The Philadelphia Flyers were established in 1967 as part of the National Hockey League’s first major expansion from the “Original Six” era. 1)
The team played its inaugural NHL game on the road on October 11, 1967, facing the Oakland Seals. 2)
The Flyers made their home debut at the newly built Spectrum arena on October 19, 1967, securing a 1-0 shutout victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. 3)
Lou Angotti was appointed as the first captain in the history of the Philadelphia Flyers for their debut 1967-68 season. 4)
The team earned the legendary “Broad Street Bullies” nickname in the early 1970s due to their notoriously aggressive and physical style of play. 5)
In 1974, the Flyers became the very first expansion team in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup. 6)
Following their 1974 victory, the Flyers successfully defended their title to win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1975. 7)
The Flyers hold the North American professional sports record for the longest undefeated streak, going 35 consecutive games without a loss during the 1979-80 season. 8)
During their record-breaking 35-game streak, which lasted from October 1979 to January 1980, the team recorded 25 wins and 10 ties. 9)
Goaltender Bernie Parent is the only player in NHL history to win the Vezina Trophy and the Conn Smythe Trophy in two consecutive seasons (1974 and 1975). 10)
The Flyers began a famous tradition in 1969 of playing Kate Smith’s rendition of “God Bless America” before games as a good luck charm. 11)
In a legendary January 1976 exhibition, the Flyers defeated the Soviet Red Army team 4-1, a game remembered for its extreme physicality. 12)
Enforcer Dave “The Hammer” Schultz set an NHL single-season record with 472 penalty minutes during the 1974-75 season. 13)
Despite battling Type 1 diabetes, Bobby Clarke won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player three times in the 1970s. 14)
The Flyers played at The Spectrum for nearly three decades before moving to their current home, originally called the CoreStates Center, in 1996. 15)
In 1992, the Flyers acquired superstar Eric Lindros from the Quebec Nordiques in exchange for five players, two draft picks, and $15 million. 16)
Flyers goaltender Ron Hextall became the first NHL goalie to score a goal by shooting the puck into the opposing net on December 8, 1987. 17)
In 1985, Pelle Lindbergh became the first European-born goaltender to win the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top netminder. 18)
The Flyers became just the third team in NHL history to win a playoff series after trailing 3-0, defeating the Boston Bruins in 2010. 19)
The Flyers introduced their mascot, Gritty, on September 24, 2018, and he immediately became a global social media sensation. 20)
The Flyers franchise has officially retired six jersey numbers to honor legendary players like Bernie Parent, Mark Howe, and Bobby Clarke. 21)
Bill Barber remains the all-time franchise leader for career goals, having scored 420 goals over his 12-year career in Philadelphia. 22)
Bobby Clarke holds the Flyers' franchise records for most games played (1,144), career assists (852), and career points (1,210). 23)
The Flyers set an enduring franchise record for the most penalty minutes in a single season with 1,969 during the 1974-75 campaign. 24)
Former captain Mike Richards holds the NHL record for the most career 3-on-5 shorthanded goals scored. 25)
In May 2000, the Flyers played in one of the longest games in NHL history, a five-overtime playoff marathon against the Pittsburgh Penguins. 26)
The Flyers hosted the 2012 NHL Winter Classic outdoor game at Citizens Bank Park, playing against the New York Rangers. 27)
The team’s official year-round practice facility, the Flyers Training Center, is located in Voorhees, New Jersey. 28)
The Flyers Wives Carnival is a storied team tradition that has raised millions for charity over more than four decades. 29)
Flyers Charities hosts the annual “Gritty 5K” run, which helps support nonprofit organizations for underserved youth. 30)
Through various initiatives, Flyers Charities has raised over $29 million for medical research and youth recreation since its inception. 31)
In 1974, Flyers head coach Fred Shero became the very first winner of the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year. 32)
Flyers great Gary Dornhoefer was immortalized with a statue outside The Spectrum for his famous 1973 overtime playoff goal. 33)
Key championship player Rick MacLeish was originally acquired by the Flyers in a 1971 trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs. 34)
During the 2012 playoffs, Claude Giroux set a franchise record for the most points scored in a single playoff game. 35)
The city of Philadelphia has hosted the NHL All-Star Game under the Flyers' banner in 1976 and 1992. 36)
Mark Howe holds the franchise records for most career goals, assists, and points by a Flyers defenseman. 37)
Forward Mikael Renberg set the Flyers' franchise record for most points by a rookie with 82 during the 1993-94 season. 38)
The Philadelphia Flyers franchise was founded by entrepreneur Ed Snider, who remained the team’s chairman until 2016. 39)
The “P” in the Flyers' primary logo is slanted at an angle specifically intended to represent the motion of a hockey puck. 40)
Ron Hextall is the winningest goaltender in Flyers history, having recorded 240 regular-season victories for the team. 41)
In their very first NHL season (1967-68), the Flyers finished at the top of the Western Division to secure their first playoff berth. 42)
Flyers legends Bobby Clarke (1972) and Tim Kerr (1989) have both won the Masterton Trophy for dedication to hockey. 43)
Travis Konecny was named the 2024-25 winner of the Bobby Clarke Trophy as the Flyers' most valuable player. 44)
The Flyers Training Center recently opened a third ice rink named “'67 Arena” to commemorate the team's founding year. 45)