1972–73 Philadelphia Flyers season


The 1972–73 Philadelphia Flyers season was the Philadelphia Flyers' sixth season in the National Hockey League. The Flyers earned the nickname "Broad Street Bullies" en route to their first winning season and first playoff series victory, beating the Minnesota North Stars, before losing in the semifinals to the Montreal Canadiens.

Regular season

It was during the 1972–73 season that the Flyers shed the mediocre expansion team label by recording their first winning season and becoming known as the intimidating "Broad Street Bullies", a nickname coined by Jack Chevalier and Pete Cafone of the Philadelphia Bulletin on January 3, 1973 after a 3–1 brawling victory over the Atlanta Flames that led Chevalier to write in his game account, "The image of the fightin' Flyers spreading gradually around the NHL, and people are dreaming up wild nicknames. They're the Mean Machine, the Bullies of Broad Street and Freddy's Philistines." Cafone wrote the accompanying headline, "Broad Street Bullies Muscle Atlanta".
That same month Bobby Clarke was the youngest player in NHL history to be named team captain, replacing Ed Van Impe who had stepped aside in favor of Clarke. Rick MacLeish became the first Flyer to score 50 goals in a season.
After the season, Clarke was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player.

Season standings

Playoffs

An overtime goal by Gary Dornhoefer in Game 5 turned the tide of their first round series with the Minnesota North Stars in the Flyers' favor, as the Flyers got their first playoff series win in six games. The goal was later immortalized as a bronze statue on the south side of the Spectrum. They were outmatched in the semifinals by the Montreal Canadiens, however, losing in five games.

Schedule and results

Regular season

Playoffs

Player statistics

Scoring

Awards and records

Awards

Records

Team

Milestones

Transactions

The Flyers were involved in the following transactions from May 12, 1972, the day after the deciding game of the 1972 Stanley Cup Finals, through May 10, 1973, the day of the deciding game of the 1973 Stanley Cup Finals.

Trades

Signings

Free agency

The following players were signed by the Flyers via free agency.
DatePlayerPrevious team TermRef
September 1972Jack McIlhargeyFlin Flon Bombers

Internal

The following players were either re-signed by the Flyers or, in the case of the team's selections in the NHL Entry Draft, signed to contracts.
DatePlayerTermRef
May 21, 1972Dave Schultz2-year
May 22, 1972Rick Foley3-year
May 22, 1972Bob Kelly2-year
May 22, 1972Simon Noletmulti-year
May 24, 1972Rick MacLeish3-year
May 26, 1972Bill Clement2-year
May 26, 1972Joe Watson2-year
May 31, 1972Don Saleski2-year
June 2, 1972Michel Belhumeur3-year
June 2, 1972Gary Dornhoefer3-year
June 2, 1972Ross Lonsberrymulti-year
June 2, 1972Lew Morrison2-year
June 2, 1972Jean Potvinmulti-year
June 2, 1972Ed Van Impemulti-year
June 5, 1972Doug Favell3-year
June 19, 1972Bill Flett3-year
June 20, 1972Bill Barber 3-year
June 20, 1972Tom Bladon 3-year
June 20, 1972Al MacAdam 2-year
June 20, 1972Jimmy Watson 2-year
August 15, 1972Barry Ashbee3-year
August 15, 1972Yvon Bilodeau
August 15, 1972Willie Brossart
August 15, 1972Bob Currier2-year
August 15, 1972Rene Drolet
August 15, 1972Andre Gaudette
August 15, 1972Wayne Hillman
August 15, 1972Orest Kindrachuk
August 15, 1972Roger Kosar
August 15, 1972Danny Schock
August 15, 1972Tom Trevelyan
September 12, 1972Brent Hughes

Drafts

Intra-League

The 1972 NHL Intra-League Draft was held on June 5, 1972. Each NHL team placed 18 players on a protected list from which the other teams could not select. It cost $40,000 to make a claim. The Flyers were not involved in any selections during the draft.

Expansion

The 1972 NHL Expansion Draft was held on June 6, 1972. It featured two expansion teams, the Atlanta Flames and New York Islanders, selecting players from the 14 existing NHL teams. Each NHL team placed 15 skaters and 2 goaltenders on a protected list from which the two expansion teams could not select. The Flyers were one of four teams exempted from protecting goaltenders since they lost a goaltender in the 1970 NHL Expansion Draft.
StatusPlayers
ProtectedBarry Ashbee, Willie Brossart, Bobby Clarke, Bill Clement, Gary Dornhoefer, Bill Flett, Rick Foley, Bob Kelly, Ross Lonsberry, Rick MacLeish, Simon Nolet, Michel Parizeau, Jean Potvin, Don Saleski, Dave Schultz, Ed Van Impe, Joe Watson
SelectionsAtlanta Flames selected Lew Morrison 22nd overall
SelectionsAtlanta Flames selected Larry Hale 36th overall
SelectionsNew York Islanders selected Jim Mair 39th overall

Reverse

The 1972 NHL Reverse Draft was held on June 8, 1972. The Reverse Draft featured American Hockey League and Western Hockey League teams selecting unprotected players from NHL teams. It cost $15,000 to make a claim.
DatePlayerTeamRef
June 8, 1972Andre Gaudetteto Richmond Robins
June 8, 1972Hank Nowakto Hershey Bears

Departures

The following players left the team via free agency, release, or retirement. Players who were under contract and left the team during the season are marked with an asterisk.
DatePlayerNew team ViaRef
May 25, 1972Dick SarrazinNew England Whalers Free agency
June 6, 1972Eddie JoyalAlberta Oilers Free agency
June 1972Jean-Guy GendronQuebec Nordiques Free agency
July 19, 1972Ralph MacSweynLos Angeles Sharks Free agency
July 1972Michel ParizeauQuebec Nordiques Free agency
August 8, 1972Don McLeodHouston Aeros Free agency

Draft picks

Philadelphia's picks at the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft, which was held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, on June 8, 1972. The Flyers traded their tenth round pick, 148th overall, to the Minnesota North Stars for cash during the draft.
RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityTeam
17Bill BarberLeft WingCanadaKitchener Rangers
223Tom BladonDefenseCanadaEdmonton Oil Kings
339Jimmy WatsonDefenseCanadaCalgary Centennials
455Al MacAdamRight WingCanadaCharlottetown Islanders
571Daryl FedorakGoaltenderCanadaVictoria Cougars
687Dave HastingGoaltenderCanadaCharlottetown Islanders
7103Serge BeaudoinDefenseCanadaTrois-Rivières Ducs
8119Pat RussellRight WingCanadaVancouver Nats
9135Ray BoutinGoaltenderCanadaSorel Black Hawks

Farm teams

The Flyers were affiliated with the Richmond Robins of the AHL, the San Diego Gulls of the WHL, and the Jersey Devils of the EHL.