In 1969, Flyers owner Ed Snider saw his team physically dominated by the St. Louis Blues. It was the second year in a row that the Blues abused and eliminated the Flyers. Ed Snider vowed that his team would never be pushed around again.
Snider's logic flowed down through the Flyers organization for years. The Broad Street Bullies won two consecutive Stanley Cups and intimidated the NHL for years.
As the years passed the Flyers always had a fearsome fighter on the ice, Dave Brown, Paul Holmgren, Craig Berube, Rick Tocchet, Sandy McCarthy, and Donald Brashear, to name a few.
The Flyers skill players could also throw 'em when called upon, most notably Eric Lindros and current captain Mike Richards.
Snider's recent GM's are cut from the same cloth as Snider himself, unapologetically tough and blindly focused on winning. Ed Snider and his most recent GM's, Bob Clarke and (current GM) Paul Holmgren are revered in Philadelphia for their toughness.
Sadly, the game may be passing the Flyers brass by in this regard. Team toughness should always be one of the top prerequisites for the Flyers organization. This is one aspe ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Trent Reinsmith
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