An Interview With Philadelphia Flyers’ Legend Bernie Parent

Classic Post: An Interview With Philadelphia Flyers’ Legend Bernie Parent

Bernie Parent was central to the team's back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. 

Here's another look at an interview I conducted with him...

Spending a few hours with Philadelphia Flyers' legend Bernie Parent was well worth the trip to his office in New Jersey. Here's a full replay of an online feature that originally premiered in the fall of 2010...

“Today, my philosophy has changed tremendously. Everything comes from what you think about. Whatever you are thinking, you are going to attract. When you are happy, good things will come to you, ” Bernard Marcel Parent.

A week prior to his participation in the Spectrum's demolition ceremonies, I had the chance to discuss hockey, business, and philosophy with Bernie Parent. In doing so, I learned about the man who was a steady rock on those Flyers 1970's Stanley Cup teams. The former goaltender's candor and warm demeanor revealed how he has transitioned from a Hall of Fame sports career to life after the game.

“The last time I was in the Spectrum, I went down to the floor and stood where the holes for the net used to be. I was there for about 10 to15 minutes looking at the whole building. I relived the memories one last time. It was a beautiful thing,” Parent said.

Parent, who will be honored by the Flyers on December 8^th at “Bernie Parent night”, has remained a member of the Flyers' family, serving as an ambassador for the team.

New book to be released

He also is the author of a forthcoming book, My Journey Through Fear and Risk, which was developed through his experiences, conversations, and motivational speeches that he has given since his playing career ended. The book will be available to corporations, schools, non-profits, and individuals. In it, he discusses life after hockey and how each person can develop a proper philosophy. It also contains a menu of 15 topics to select from which facilitates Parent's in-person presentations.

In addition to authoring a book, he has continued to represent a number of different corporations, and make public relations appearances around the country and in Canada.

Business requests can be made through his manager, Dean Smith, who can be contacted at: 856-988-0001 and through Parent's website.

“When I talk with people, I tell them to find out what their purpose is. They need to find what they love to do and dedicate their lives to it. That's when you get involved in fear and risk. You may have to change everything in your life, but risk is a beautiful thing. That is when things happen. All successful people have taken risks,” Parent said.

Learning from the master

Parent's hockey career was partly inspired by Hall of Fame goaltender Jacques Plante, whose sister lived aside of his family home.

“I was a shy kid, so when Plante would come to visit his sister I would always watch him. I can see in my mind exactly what his sister's house looked like, how he got out of his car, stood in front of the house smoking a cigar, and how he walked up the steps,” Parent fondly recalled.

“My goal as a little leaguer was to get to the National Hockey League and then to win the Stanley Cup. When I was a kid I might have had 200 people telling me that I wasn't going to make it. They said I

wasn't big enough, or strong enough. But, when you have passion and are good enough, the obstacles fade away,” Parent said.

After playing in the junior leagues for the Niagara Falls Flyers, he was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the mid-1960's. Later he was selected in the 1967 NHL expansion draft by the Flyers and played in Philadelphia until he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1971. Their starting goalie at the time was none other than Jacques Plante.

“When I was traded to Toronto, I had some doubts at first. That was a low point in my career because I wasn't looking at the right side of the coin. I was thinking about the Flyers not wanting me, rather than the fact that the Leaf's did want me. Plus, the person who I admired as a child, Plante, was their goalie. I learned a great lesson from that whole experience,” Parent said.

“I was there (in Toronto) for two years. I watched Plante play from the bench. He was incredible! You don't want to copy someone, but take what they have an add it to your own style. So, one day, I said to him, 'Jacques, can you teach me?', Parent said.

In 1972, Parent took a risk and jumped to a rival league called the World Hockey Association. While playing for the Philadelphia Blazers during that 1972-73 season, he faced an average of 55 shots per game, but used that as an opportunity to apply what he had learned from Plante. When the Blazers moved to Vancouver at season's end, he decided to go back to the NHL. Toronto then traded his rights to the Flyers.

Fred Shero

Newspapers heralded his return as a move that could help the team to win the Cup in 1973-74.

“The first time I met Fred Shero he came up to me and said that he believed in team work, but didn't know anything about goaltending, so I was on my own. As soon as he said that, I knew I had the right coach,” Parent recalled.

“I got a standing ovation when I stepped onto the ice at the Spectrum during our first pre-season game that year. But, ten minutes into the game, the Rangers had scored eight goals against me. I heard a lot of boos and Freddy (Shero) pulled me out. That was my reintroduction to the city. But, when you think you have hit your lowest moments, it doesn't mean it's over. You are just being sent in a different direction,” Parent said.

A few weeks after that Rangers game, Shero had Parent start in goal for the regular season opener against Toronto. He shut them out 2-0. As we know, the Broad Street Bullies went on to famously win their first Stanley Cup that season and have “walked together forever”, just as Shero's locker room chalkboard message had encouraged them to do.

Parent earned many awards after his return to Philadelphia, including winning both the Vezina (an award given annually to the league's best goalie) and the Conn Smythe (an award given annually to the league's best playoff performance) trophies in 1973-74 and 1974-75.

Post-hockey career

A five-time All-Star, he was the toast of the town in the 1970's, adding another Cup win in 1974-75. But, after a career-ending eye injury against the Rangers, in 1979, his life changed dramatically.

“After retirement, the problem is that you can't perform in front of large crowds anymore. That is the biggest adjustment that you have to make. Money is separate adjustment,” Parent said.

He joined a self-help program that he credits with turning his life around.

“In your greatest despair, you can have your greatest victory. As long as I was the hockey player, I had a purpose. Once that stopped, that purpose was gone. I went in circles. I wasn't happy and I hung around people who had a similar outlook. I have learned that you become what you attract. So, I like to share what I went through because I want to help people to learn through my experiences,” Parent said.

During that time period he also was a goaltending coach and scout for the Flyers. Neil Little, drafted on Parent's recommendation, went on to win two Calder Cups for the Flyers AHL affiliate and today is the Flyers worldwide goalie scout.

In 1998, he was willing to let a doctor perform a new procedure on his damaged right eye. The procedure worked, restoring his vision to 20/20.

Pelle Lindbergh

Thomas Tynander and Bill Meltzer's book Behind the White Mask, contains a sharply detailed description of Lindbergh's life, career, and the father-son type relationship that he had with Parent. We discussed the book and his remembrances of Lindbergh.

“Pelle was here on Earth for a brief moment that was cut a little bit short. We are spiritual people and

I believe that when someone passes away they move onto a new place in their eternal life,” Parent reflected.

During the 1981-82 season, Lindbergh was struggling. When he was sent to the Flyers minor league team in Maine, Parent suggested that he go with him. Through his guidance, Lindbergh returned to the Flyers during that season. He went on to win the Vezina trophy in 1984-85, which Parent presented to him at the awards ceremony.

“I opened the envelope and his name was listed as the winner. He came up on stage and gave me hug. It was a big moment,” Parent fondly recalled.

“I was very grateful that I was a part of his life. A paradigm was passed from Plante, the master, to me and then I passed what I had learned on to Pelle. He had a lot of good qualities that could benefit us today,” Parent said of his former protege.

Recent pursuits

He has remained an avid hunter, fisherman, and golfer. He values family greatly, having two sons, a daughter, and six grandchildren.

“It is a different phase that I'm going into now. I love children. When you watch a child, you are seeing happiness. Watch them for a half of an hour and you will learn a lot,” Parent said.

A few years ago one of Parent's sons gave him a popular DVD. He credits what he learned from it (along with it's related book) as helping him to gain a deeper understanding of life.

“The Secret helped me to see that we attract good and the bad things in life by how we think. When you have a positive view of life, good things happen to you. The greatest power on Earth is the power to choose. Once you understand the process, you can create anything that you want,” Parent said.

Ed Snider

“I believe that he is one of the best owners in professional sports and has built his own economy. He is wise enough to realize that he needs a team. He is involved with his company, but allows people to have confidence in themselves and lets his team perform. Back in 1967-68 (the team's first year) he was sitting at the kitchen table with his wife, trying to determine how they would meet payroll. Now, he is one of the most successful individuals in the Delaware Valley,” Parent said.

Flyers 2010-2011

“I think this team has the whole package. They have a great coach (Peter Laviolette) who I really like. They have great forwards and great defenseman. They also have three good goalies, who understand the game. It's exciting because the Flyers have their deepest team in a long time. They aren't hoping to win, they know they can win. If they stay healthy, they have a good chance to win the whole thing,” Parent enthusiastically said.

Packs

“I consider myself to be a wolf, because I like the freedom of choice. Choice is very, very important to me. A wolf works in packs. So, everyone doesn't have to be like me, because people all have different talents,” Parent said.

He has employed the same strategy in his current pursuits that he did when he studied Plante's goaltending techniques. He studied successful business people for five years, so that he could begin to build his own business pack.

Parent concluded by saying, “Material possessions, like us, will come and go. I am grateful for what I have been able to attract. Life is a wonderful journey.”

Postscript

Growing up in the 1970's, I was naturally a Flyers fan and spent many great days playing street hockey with cousins and elementary school friends. My uncle created cool foam goalie pads that my cousin wore during our games in his garage. Every Sunday, while my Mom was making dinner, I would put my Bernie-style mask on and fend off shots from my Dad in our own basement rink.

After completing the interview, I began my journey back through the roads that I had traveled on a few hours earlier. As I did so, I could see in my memories that we all wanted to be who Bernie was back then. I also knew that I had just spoken with someone who enjoys being who he is today.

(Thank you to Dan Morroni, who is a custom tailor in the Philadelphia region.)

Matvei Michkov expected to play for Philadelphia Flyers in 2024-25

 

After much speculation, the reliable Anthony Di Marco and other sources confirmed that the Philadelphia Flyers' 2023 first-round draft pick, Matvei Michkov, is being released from his KHL contract.

The above means that the electric forward will be on Philadelphia's 2024-25 National Hockey League roster, with an NHL contract to be signed shortly after visa issues allow Michkov to come to the United States. 

A series of events enabled the Flyers to draft Michkov number seven overall last summer because it was believed he would need to remain in the KHL for three seasons.

This latest development is another example of Keith Jones and Danny Briere's willingness to take calculated risks, which should further the so-called 'Rebuild' in ways that can not be measured.

Behind the Hockey Scenes: Philadelphia Flyers Versus New Jersey Devils April 13, 2024

(Pregame - Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA - Sean O'Brien)

Introductions

The pregame retirement night ceremonies for Wayne Simmonds were low-key. He dropped the ceremonial first puck before the official faceoff. A video tribute was shown, with shots of many fans wearing his number 17 sweater in the stands. But he did not speak to the crowd, reinforcing his team-first, humble approach. Those who cheered for him during his career or had the opportunity to talk with him as part of the media were not surprised.

Simmonds signed a one-day contract this week to retire as a member of the organization. His eight-year career in Philadelphia began when he was acquired, along with Brayden Schenn, in June 2011 from the Los Angeles Kings for Mike Richards. He was traded to the Nashville Predators in February 2019.

On a personal note, I covered the Stadium Series at Lincoln Financial Field in February 2019. The Flyers hosted their cross-state rival that rainy night, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jakub Voracek tied the game with twenty seconds remaining in the third, and Claude Giroux won the contest (4-3) in overtime.

As part of a media throng, we spoke with Wayne about the game and the anticipated end of his time in the organization. Days later, he was dealt to Nashville.

The Flyers (37-32-11, 85 points) are in their second-to-last game of the season. They will play the Devils (38-37-5, 81 points) in the late afternoon, and Philadelphia needs assists from various other teams to qualify for the playoffs.

The Flyers recent eight-game winless streak ended in New York earlier this week with a 4-1 win over the Rangers. The Devils beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5 that same night, Thursday.

Starting goaltenders – Sam Ersson for the Flyers and Kaapo Kahkonen for the Devils.

First period

The video scoreboard noted the recent eighth anniversary of team founder Ed Snider's passing. With the risk he took, there is no way to know what hockey would look like in Philadelphia.

It was a back-and-forth period with little action. Around the halfway point, The Devils took two penalties in close proximity to each other.

But the Flyers' bottom-ranked power play did not come through. There were no high-danger chances. What expectations are reasonable without the personnel to do so?  Of course, the same could be said for the team this season.

Shots: Philadelphia – 11 New Jersey - 6

Score: Philadelphia – 0 New Jersey – 0

Intermission: The Mites on Ice show was, as always, entertaining. Many of us have great memories of playing hockey with family members and friends in our backyards or on the street. How great for the young kids to play a game, in between periods, of a National Hockey League game. Of course, if you fall onto the ice and score a fantastic goal, as one of the Mites did, that memory becomes indelible.

Second period

It is an understatement to classify the first half of this period as slow-moving. Credit to the Flyers for keeping New Jersey, the ninth-highest-scoring team, stymied.

A nifty backhand pass from Scott Laughton, who was cutting through center ice, was delivered to Travis Konecny (his 33rd overall goal of the season). He entered the zone and sent a wrist shot past Kahkonen at 10:50 into the period. It was also his sixth shorthanded goal of the season, with the magic he and Laughton produced reminding old-school fans of Dave Poulin and Brian Propp. Nick Seeler had the other assist.

Shots: Philadelphia – 6 New Jersey - 5

Score: Philadelphia – 1 New Jersey - 0

Intermission: The Mites again. This sequel did not include a fabulous goal, but it was entertaining.

Third period

A loud “Let's Go Flyers' chant surrounded the stadium with about four minutes to go.

As was true at points earlier, Simmonds' rough-and-tumble game continued during this period. This was fitting, as he scrapped with the best of them during his career. Cutaways to Simmer in his suite, cupping his ear to hear the crowd, upped the electric moment higher. 

Devils head coach Travis Green elected not to pull the goalie after a stop in the offensive zone with three minutes left. However, he did make the call with approximately two minutes left.

A third chant carried the team to victory with seconds left. The tight win kept hopes for a playoff berth alive.

Shots: Philadelphia - 4 (21total) – New Jersey 9 (20 total)

Score: Philadelphia – 1 New Jersey – 0

It was the Flyers' first shutout since Jan 13 when the Flyers shutout the Winnipeg Jets 2-0. Ersson was in goal that night during a five-game winning. The shutout was the team's fifth and his fourth of the season. 

After the horn sounded

Flyers head coach John Tortorella said he was pleased with the team's performance during the postgame presser. The head coach also said the goaltending situation impacted the team, and Ersson, who played his fiftieth game today, was not projected to play anywhere near that number of games.

Carter Hart's departure from the team changed the trajectory of the season. That explanation will be used and arguably valid if the team is knocked out of the playoff picture before Game 82 is played on Tuesday. The Flyers host the Washington Capitals that night.

On a personal note – I saw former NHL referee Kerry Fraser on the press level after the game ended. It was good to catch up. My interview with him in 2011 was a memorable, wide-ranging conversation. 

Philadelphia Flyers: Pre-NHL Trade Deadline Deal and a Contract Extension

Philadelphia Flyers General Manager Danny Briere made another shrewd move.

Per the organization, “We have acquired a conditional first-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft and center Ryan Johansen from Colorado in exchange for defenseman Sean Walker and a fifth-round selection in the 2026 NHL Draft.”

Walker was acquired in a three-team deal last June that moved Ivan Provorov.

Two days before the National Hockey League Trade Deadline, this transaction exchanged an expiring contract for a Top 10 protected first-round pick in 2025. So, it will likely be a 2026 selection. Taking on Johansen's contract allowed the Flyers to gain solid assets. (Johansen was subsequently waived.)

Along with the above, resigning Nick Seeler to a four-year contract extension at a reasonable number looks smart. A heart-and-soul player who is loved in the locker room, Seeler remains part of the rebuild. His ever-impressive shock-blocking ability currently has the veteran on the Injured List. But the message to the room is that a role model's work ethic is deeply valued and can be rewarded.

Whether more deals happen by Friday or not, Briere pushed the rebuild plan forward. This season feels like a two-fer, with more progress than expected and the Flyers' return to League prominence coming in a shorter number of years than expected.

Behind the Hockey Scenes: Philadelphia Flyers Versus New York Rangers

 

(Pregame warmup photo - Sean O'Brien)

Introductions

Travis Konecny's upper-body injury made the Philadelphia Flyers (30-20-7, 67 points) task more challenging heading into the afternoon tilt versus the Eastern Division-leading New York Rangers (38-16-3, 79 points), who enter on a nine-game winning streak. The choice of both goalies implies that their head coaches want to win, as each team also plays tomorrow.

Flyers' head coach, John Tortorella, tapped Sam Ersson to play in the net. Peter Laviolette, who led Philadelphia to its last Stanley Cup appearance in 2010, picked one of the top goalies in the League, Igor Shesterkin.

This was a nationally televised game on ABC. It was originally scheduled as a streaming-only ESPN+ contest but was elevated to broadcast level.

As a side note – Today's game marks my one-hundredth, with approximately half of those games coming since the 2010-11 season when I received my first credential approval. The organization has always been and remains first-class, which a freelancer like me appreciates.

First period

An early “Let's go Rangers” chant elicited bad memories among the Flyers' faithful. Two seasons ago, an overwhelming number of Rangers' fans, more than was ever known to have been present in Philadelphia, dominated the Wells Fargo atmosphere. That 3-2 overtime Rangers' win on March 1, 2023, was seen as the bottoming-out of the pre-Danny Briere-Keith Jones era that began after that 2022-23 season was buried.

A classic, 1970's 1970s-style fight took place three minutes into the period as Nick Deslauriers and Matt Rempe (who had six inches on his opponent, standing at 6' 7”) fought for an extended period. Deslauriers eventually knocked Rempe down after his shirt was caught on his head—five minutes in the box for each.

A lot of back-and-forth action. There were some chances, but none that were successful.

Shots: Philadelphia – 18 New York - 9

Score: Philadelphia – 0 New York – 0

Intermission: The Mites on Ice entertained, as usual. It's always enjoyable to see young players on the half-ice.

Second period

Garnet Hathaway received a double minor for high sticking at 8:47. The play was under review, but the analysis did not change the initial ruling.

With 1:10 left on the penalty, Artemi Panarin was called for holding. But Alexis Lafreeniere (17th goal) wristed a shot past Ersson at 11:56. Assists to Vincent Trocheck and K'Andre Miller. Rangers' fans erupted but were drowned out by the faithful. An ear-estimate and with a view of various blue jerseys in the stands, which was hardly scientific, put the boisterous Rangers fans in the mid-single digit thousands.

Shots: Philadelphia – 5 (23) New York – 10 (19)

Score: Philadelphia – 0 New York – 1

Intermission: A chess-like game through two periods. This is a good test for Tortorella's team. Building culture and rebuilding an iconic franchise is bolstered through winning and learning how to respond to losses.

Third period

Tyson Foerster (11th goal) tied the game because he was positioned in front of the net and had his stick on the ice at 2:36. The work for this goal was done by Scott Laughton, who fought his way to supply a wrap-around assist from behind the net—a secondary assist by Travis Sanheim.

Ersson was screened and could not see a wrist shot that was thrown to the net by Barclay Goodrow (2nd goal). It appeared that Rempe tipped the puck in as he was stationed in front of the net and was seen receiving congratulations on the bench from his teammates. Assists Braden Schneider and Chris Kreider. (It was later switched to Rempe, who had his first goal in the National Hockey League.)

Sanheim led a breakaway while Sean Couturier was in the penalty box with slightly over nine minutes to play. Laughton trailed him on the two-on-none-play. But Sanheim could not tie the game. Arguably, a forward might have succeeded better or used the trailer to set up a higher percentage play or rebound attempt.

Philadelphia was given a chance to tie the game when Miller took a high-sticking penalty at 15:57. Tortorella pulled Ersson. At the same time, the Flyers had approximately 17 seconds left on the power play. After a stoppage, a timeout was taken at 17:42, with 15 seconds remaining on the man-advantage.

There were a few scoring chances, including one puck across the goal crease with seconds remaining, but no dice. The Rangers won a solid game by playing good defense and getting a savvy performance from Shesterkin. 

Shots: Philadelphia – 17 (40) New York – 5 (24)

Score: Philadelphia – 1 New York – 2

The game had a playoff feel. The Flyers played a competitive game and play the Pittsburgh Penguins on the road tomorrow, starting at 3:30 PM.

Philadelphia Flyers: Potential Scott Laughton Trade Partially Telegraphed Through Two New Letters?

 

Naming Sean Couturier the Philadelphia Flyers' twentieth captain in team history makes sense. The longtime center has proven healthy following his extended rehabilitation from injury.

So, the organization believes he will be on the ice regularly. That factor played into him being named captain.

Travis Konecny was named assistant captain, joining Scott Laughton, who wore the team's lone designated leadership letter. That elevation also makes sense, as the Flyers forward and recent All-Star has come into his own. But strategy may also be part of the timing of Couturier and Konecny's elevations. 

Laughton's current contract runs through the 2025-26 season. The March 8 National Hockey League trade deadline can be counted in days, with this assistant captain widely believed to be a hot topic among various NHL brass.  

Ryan Poehling recently signed a deal that extends him through the 2025-26 season. Securing the first-year Flyer allows the organization to deal Laughton for a likely good return without creating an extra hole on next season's roster.

Add to the Poehling news, it can only be assumed that President Keith Jones, General Manager Danny Briere, and Head Coach John Tortorella did not want to elevate one player (or two) to the official leadership group due to a trade. While they could have gone without any assigned letters, the leadership announcements, only weeks before March 8, could imply that the organization anticipates trading Laughton. 

Jones, Briere, and Tortorella have routinely shared the same message. The rebuild is on, and the plan will remain unchanged, even if the team continues to play toward a playoff berth. Using that logic, trading Laughton (who turns 30 on May 30) for a solid return would further the rebuild. 

Like Couturier and Konecny, Laughton has only ever played for the Flyers, doing so since he was 18 in the 2012-13 season. Couturier and Konecny first played when they were 19.

Because the team now has a new captain and assistant captain, dealing Laughton would only reduce one A, rather than leave the Flyers with no lettered sweaters. 

Philadelphia Flyers: Rebuild and NHL Playoff Push Continues

The Philadelphia Flyers opened the post-All-Star break with a nice 2-1 regulation road win against the Florida Panthers.

Analysis varies. In this instance, a playoff berth would bolster the rebuild. Management continues to say that the team's unexpectedly higher point total does not alter the plan. So, some key players on the NHL roster could be dealt by the trade deadline next month, impacting an ability to win consistently. But maybe not.

The John Tortorella effect has been followed by the dual impact of the types of decisions Dan Hilferty, Keith Jones, and Danny Briere are making.

Will the Flyers qualify for the playoffs? It's a toss-up. But betting against a team reestablishing its iconic identity is likely unwise.

Philadelphia Flyers: Jamie Drysdale Wants to Wear Orange and Black

An optimist reads this Philadelphia Flyers' headline as the story. But at the moment, Cutter Gauthier's not wanting to play for the organization is naturally the second sentence lede. That makes sense, since the Flyers first-round pick (fifth overall) in the 2022 National Hockey League Draft initially wanted to play for the rebuilding franchise.

(Flyers draft table at the top of the photo. Courtesy of Sean O’Brien.)

Something changed since last summer's National Hockey League Entry draft, which I was fortunate to attend at the Centre Bell in Montreal, Quebec. So, Gauthier, who is at Boston College and turns 20 on January 19, was traded to the Anaheim Ducks for Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round draft pick.

The right-handed shot D-man, who will turn 22 in April, is in his fourth season in the League, though a torn labrum caused him only to play eight games last season. He has played in 10 contests this season and is believed to be healthy.

Flyers President Keith Jones and General Manager Daniel Briere spoke about their inability to contact Gauthier or his family, which led to the trade of this forward. That term is used because he's played left wing and center, and there was debate as to which position was best.

Gauthier's recent terrific performance for Team USA at the World Junior Championships caused his value to peak, according to Briere.

So, the Flyers could not keep a young scorer, which is one of this rebuilding team's needs. But Philadelphia was able to obtain a young defenseman, who is projected to be part of the blue-line core, and eventually, whoever is selected with the potentially favorable draft selection, unless that asset becomes part of a future trade.

The following information is courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers Communications Staff:

Drysdale, 21 (4/8/02), was selected by the Ducks in the first round, sixth overall, of the 2020 NHL Draft. He owns five points (1-4=5) in 10 games with Anaheim this season. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound native of Toronto, Ontario, has 45 points (8- 37=45) in 123 games in four seasons with the Ducks (2020-24). He missed majority of the 2022-23 campaign due to a torn labrum in his left shoulder. The right-shot blueliner set career highs in goals (4), assists (28) and points (32) in 81 games during the 2021-22 season. He ranked second among all NHL rookie defensemen in 2021-22 in points, assists, shots (137) and games while he became one of four rookie defensemen in Ducks history to record 30-or-more points. He tallied two points (1-1=2) in his NHL debut on March 18, 2021 vs. ARI. He became the third defenseman in NHL history to record multiple points in his NHL debut at age 18-or-younger while his first NHL goal marked only the fourth time in NHL history an 18-year-old scored a goal in his NHL debut. 

Drysdale skated in two seasons with the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and collected 87 points (16- 71=87) in 112 career games (2018-20). He was named to the 2018-19 OHL First All-Rookie Team and to the 2019-20 OHL First Team All-Star. He has represented Canada at the 2020 (gold) and 2021 (silver) World Junior Championship and became the youngest defenseman since 2001 to appear in a World Junior Championship for Canada in 2020 (Jay Bouwmeester, 17 years, 3 months). 

Gauthier was selected by the Flyers in the first round, fifth overall, of the 2022 NHL Draft and has yet to make his NHL debut. He has spent the last two seasons with Boston College (2022-24)

Philadelphia Flyers Creating New Year's Hope

Few anticipated the Philadelphia Flyers having the tenth-best winning percentage (.614) in the National Hockey League. But that mark has caught the attention of everyone except the Flyers' brass. President  Keith Jones, General Manager Danny Briere, and Head Coach John Tortorella all spoke about this team's ability to compete this season, and that has happened.

The Flyers' 19-11-5 record is identical to the one the team had during its last playoff season in 2019-20, which became the 'Bubble Year' due to the virus.

Defense

Philadelphia has the eighth-best defense in the NHL, which allows a +11-goal differential. The team's nine short-handed goals are only three short of its power play production (12).

Making Changes

The organization subtracted front-office personnel and players last spring and into the summer. It added players with character and subjective grit that have been openly evidenced.

The team needed a different offensive approach, so Tortorella implemented an up-tempo style that pushes quick defensive zone exits during five-on-five play. The popularized 'Power Kill' reflects that pressure when the opposing team is on the power play.

Jones, Briere, and Tortorella insist that the team's winning ways won't alter the rebuild plan. That would indicate some key players will be dealt by the trade deadline in March, and other changes will happen during the upcoming off-season.

Pace

However, a one-hundred-point season could result if this team plays at its current pace. If it plays .500 hockey during the remainder of the season (47 games, assume 20-20-7), the Flyers will finish with 90 points. While that might not earn a playoff berth, in the highly competitive Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, the organization would jump 15 points ahead of last season's finish 31-38-13, 75 points).

Rebuild Effect

This team is enjoyable to watch, is increasing the value of various players who may be exchanged, is surely realizing gains in NHL roster development, has different assets below the NHL level, and is restoring its legacy status.

The rebuild that was publicly announced earlier this year must be lauded.

Philadelphia Flyers' Modestly Encouraging Start Is Not Deceiving

The Philadelphia Flyers' start to this regular season through just past the quarter mark is modestly encouraging. They were in playoff position by Thanksgiving, which is a predictor more often than not of which teams will make the postseason by the season's end. 

However, if I were a betting man, I would not wager or wager much on John Tortorella's team returning to the playoffs this coming spring. While the team's overall play is good, official year 2 of the rebuild reconfirms more subtraction is needed, holes still abound, and various impact players still need to be added to the National Hockey League roster. 

The goaltending has been generally good. The defensive group is better than expected and a nice surprise. Offensively, well, that is the issue. 

No team can win regularly with a power play that produces a paltry ten percent efficiency rate. While breakouts from the defensive zone are markedly improved, a lack of finishers is a team weakness. John Tortorella implemented an up-tempo offensive push. That was understandable because he and his coaching staff wanted to squeeze every last opportunity out of a group that was obviously going to have trouble scoring. 

Keith Jones and Danny Briere have good heads on their shoulders. They know this team is far from a playoff threat, let alone a Stanley Cup contender. So, some players who are performing well seem bound to be dealt by the trade deadline, which would impact playoff chances this season while strengthening the organization for more realistic future campaigns.   

Philadelphia Flyers: Rebuild Year 2

Philadelphia Flyers Head Coach John Tortorella is starting his second year. Training camp includes his blend of old-school methods. Those above Torts endorse that approach. 

President of Hockey Operations Keith Jones became an ideal fit as the new front-office face of the franchise. The former player and longtime broadcaster's positive reputation sells well.

But Jonesy is no salesman. His tell-it-like-it-is approach came through television sets and digital screens. He is cheered because he blends the truth with light-hearted humor while also recognizing what the fans, both old and new, want right now.

Brian Boucher, another former Flyers player, was hired to take over for Jones with the organization's broadcast team and nationally with TNT. It is fair to wonder if Boosh may eventually work in a National Hockey League's front office if he wants to? He, like Todd Fedoruk, another former Flyer who is replacing longtime broadcaster Steve Coates, has fan appeal that will help promote the team.

Philadelphia Flyers General Manager Danny Briere says that the players will determine the pace of the rebuild. That statement is honest and accurate. Those in charge put pieces in place, while those who relay the game to the fans offer their observations.

In coming years, the trio of Jonesy, Danny B, and Torts seem more likely than not to restore one of the League's fabled franchises. 

Philadelphia Flyers: Danny Briere's Statement Trade of Ivan Provorov

(Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Flyers.)

Philadelphia Flyers General Manager Danny Briere made a statement with his first trade. 

He was not shy in making this major transaction during the Stanley Cup Final, albeit on an off day. The three-team deal he exacted delivered on the promise that he and others in the reconfigured front office have been making. The organization is genuinely rebuilding, was creative, and netted countable assets. 

The following is courtesy of the Flyers' media relations department: 

Hi, Danny. Just wondering about what was the timeline for this? When did you start having conversations about making this trade and specifically with Provorov and these teams?

Last couple of weeks, I've had a few different discussions on Ivan. There was other teams involved, but it really seemed like the best fit was with Columbus. The interest was really, really high on Columbus’ side. We started focusing on that a little bit more in the last couple of days.

 

Danny, I guess this is more of a bigger picture question, but what went into the decision to trade Ivan Provorov? What drove that decision on your part?

Well, part of it is that we are in a rebuilding stage. We felt that the picks and the direction that we wanted to go in, it was really enticing. Very exciting. We have a chance to really kind of start building the team the way we want it, the right way that we've talked about. I think it kind of starts with that. It wasn't an easy decision. Ivan has been a really good soldier for the Flyers for a lot of years. A lot of sweat, a lot of hits he’s taken, a lot of pucks he’s blocked. He's really poured his heart out into the Flyers. It wasn't an easy decision. For us, what we were looking at is young guys and picks. We've said it from the beginning, so that was the major reason behind it.

 

Yeah, just kind of following up on that. Obviously, Ivan has been for years your guys’ number one defenseman, the big minutes guy. That's a key piece for any team, not just in terms of trying to win now, but also in terms of how the rest of the depth chart fills out. Why did you feel like future assets matter more to the long-term plan than his present value here?

Well, sometimes you have to pay the price to get good assets back as well. We're not denying the fact that Ivan is a good defender and he's put in heavy minutes for us. It's going to be tough to replace him. At this time, we felt that the assets we were getting to build the team we want to build in the future. That was critical and you have to give up good players and good assets in return. You don't get first round picks for players that don't have interest from other teams. You've got to play ball with both sides, and we have to give up a good player for that.

 

Hey, Danny, thanks for doing this. I was just curious. In your conversations with Ivan, did he express the desire for a change of scenery? Just how were your conversations with him leading up to the off-season and in the days leading up to this trade?

Yeah, I'm not gonna get into the details of that. All I'd like to say is thanks to Ivan for being a great soldier for a lot of years. At this time, we felt it was the best of interest for everybody to make this trade.

 

This is a pretty significant move for you guys. You've used the word rebuilding a couple of times since you took over as GM, including today. Is this the first of many moves you're planning to make between now and the draft? Do you envision this being the start of kind of what you want to do as far as reshaping the team?

If it makes sense. It all depends if things make sense. We felt this trade made sense at this time for us. That's why we moved ahead. Like I've said earlier, there's always two sides to it - three sides in this case – so you never know. If it makes sense and there's a good return on other things, we'll consider it, but it's too early to tell.

 

Does having a second first round pick in this year's draft - it's considered an incredibly deep crop - how important was that to get this as part of the deal for Ivan?

That was the key part of the deal. We have the chance to get a really good player when you're drafting in the top-10 this year in this crop, but it's a deep draft, and we felt we wanted to acquire another pick in the first two rounds, not having a second rounder this year. So, having a chance to get number 22 was critical to the deal for us.

 

Can you tell us a little bit about the defensive prospect, Grans, that you got back? What are your impressions of him? Have you seen him personally play and what can you tell us about him?

No, unfortunately, I haven't seen him play. I had to rely on our scouts for him. I'm excited. He was a second-round pick, an early second-round pick, by the Kings. A right-shot defenseman - premium position - and a tall, lanky body so I can't wait to see him play. I don't know too much at the moment, so I'd be lying to you. I’ll wait and reserve my comments for after I have the chance to watch him a little bit more.

 

You're accumulating a bunch now. You have a couple extra picks this year, you have extra picks next year. Is this something where you would potentially consider maybe putting some of these together to kind of maybe move up in this draft considering how good it is? And is there an appetite for that from other teams to potentially look around and see if teams are interested in doing it?

We're open for business. We'll listen if it makes sense. If the value is there for us, definitely. That's kind of the luxury of having a lot of picks, and unfortunately, in the situation we're at when you finish a little lower in the standings, you have better picks. It's good and it's bad. You have to suffer for it. Nothing's off the table on our side.

 

Ivan is only 26. Was there any belief or thought that he had stagnated in his development and progression? I mean, it's not often, even if a franchise is rebuilding, that they trade a 26-year-old number one defenseman.

The points may make it look that way, but also, he wasn't really put in a position to succeed. What I mean by that is he didn't have a lot of power play time, so it's not just about the points for Ivan. He's a hard defender. He never bails and plays hard every single night. We have a lot of respect for that. We still consider him a top pairing for our team, but again, to acquire assets and a first-round pick in a deep draft like this year, you have to pay the price and we had to give up on a good player.

 

Was the situation with Pride Night back in January any factor in the decision to trade him?

No, it did not factor into the trade.

 

Hey, Danny, just changing gears real quick. In the trade, you got back Cal Petersen, goalie from LA. I guess, where do you see him fitting in? Given the fact that at one time, he was used very highly around the league, obviously now, it seems like his inclusion was more of a salary dump on LA's part, but where do you see him fitting in with you guys?

Well, it's very interesting. We're not too sure at the moment, we'll give him a chance that will make for a healthy competition at camp. It's a little too early to tell where he's going to fit in. But, you know, like you said, he was a good young goaltender. He had an off year last year, so we'll see where he's at.

 

Yeah, I guess kind of as a follow up on that. I know you've answered a few questions about this in the last few weeks. But in the wake of the trade, there were some rumors out there about the status of Carter Hart, obviously adding a goalie in Cal Petersen adds to that. But where are you at right now with Carter? Is he on the block or you guys just in the process of pretty much listening on everyone?

I'm still in the same spot I was. We're open for business. We listen on everybody. Everybody's being treated the same way for us on our side.

 

Hey, Danny, kind of in a similar vein about Cal Petersen. Obviously, you guys trade out a, you know, significant contract in Provorov, but you take back the five million in Petersen. With you guys probably not contending for the next couple of seasons. Are you more willing to take on contracts like that, you know, you get that short term kind of a contract to get maybe some extra pieces? Is that kind of where you guys are right now?

I think it's a deal that was helping all sides. Columbus wanted their defenseman, we were looking to acquire young assets, either draft pick or young guys. For LA, it was a chance to create cap space, you know, for what they want to do. So, for us, it made a lot of sense acquiring a young guy and a lot of draft picks in the process.

 

Where do you think Cam York is in terms of readiness? More minutes? More responsibility? It's going to kind of be a group effort to do that without Ivan. And do you feel that younger defensively? Zamula, once he's fully rehab, or Attard, are ready to step up to the NHL level as full-time players?

Well, we certainly hope so. We want to give our young guys a look. A bigger look. Cam York had a tough training camp. He went down, put his time in in the minors, really came back rejuvenated and was a great player for us. He's obviously an important part of the future for the Flyers. Egor Zamula, like you mentioned, Ronnie Attard and Emil Andrae – there’s other young defensemen that are coming up that are still in college or juniors that will also get looks eventually. I'm not saying right away next year but eventually. I mean it's exciting and you don't know sometimes, you look at last year where a guy like Tippett got the chance to play more and showed what he was capable of. Same thing with Morgan Frost, Noah Cates, Travis Konecny – so a lot of the young guys took a big step forward, especially upfront last year with having more opportunities. We hope we can do the same in the future with our defensemen. Now, there might be some nights where it's going to be tough but we want to see and have a clear idea of where our defensemen can stand. Hopefully, we give them the chance to show us that.

 

Danny, can you take us through this kind of deal from an internal standpoint, especially with Keith at the Stanley Cup Final? Did that make things more difficult? How much was he involved in the process of this?

No, actually, with Keith, it’s great. We're probably on the phone four or five times a day. And to go in deeper with that, it's been pretty amazing. Dan Hilferty was kept in the loop, Keith Jones was kept in the loop the whole time and brought in some good ideas. Same with John Tortorella. But if I went even deeper than that, the amazing part with this is how the different departments were involved. Obviously, the guys in my area and assistant GM, to the guys around me, were really involved, but our amateur scouts were involved with the picks, with the young players, what they remembered. Our pro scouts were really helpful with some of the players involved. And our analytics department was really, really creative helping with that deal. So, it's pretty cool how different departments kind of came together. Everybody was involved. It was definitely a team-oriented trade that we came up with. Pretty exciting how the team came together.