“The solar system is so humongous big,” said ex-Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov in an interview for HBO. Well, if the universe is so large, why can’t the Flyers seem to find a franchise goaltender? It has been forty-nine years since the Flyers last won the Stanley Cup and many lay the blame on their consistently lackluster situation in between the pipes. Some even say the Flyers are cursed.
Successes
To understand the curse, one must examine the Flyers’ little success in net. Bernie Parent, the franchise goalie that “only the lord [saved] more than,” is the holy grail of Flyers goaltending. Parent tended the net for the Flyers’ Stanley Cup Finals wins in 1974 and 1975. Still around the Flyers organization, Bernie was a product of his time, playing a standup style and diving to make saves in desperation.
Another notable goalie is Ron Hextall who was known for playing aggressively outside his crease, handling his own in a scuffle (sometimes taking it too far), and scoring two goalie goals. Hextall backstopped the Flyers during their 1987 Finals run and still holds the franchise record for wins (240).
Honorable mentions go to Doug Favell, Pete Peeters, and Bob Froese.
The Beginning of the Curse
Bursting onto the scene in the post-Parent era, Pelle Lindbergh was heralded as the future of the Flyers crease. The Swede’s 5’9” frame may not have been fit for NHL standards, but that never stopped Lindbergh. He became the Flyers’ number one goaltender, eventually leading them to the 1985 Stanley Cup Finals in a year when Lindbergh posted 40 wins and a 2.39 goals-against average, winning the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goaltender.
Unfortunately in November of 1985, after a team party, an intoxicated Lindbergh crashed his red Porsche into the wall of an elementary school in Somerdale, New Jersey, passing away one day later. The 26-year-old’s life and NHL career ended quickly, and to this day, the Flyers’ crease is cursed.
Recent History
Fast forward to June 9, 2010. The Flyers were back in the Stanley Cup Finals after a Cinderella run in which they made the playoffs on the last game of the regular season, erased a 3-0 series deficit to stun the Bruins in the first round, but were facing elimination at home in Game 6. Down 3-2 in the series, with the game tied in overtime, dashing down the nearside wall was Patrick Kane. Michael Leighton, an unexpected hero of the run, was in goal. Kane threw a seemingly harmless shot on net and it squeaked through the pads of Leighton, bringing one of the most bizarre and heartbreaking moments in Flyers history. One can only question if the curse was to blame.
But, not all hope was lost for the Flyers. This was just the start of a team that was to be competitive for years, surely. The month prior, the Flyers had signed a young promising Russian goaltender by the name of Sergei Bobrovsky, a safe bet to bolster the Flyers’ crease.
As a rookie the following season, 22-year-old Bobrovsky appeared in 54 games and put up an impressive .915 save percentage and 2.59 goals against average, receiving votes for the Calder trophy. However, the next year the Flyers decided to give the starting job to a more seasoned Russian, Ilya Bryzgalov, giving the 30-year-old an absurd 9-year, 51-million deal. After the season, the Flyers traded Sergei Bobrovsky to Columbus for a 2012 2nd-round pick (Anthony Stolarz), a 2012 4th-round pick (Taylor Leier), and a 2013 4th-round pick (eventually used to re-acquire Simon Gagne). After leaving Philadelphia, Bobrovsky enjoyed success, winning the Vezina (twice), the Stanley Cup, and cementing himself as a hall of famer. On the flip side, Bryzgalov’s numbers dropped in the seasons following his signing and the Flyers bought out his contract. The organization still pays Bryzgalov $1.63 million annually (until 2027) even though Bryzgalov has not played an NHL game in a decade. Overall, the decision to trade Bobrovsky in favor of Bryzgalov will go down as one of the worst moves in Flyers history.
Today
Currently, the Flyers are still searching for a sure thing in net. Drafted in 2016, Canadian backstopper Carter Hart was deemed the Flyers’ next goalie. After being thrown into NHL action at 20, Hart impressed many through his first five seasons. However, last year, at the ripe age of 25, the young goalie’s career was seemingly cut short as sexual assault charges were brought against Hart and four of his teammates from the Canadian 2018 World Junior Championship team.
Samuel Ersson, a 25-year-old Swede has stepped into the starting role and has proved serviceable, but without Ersson, the Flyers seem unable to compete.
The Future
The struggle to end the curse is real, and there seems to be no end in sight. The Flyers must prioritize finding a stable presence for the crease, even if it means trading away a top skater. With the current state of the team, the Flyers are not equipped to compete in the playoffs, especially without a duo of trustworthy backstoppers.
In recent history, the teams that have found championship success, for the most part, had an elite goaltender and strong core of players. The Flyers have neither. The day the Flyers find another Parent or Hextall, and ice a formidable team, the curse will be lifted and they will compete for a Stanley Cup. But until then, the 49-year cup drought will continue.
