Philadelphia Flyers are a professional hockey team that plays in the National Hockey League (NHL) . The Flyers compete in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
The first NHL team based in Philadelphia was called the Quakers. That team played in the league for only one season, 1930-1931. The Flyers entered the NHL in 1967. The team struggled until the early 1970’s, when the Flyers won consecutive Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975 and made the cup finals in 1976. These teams were noted for their rough, physical style of play and became known as the “Broad Street Bullies,” after the name of the street where the hockey arena stood. The Flyers in the 1970’s featured such stars as goalie Bernie Parent, centers Bobby Clarke and Rick MacLeish, right wingers Reggie Leach and Dave Schultz, and defensemen Barry Ashbee, Andre Dupont, Ed Van Impe, and the brothers Jimmy and Joe Watson. During the 1979-1980 season, the Flyers set an NHL record by going undefeated in 35 consecutive games. The Flyers lost the Stanley Cup finals that season.
The Flyers made the Stanley Cup finals in 1985 and 1987 behind goalies Pelle Lindbergh and Ron Hextall, center Peter Zezel, right wingers Rick Tocchet and Tim Kerr, and defenseman Mark Howe. The Flyers slumped at the end of the 1980’s and did not make the playoffs from 1990 to 1994. The most successful season of the 1990’s came in 1996-1997, when Philadelphia reached the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since 1987. The star of that team was left winger John LeClair.
The Flyers became one of the most successful teams in the Eastern Conference during the early 2000’s, winning several division titles. Stars of the early 2000’s included goalie Martin Biron and centers Danny Briere and Mike Richards. Philadelphia reached the Stanley Cup finals in 2010, losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games.
