Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Teams of Your Heart

It's time to bring Patrick sharp home this summer. Bill how has he looked for Dallas?

It's time to bring Patrick sharp home this summer. Bill how has he looked for Dallas?
- Just5

Missed a lot of time due to a concussion. Dropped the gloves and fought in his second game back. Looks to be significantly on the downward slope now, but still occasionally steps up big.

Missed a lot of time due to a concussion. Dropped the gloves and fought in his second game back. Looks to be significantly on the downward slope now, but still occasionally steps up big.
- bmeltzer

Ok tx. Maybe he'll sign for a year

Bill, that was exceptional!

"there were however, no tears"

I know what that means. You get older and mature I guess. Both a bad thing and a good thing all at the same time. Sometimes you wish you could go back to those younger days.

Great blog Bill! I wasn't alive to experience the Broad Street Bullies and the era of hockey/success that they brought to the ice and the city. Thankfully my grandfather, God rest his soul, told me tons of stories about them and instilled my love for hockey and the Flyers at a young age. I was a kid watching the 80s teams and was a big Howe fan myself. Those teams never quit, regardless of how the odds were stacked against them! Once Lindros suited up for the Flyers, I was a teenager and I found myself enthralled by his style of play and skill level. I did all I could to emulate what he did on the ice in every practice and game I played in. I was so angry when they lost in the 1997 final. I was heartbroken when they traded my favorite player away and I hated Bob Clarke (GM) for what, in my eyes, he had done. As much as the 2003-04 ECF was hard to accept, I do believe the Tampa team was more talented than the Flyers were, but it was amazing to watch Primeau's sheer determination get them as far as it did. The 2009-10 team seemed destined to win it all, especially after that amazing 3-0 comeback, but alas poor goaltending in the finals and the player the Flyers should have had in the draft after finishing with the worst record in the league for the only time in their history, scores the Cup clinching goal. I was simply dumbfounded and wondered, as I still do, if I will live to see a Cup parade down Broad Street before I die.

Beautiful piece, Bill, thank you!


There are only a few times when I remember crying in relation to the Flyers. The first was when Barry Ashbee passed away, the 2nd was when Pelle died and the 3rd was when Gene Hart passed away (it felt like a piece of my childhood had just died) and the final tears came when Ed Snider passed away last year.

This team has elated me, frustrated me, exhilarated and angered me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. The first 50 years were one hell of a ride and though I most likely won't last for another 50, I'm really looking forward to watching Hextall's plan unfold over the next few years.

Keep up the great work, Bill and know that it is very much appreciated!!

Bill thanks for a great walk down memory lane.

I was very young during the first cup run but I can recall some of it.

Like you the 80's was when I came to understand the game better and times such as passing of Pelle and Gene Hart definitely hurt. Gene Hart came to our middle school every year since one of the teachers there worked the penalty box at the Spectrum. So the day he arrived at school each year was a huge celebration. But the good of that time was always a joy ride. Poulin-Propp-Kerr, Zezel, Tocchet-Smith, Flocky Hockey, Howe and the Beast, and the Pelle and Hexy in nets. Oh the joy. I remember being at a concert on the parkway they night JJ Daigneault scored to send us to game 7 against the juggernaut Oilers. How that spunky team took them to game 7 was a ride to never forget.

After that it becomes the story of Lindros and the Legion of Doom and Rico. I still swear we win a cup if not for Scott Stevens.

Sept 11th, opening day of training camp standing in the Skate Zone was a very moving day. Standing there during a break in practice and seeing the tv show the events in NY. Knowing things were not going to be the same.

Then the recent 2010 run with Lavy and his timeouts and JvR (a semi local kid) being a hero.

Flyers hockey is a roller coaster ride but it sure can be a blast when times are high. But it's down right frightening when things are bad.

Beautiful piece, Bill, thank you!


There are only a few times when I remember crying in relation to the Flyers. The first was when Barry Ashbee passed away, the 2nd was when Pelle died and the 3rd was when Gene Hart passed away (it felt like a piece of my childhood had just died) and the final tears came when Ed Snider passed away last year.

This team has elated me, frustrated me, exhilarated and angered me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. The first 50 years were one hell of a ride and though I most likely won't last for another 50, I'm really looking forward to watching Hextall's plan unfold over the next few years.

Keep up the great work, Bill and know that it is very much appreciated!!
- BiggE

Nicely said. Thanks.

Nicely said. Thanks.
- MJL

Thanks amigo.
There really is nothing like this team! There are times when my wife has said I think you love the Flyers more than me. Thankfully, I've always been able to counter with I think you love the dog more than me, so we're even!

It really has been one helluva ride so far!

Great read, Bill. Thank you.

Great read, Bill. Thank you.
- tangent_man

It was, not easy to share yourself personally like that. It helps connect.

I grew up a huge Don Mattingly fan. Worshipped him. And it was in an era of baseball where the Yankees were winning 94, 95, 96 games a year playing the same schedule as every other team in the AL. But before the wildcard it did not matter because they played in the wrong division and it pissed me off to see Kansas City or some other western division team winning 85 games and making the playoffs with the SAME schedule. It never seemed fair (and it wasn't)


So anyway, when they made the playoffs in 95 it was exciting. Donnie Baseball was on the downside of his career and retiring because of injuries but he batted over .400 in the series with a couple of big home runs. The Yankees had the lead in the series but it just felt precarious.

So in that final game 5, when Edgar Martinez gets that hit and Griffey scored the game winning run from 2nd was the worst moment of my sports life because I knew my HERO was done. Never having a chance to win a World Series.

2004 will always be my biggest disappointment. The rental Russians - Zhamnov and Malakhov and Markov - should be unlikely heroes in Philly, but a couple of bad bounces and unlucky injuries means they're forgotten. And Primeau deserved a Cup and a Conn Smythe trophy to compensate for his career being ruined by concussions.

Most exciting part about being a dad right now is getting to shoot a plastic mylec ball around with my son. I can't wait, but I can already see that I am going to want to slow time down.

Great blog, Bill

2004 will always be my biggest disappointment. The rental Russians - Zhamnov and Malakhov and Markov - should be unlikely heroes in Philly, but a couple of bad bounces and unlucky injuries means they're forgotten. And Primeau deserved a Cup and a Conn Smythe trophy to compensate for his career being ruined by concussions.
- Feanor

That's also when Desjardins re-broke his arm having a catch with his kid, right?

Yes, and in the Flyers at 50 book it says he could have returned for the Finals if they made it that far.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Teams of Your Heart
- bmeltzer

Bill, your quote below addressing Adam Proteau's blog about the poor play from Mason mentions 3 reasonably reliable defenders, (one we know is Provorov). I'm curious, if I may ask who the other 2 are in your opinion.


"Mason has been rather inconsistent this season. No question about it. But the team's biggest issue with its GAA is NOT the goaltending. It's a blueline with at most, three reasonably reliable defenders one of whom is a 19-year-old rookie."

Mason is by far the biggest problem on this team. The defense did not play well in 14-15 or 15-16, and he was still around .920. This season he hasn't been inconsistent, he's been awful. Just like Dubnyk, he's following up three very good years by completely falling apart under the pressure of a contract year.

Bill, your quote below addressing Adam Proteau's blog about the poor play from Mason mentions 3 reasonably reliable defenders, (one we know is Provorov). I'm curious, if I may ask who the other 2 are in your opinion.


"Mason has been rather inconsistent this season. No question about it. But the team's biggest issue with its GAA is NOT the goaltending. It's a blueline with at most, three reasonably reliable defenders one of whom is a 19-year-old rookie."
- puckhead17

Gudas is probably one.

The other is MacDonald or Manning, I'd bet as each has had their share of strong games. Not without clunkers mind you.

Your like a brother from another.....so many of the exact same memories....when I was like 7-8 I used to keep a scrap book with all the scores in the front and the stas from my favorite guys....I remember it used to be treat to waych a flyers game at that point...being in Canada I maybe saw 6-7 games a year.
I was able to get a radio stations weak signal from Philly...might have been AM...KYW ..who every 15 minutes had a live update from the game....that's how I followed along. I would also stay up and watch the 11 pm news waiting for the sports to hopefully show highlights which in the age of VHS I would actually tape!!!!

Thanks amigo.
There really is nothing like this team! There are times when my wife has said I think you love the Flyers more than me. Thankfully, I've always been able to counter with I think you love the dog more than me, so we're even!

It really has been one helluva ride so far!
- BiggE

My wife knows not to ask!!! She and the kids do enjoy my "Flyer" Room though....best TV in the house.

12-13 Bryzgalov: 40 GP, .900 SV%
Top 7 dmen by ice time: LSchenn, Kimmo, Coburn, Gervais , Grossmann, Gustafsson, Foster

16-17 Mason: 37 GP, .897 SV%
Top 7 dmen by ice time: Provorov, Ghost, MacDonald, Gudas, Manning, Streit, MDZ

That's also when Desjardins re-broke his arm having a catch with his kid, right?
- MJL

yup