Rick MacLeish: The undersized Ontario native spent 12 seasons as a Flyer, including a 97-point campaign in 1976-77. He was an impressive playoff performer, scoring 42 points in 34 games during the team’s two Stanley Cup runs in 1974 and 1975.
MacLeish would be remembered more reverentially only if he had not played alongside so many other essential members of the franchise’s history, many of whom will be seen later on this list.
Mike Richards: The team’s most recently-departed captain has suffered the wrath of media speculation and fan vitriol in the last few months, but until his June 23rd trade to Los Angeles, Richards was one of the most well-liked players on the Flyers’ roster.
His partying ways became the scapegoat for his failure to capture a Cup, but one cannot argue that Richards’ leadership on the ice (though not his leadership in the locker room) made him a classically “Philadelphia” type of player. Power play, penalty kill and punches made Richie lovable. Personality? Not so much.
Eric Lindros: No player in franchise history has ever gone from being unequivocally revered to despised city-wide in quite the way No. 88 did. His size, skill and undeniable domination made the city of Philadelphia proud to have the NHL’s Next One on the roster.
After a frustrating series of injuries, Lindros (and more vocally, his father) famously feuded with GM Bobby Clarke and the gigantic center sat out a full season when the team refused to trade him. He became perceived as a prima donna and a selfish player, thus initiating his dramatic fall from grace in Philly.
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