hockey.
Larry Mickey's time with the Flyers was brief -- after being acquired from the Kings in exchange for Larry Hillman, Mickey only played 14 games for the Flyers in 1971-72 before he was dealt to the Sabres for Larry Keenan. As a Sabre in 1972-73, he had 15 goals while dressing in a career-high 77 games.
By all accounts, Mickey was a nice guy with a big heart. He cared deeply about helping the community. He cared about children, especially those with special needs. He had a passion for youth hockey. However, Larry Mickey also led a very troubled life. At age 38, struggling with despondency after his hockey playing and minor league coaching career were over and his remarriage failed, he took his own life.
Lastly, the Flyers were not yet a top team in the NHL when Larry Mickey passed through the organization. Fred Shero was in his first year of coaching the team, and was just beginning the process of installing what became his signature system. In the meantime, Keith Allen was still in the nascent phases of building what would eventually become a two-time championship roster.
Mickey was still a member of the Sabres in 1974-75, the year they played the Flyers in the Stanley Cup Final as Philadelphia won its second straight Stanley Cup. However, he dressed in no playoff games.
Given this context, it would understandable if the Philadelphia Flyers had no particularly special meaning to Cory Mickey or to his late father. However, nothing could be further from the truth.
"I am proud that my dad played for the Flyers, and it was something he was proud of, too," Cory Mickey said yesterday.
Larry Mickey was part of Shero's first camp and earliest games with the Flyers, and got just a little taste of what Shero was all about a coach and what the Flyers were building as an organization. He got to be a teammate of young Bobby Clarke right before he started to become an NHL superstar. It made a big impression on Mickey and, in turn, on his son.
"When you are a Flyer, when you get the right to wear that sweater, it means something special. It means that you play the game the right way. It means that you are a good teammate. It means you are committed; that you play hard, every shift and every night. It means you are part of a family. It means you are part of the community and you have an obligation to give back to it. It's validating and it's also challenging. These are the very same principles I try to instill in the kids I work with on and off the ice," Cory Mickey said.
"To me, the Flyers are a model hockey organization. Just to see that crest has a meaning and identity behind it."
While Larry Mickey's short time with the Flyers may have been but a single stitch in a massive half-century tapestry that is still being woven, he was nevertheless part of something enduring and even immortal. For men such as Larry Mickey and the more than 500 other hockey players who had the opportunity to be part of the organization -- stars and journeymen, long-tenured and short-tenured players alike, players from the 1960s to 2010s -- they are all bonded in at least one way. Some are just more cognizant of that legacy than others.
To myself, the most special part of being the Flyers' 50th Anniversary Season content writer is a massive Flyers A-to-Z mini-biography project that is now in its home stretch. When it launches, it will be a permanent way to individually recognize everyone who has ever played for the team and look at their time with the team, no matter for how long.
The Flyers A-to-Z is but one of many projects and upcoming events tied to the 50th Anniversary. It's not even the most extensive content that will be coming the way of Flyers' fans. Jay Greenberg's Flyers at 50 book -- a look at the last 20 years of history, plus a digital re-release of Jay's landmark Full Spectrum (covering the first 30 years), plus a variety of special sections on the top 50 wins, top 50 figures in team history, top 50 history-shaping moments (separate from the top 50 wins) will be THE definitive history of the Philadelphia Flyers. In preparation for the book, Jay interviewed 258 people with some sort of connection to -- or competition against -- the Philadelphia Flyers.
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Flyers Prospect Quick Hits: August 2, 2017
1. In Day 2 of the World Junior Championships evaluation camp in Plymouth, Michigan, Team USA Blue defeated Sweden, 6-4. Flyers defense prospect David Berhard scored the game's opening goal for the Swedes, although he was later burned off the rush by Tage Thompson. Flyers forward prospect Tanner Laczynski recorded four shots on goal for Team USA Blue but did not figure in any scoring. Flyers goalie prospect Felix Sandström got the day off after starting and winning for the Swedes against Team USA White on Sunday.
In the day's other game, Team USA White crushed Finland by an 8-2 count. Today, USA Hockey announced roster cuts before a combined Team USA squad takes on Sweden again tomorrow. Laczynski, who played quite well in both games, made the cut and is on the team for the rest of its games. In tomorrow's other game, Team Canada, featuring Travis Konecny, will take on Finland.
Highlights of the Team USA Blue vs. Sweden game follow below:
2. The KHL preseason is now underway. Flyers 2016 first-round pick German Rubtsov suited up against Metallurg Magnitogorsk in an exhibition game. Rubtsov (wearing number 68) ended up unexpectedly finding himself in a fight after a scrum near the net as the whistle blew. It was more of a wrestling match than anything, but he didn't back down. Highlights below:
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Today in Flyers History: August 2
1993: The Flyers sign unrestricted free agent checking center Dave Tippett and defenseman Jeff Finley to contracts.
1999: The Flyers sign minor-league scoring standout Mike Maneluk to a one-year contract.
2004: The Flyers sign restricted free agent left winger Simon Gagne and checking winger Branko Radivojevic to one-year contract extensions.
2005: The Flyers sign unrestricted free agent defensemen Derian Hatcher (four years, $14M), Mike Rathje (five years, $17.5M), and Chris Therien (one year, $500K) to contracts. The team also signs Phantoms left winger Jon Sim to a one-year NHL contract. On the same day, the Flyers trade the rights to Russian defenseman Danny Markov to the Nashville Predators for a 2006 third-round pick (later traded to Los Angeles, Bud Holloway).
2006: The Flyers trade the NHL rights to Czech forward Vaclav Pletka to the Chicago Blackhawks for Eric Meloche.
Flyers Alum Birthday
Two Flyers Alumni share August 2nd birthdays: the late Rick Lapointe (born 1955) and forward Mike Peluso (1974).
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2016 Flyers Alumni Fantasy Camp
The 2nd annual Flyers Alumni Fantasy Camp will be held Aug. 19 -22, 2016 in Atlantic City. The Alumni have assembled an excellent group of instructor/coaches this year, including Hockey Hall of Famers Bernie Parent and Mark Howe, along with the likes of Danny Briere and Flyers assistant coach Ian Laperriere.
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