As a rebuilding team, will the Philadelphia Flyers need more physical play to compete in games this year? My answer is simple – yes. The Flyers have talent, sure, but they are seen as a rebuilding team and need to develop more. There’s no better way than to be a physically imposing team. If the Flyers show the physicality like the Broad Street Bullies team did in the 70’s, they might have a shot at being successful this year.
The Broad Street Bullies
Originally given the name the Broad Street Bullies during the 1972-1973 season, the Flyers will need to get back to similar ways to be able to compete in games this year. The Flyers developed this nickname because of their penalty minutes, which climbed all the way to first in the NHL. They racked up 1,756 minutes in the box, and second place wasn’t even close. The next closest team being the St. Louis Blues, acquired 1,195 minutes in the box – not even close.
The team won two Stanley Cups while they attained the nickname. They were led by numerous players, one being Bobby Clarke and another being Dave Schultz. Clarke was known as one of the best players on the Broad Street Bullies, winning sportsmanship awards and the NHL’s Most Valuable Player in 1973, 1975, and 1976. Schultz, or The Hammer, was the most physical on the team. He set an NHL record for penalty minutes in the 1974-1975 season. His record still stands as he recorded 472 minutes that season.
The Need for Physicality in Philly
How does this relate to this team at all? Well it doesn’t – yet. Although the Flyers aren’t necessarily a super young team, they do have a lot of young talent. They also have John Tortorella who is entering just his second season with the team. By going 31-38 last year, finishing seventh in the Metropolitan Division, shows that the team still has a lot to work on. The Tampa Bay Lightning finished top five in penalty minutes and ended with a 46-30 record. Just showing this play style has potential. This could be where the physicality of the sport could be an advantage. Last year the Flyers finished top ten in penalty minutes, showing us the potential they have to be aggressive on the ice.
Nicolas Deslauriers could be the man to set the tone. Deslauriers led the Flyers in penalty minutes last season with 136 – 59 more minutes than anyone on the team. If this team can accept that role, it’ll give them a chance this year. Obviously, too many penalty minutes is a bad thing for a team, as they don’t want to be facing a power play all the time. They just need to show teams how tough they’re going to play and that they aren’t going to back down.
Much like the the Detroit Pistons when they gave themselves their own nickname of “The Bad Boys” in the 80s, the Flyers could set their own physically tough standard which would make opposing teams have to get through them not around them. This Flyers team has similar characteristics to that Pistons team; neither team’s skill level was off the charts. They work hard as a collective unit and have each others’ backs every night. Furthermore, they wore down the opposing team every play, and by doing that enough they eventually outlasted them on their way to victory. If the Flyers want to have a chance this season, they’ll need to show some dominance on the ice.
Main Photo: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
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