In the 1984-85 NHL season, the Philadelphia Flyers were one of the youngest teams in NHL history. The 1980s were a time when youth dominated the NHL scene, but it was the Flyers who were doing it the best out of almost anyone. With an average age of just 25.04 and only one player on the entire roster being over the age of 29 entering the season, they were a roster that lived and died from the efforts of their youth. This group became one of the best teams that the Flyers have ever assembled to date.
Construction of the Flyers’ Roster
Just a season after retiring from the NHL in 1983-84, franchise legend Bobby Clarke took over as the general manager (GM) of the Flyers. There weren’t many major changes from that season to this one in terms of the overall roster other than him retiring, however. The big change came behind the bench, with a young Mike Keenan earning his first head coaching gig in the NHL, doing his work for the Flyers.
In terms of the actual roster, the team was primarily led by the production of forwards Tim Kerr and Brian Propp but also relied on forwards Dave Poulin, Ilkka Sinisalo, Murray Craven, and Peter Zezel for much of their other scoring. A 20-year-old Rick Tocchet was also doing his best to make an impression on the team, as well. Not a single one of these players entered the season above the age of 26, and it became clear that the Flyers were leaning on youth to lead the way.
The third-oldest player on the roster, Mark Howe, was the established leader of the defense. At 29 years of age, he was one of the best defenders in the entire NHL, being a Norris Trophy finalist in his first season with the Flyers in 1982-83. Brad McCrimmon and Brad Marsh were solid pieces as well, making the Flyers a respectable team both offensively and defensively.
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The goaltending was the biggest difference from the Flyers’ 1983-84 season and their 1984-85 season. 25-year-old netminder Pelle Lindbergh would become the full-time starter, and he had some promise. There were flashes shown from him previously, but he had never played in more than half of his team’s games. He would finally be getting a chance this time around.
The Flyers didn’t have a clear superstar like the Edmonton Oilers with Wayne Gretzky, but they did have depth matched by very few teams in the league. They were not the Broad Street Bullies anymore, but a team with a completely different identity than what won them back-to-back championships in the 1970s.
Flyers Cruise Past Regular Season
The Flyers would go on to have one of the most successful regular seasons in their entire history. With a 53-20-7 record on the season, they finished atop the NHL. Their record at the Spectrum, their home building, sat at 32-4-4, proving to be the epitome of a home-ice advantage. Production-wise, Kerr and Propp had 98 and 97 points on the season, combining for 87 goals in the campaign. The rest of their offense was done by a committee, with everyone chipping in as best they could.
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Lindbergh had a tremendous season, capturing the Vezina Trophy in the process. While his .899 save percentage (SV%) and 3.02 goals-against average (GAA) are not too impressive to today’s standards, they were near the top of the league back then. With a 40-17-7 record on the season, he had made his case for being one of the best goaltenders in hockey.
Coach Keenan did a very good job at turning the team from a 44-win, early playoff exit club the season prior into a true Stanley Cup contender. He was awarded the Jack Adams as Coach of the Year and was one of the youngest coaches in NHL history to achieve this honor. The future was bright, and the roster was comprised of players just entering their primes. Riding a 16-1-0 stretch into the postseason, the Flyers were hungry for their third championship since their inception in 1967.
Flyers’ Highly Anticipated Playoffs
The Flyers continued their stint of excellence in the playoffs. They would sweep aside a 26-44-10 New York Rangers team in the first round, and beat a New York Islanders club in five games, coming off a dynasty where they won 19 of their previous 20 playoff series. They had a big test ahead of them with Peter Stastny and the Quebec Nordiques, but the Flyers were able to fend them off, as well.
The Flyers had a bit of an issue looming, with Kerr suffering an injury in Game 1 of his series against the Nordiques. This would leave him out of two contests against Gretzky and the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final, a club that they needed to be at their best against. The only team that finished within 10 points of them in the regular season was right there in front of them, holding an 11-2 record in the postseason. The Flyers were sure to have their hands full with a slightly less young team, but one filled with generational stars and widely regarded as one of the greatest teams ever assembled.
The Flyers would take Game 1 at home despite being without their best goal scorer, but even they were no match for the Oilers. They would take four straight, three of which were in Edmonton. Gretzky and the Oilers would hoist their very first Stanley Cup, leaving the Flyers empty-handed in their quest for glory.
The Flyers may not have captured the Stanley Cup, but they came exceptionally close, simply running into one of the most formidable dynasties in NHL history at the height of its powers. The youth of the Flyers led the way, and there may be no team that is ever as young and potent as them ever again. They didn’t necessarily rewrite the book on team construction, but they left an everlasting message that they could adapt to change in the league. This team had evolved with the times, relying on their youth to lead the way.