The Era of the Broad Street Bullies - A Lasting Impression

The Philadelphia Flyers were one of six teams to join the National Hockey League in the expansion year of 1967-68, doubling the league in size from the ‘Original Six’. The Flyers were the first of the six teams to win a Stanley Cup, winning in just their seventh year in the league. Of the five other teams, just the Pittsburgh Penguins have won a Stanley Cup (the Minnesota North Stars franchise won one as well but not until after they’d moved to Dallas to become the Stars).

Some 35 years later, the era of the Flyers history when they were dubbed the ‘Broad Street Bullies’ still defines the franchise. In the three years, 1973-74, 1974-75 and 1975-76, many team and individual records were set and have yet to be broken. Two records set during those three years remain not only as Philadelphia team records but as NHL records. Of course, the Stanley Cup victories in 1973-74 and 1974-75 have never been repeated by the club. The regular season point total of 118 in 1975-76 also remains as the team’s highest total ever.

1973-74 was the year of defence for the Broad Street Bullies. The team allowed just 164 goals during the regular season and goaltender Bernie Parent was a huge factor in this accomplishment. Parent won the Vezina Trophy (shared with Tony Esposito of the Chicago Black Hawks) as the league’s top goalie. He was also awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup playoffs MVP, leading the Flyers to that first Cup victory over the Boston Bruins.

In 1973-74, Parent had twelve shutouts. He matched that number the following season and the mark remains as the team’s single season record. His 47 wins over the 1973-74 regular season are also a team record to this date.

Reggie Leach put more rubber in the back of opponent’s nets during the 1975-76 season than any Flyer has in the team’s history. His 61 goals during the regular season is a team record. His 19 goals in the playoffs is not only a team record but has stood the test of time to remain an NHL record. Considering the offensive production during the playoffs by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1980’s and the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 1990’s, this record is pretty impressive.

Although in the 1990’s Mark Recchi eclipsed his single season points mark, Bobby Clarke still has the team’s single season high total for assists. In both 1974-75 and 1975-76, Clarke contributed 89 helpers.

Of course, with the name ‘Broad Street Bullies’, it’s appropriate that the highs for total penalty minutes were set, never to be broken during the three year span. Dave Schultz set the bar high for regular season penalty minutes in 1974-75 with 472. This record has gone relatively untouched. Schultz’s 139 penalty minutes during the 1973-74 Stanley Cup playoffs is not a league record but remains as a team record.