2001–02 Philadelphia Flyers season


The 2001–02 Philadelphia Flyers season was the Philadelphia Flyers 35th season in the National Hockey League. The Flyers qualified for the playoffs, but lost in the first round.

Off-season

In the off-season, the Flyers re-vamped their lineup by signing star center Jeremy Roenick and veteran defenseman Eric Weinrich. On August 20, 2001, they finally traded Eric Lindros to the New York Rangers for Kim Johnsson, Jan Hlavac, Pavel Brendl and a 2003 third-round draft pick. The Rangers would also receive a 2003 first-round draft pick if Lindros suffered a concussion in the pre-season or the first 50 games of the regular season and didn't return to action for at least 12 months.

Pre-season

On September 20, 2001, in the middle of a 2–2 game between the Flyers and New York Rangers, the game was stopped. A message from United States President George W. Bush about the 9/11 attacks was broadcast on the arena video screen. After the message, the game did not resume and it was declared a 2–2 tie.

Regular season

The Flyers began 2001–02 with high expectations and with Roenick leading the team in scoring the Flyers finished with an Atlantic Division title.
Eric Desjardins stepped down as team captain eight games into the season and was replaced by Keith Primeau.
Lindros returned to Philly on January 12, a game which the Flyers took 4–2 in a brutal battle and saw Lindros held scoreless. Lindros did exact a measure of revenge, finishing off a hat trick within the first 22 minutes of a March 2 game at Madison Square Garden. Simon Gagne also scored three times but the Rangers held on for a 6–5 win.
The power play was one of the NHL's worst however and after their top two centermen, Jeremy Roenick and Primeau, suffered injuries the night before the trade deadline, the Flyers acquired Adam Oates from the Washington Capitals. While Oates was the third leading point-producer in the league at the time, the price to acquire him was high. The Flyers parted with top goalie prospect Maxime Ouellet and their first, second, and third-round draft picks in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

Season standings

Playoffs

The Flyers set a record for fewest goals scored by a team in a five-game playoff series, scoring only two goals against the Ottawa Senators.
It turned out there was much discontent in the locker room, resulting in Bill Barber and his coaching staff being fired.

Schedule and results

Pre-season

Regular season

Playoffs

Player statistics

Scoring

Awards and records

Awards

Records

Individual

Team

Milestones

Transactions

The Flyers were involved in the following transactions from June 10, 2001, the day after the deciding game of the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals, through June 13, 2002, the day of the deciding game of the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals.

Trades

Signings

Free agency

The following players were signed by the Flyers via free agency. Two-way contracts are marked with an asterisk.
DatePlayerPrevious team TermRef
June 11, 2001Mike Lephart Boston College Eagles *
June 14, 2001James Chalmers Omaha Mavericks *
July 2, 2001Jeremy RoenickPhoenix Coyotes5-year
July 5, 2001Eric WeinrichBoston Bruins3-year
July 6, 2001Peter VandermeerProvidence Bruins *
July 9, 2001Marty MurrayCalgary Flames1-year*
May 20, 2002Wade Skolney Brandon Wheat Kings 3-year*

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 entry level contracts. Two-way contracts are marked with an asterisk.
DatePlayerTermRef
June 14, 2001John LeClair5-year
July 3, 2001Jiri Dopita2-year
July 6, 2001Dan McGillis3-year
August 27, 2001Kim Johnsson3-year
September 4, 2001Jan Hlavac2-year
January 10, 2002Roman Cechmanek3-year extension
January 26, 2002Marty Murray3-year extension
May 21, 2002Patrick Sharp 3-year*
June 12, 2002Antero Niittymaki 2-year*

Waivers

The Flyers were not involved in any waivers transactions. The 2001 NHL Waiver Draft was held on September 28, 2001. The Flyers protected the following players: goaltenders Brian Boucher and Roman Cechmanek; defensemen Eric Desjardins, Kim Johnsson, Chris McAllister, Dan McGillis, Luke Richardson, Chris Therien and Eric Weinrich; and forwards Todd Fedoruk, Ruslan Fedotenko, Simon Gagne, Jan Hlavac, John LeClair, Kent Manderville, Keith Primeau, Paul Ranheim, Mark Recchi, Jeremy Roenick and Rick Tocchet. The Flyers left the following players unprotected: goaltenders Neil Little and Dan Murphy; defensemen John Slaney, Michal Sykora and Brad Tiley; and forwards Mark Greig, Marty Murray and Mike Watt.

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
July 16, 2001Steve McLarenSt. Louis BluesFree agency
August 2, 2001Rob MurrayCalgary FlamesFree agency
August 6, 2001Derek PlanteMunich Barons Free agency
August 21, 2001Matt HerrFlorida PanthersFree agency
August 23, 2001P. J. StockNew York RangersFree agency
September 10, 2001Peter WhiteChicago BlackhawksFree agency
N/ABrian ReganMissouri River Otters Free agency
N/ASteve WashburnIserlohn Roosters Free agency
January 24, 2002Jody HullOttawa SenatorsFree agency
March 21, 2002Jarrod Skalde*Lausanne HC Free agency
April 8, 2002Billy Tibbetts*Hartford Wolf Pack Release

Draft picks

Philadelphia's picks at the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, which was held at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Florida, on June 23–24, 2001. The Flyers traded eight of the nine draft picks originally allotted to them, retaining only their fifth-round pick, 158th overall, and trading the others in seven different trades.
RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityTeam Notes
127Jeff WoywitkaDefenseCanadaRed Deer Rebels
395Patrick SharpCenterCanadaUniversity of Vermont
5146Jussi TimonenDefenseFinlandKalPa
5150Bernd BrucklerGoaltenderAustriaTri-City Storm
5158Roman MalekGoaltenderCzech RepublicSlavia Prague
6172Dennis SeidenbergDefenseGermanyAdler Mannheim
6177Andrei RazinCenterRussiaMetallurg Magnitogorsk
7208Thierry DouvilleDefenseCanadaBaie-Comeau Drakkar
7225David PrintzDefenseSwedenGreat Falls Americans

Farm teams

The Flyers were affiliated with the Philadelphia Phantoms of the AHL and the Trenton Titans of the ECHL.