Across the National Hockey League, organizations are announcing their "quarter century teams" of top players from the last 25 seasons.
Across the National Hockey League, organizations are announcing their “quarter century teams” of top players from the last 25 seasons. In each city, a specialized panel was convened to select a First Team and a Second Team of the quarter century group. Each panelist voted independently, and the results were compiled by the NHL according to the overall consensus.
Inevitably, voters had to make several tough choices as to whom to include (and whether to place him on their personal First Team or Second Team). When voting, panelists were not privy to one another’s ballot choices. The entire exercise is designed to honor each of the chosen players but also to spark fan discussion and debate.
Below is the Flyers 2nd Team based on the collective panel vote: Three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender. For the 1st Team honorees, click here.
Signed as a free agent in the 2007 offseason, Danny Briere earned his wings in Philadelphia through his uncanny knack for stepping up in the playoffs and other must-win situations. He was also a leader by example in his work habits and a favorite of Flyers fans and media alike for his approachable demeanor.
During his five seasons with the Flyers, Briere posted a pair of 30-plus goal regular seasons (2007-08 and 2010-11) and three campaigns with at least 26 goals. The other two seasons were affected by injuries.
It was in the playoffs, however, where Briere made his greatest contributions. He was an integral part of the Flyers’ run to the Eastern Conference Final in 2008 (nine goals and 16 points in 17 games), run to within two victories of the Stanley Cup in 2010 (12 goals and team record 30 points in 23 games) and first-round upset of the Pittsburgh Penguins (eight goals and 13 points overall in 11 playoff games).
A quintessential Briere goal: From a seemingly innocuous spot behind the net or along the perimeter, he’d emerge suddenly into prime scoring range. Despite his small stature, off-ice affability and youthful countenance, Briere was a pure competitor who knew how to create time and space for himself.
The lone Flyers Quarter Century Team player who is a current member of the team and one of three who is still active in the NHL, Couturier is presently in his second season as the team’s captain. He’s been a key leader-by-example for many years.
Drafted by the Flyers in the first round (8th overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Couturier made the NHL roster at age 18 and has been an integral piece of the puzzle ever since. Arguably the team’s top 200-foot player of the last quarter century, Couturier more recently overcame two separate back surgeries to return to active duty.
A prolific playmaking winger during his NHL career, Voracek spent 10 seasons with the Flyers from 2011-12 to 2020-21. The Czech winger ranks as the top-scoring European born player in franchise history.
Voracek achieved the 40-assist milestone six times during his Flyers career including a high of 65 helpers in 2017-18.He topped 55-plus assists twice.
A colorful player who wore his emotions on his sleeve on and off the ice, Voracek made for a dynamic offensive duo with frequent linemate Giroux.
Coming off playoff losses to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2008 Eastern Conference Final and 2009 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal, the Flyers made a bold move on June 26, 2009. The team packaged two NHL roster players and a first-round Draft pick to acquire superstar veteran defenseman Chris Pronger from the Anaheim Ducks.
Despite an accumulated array of injuries, Pronger proved to be a major force in his first season in Philadelphia. With two formidable blueline pairings (Pronger with Matt Carle and Kimmo Timonen with Braydon Coburn), the Flyers won the Eastern Conference Championship and came within an overtime loss in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final from taking the dynastic Chicago Blackhawks to the limit.
Pronger supplied much more than just offensive stats but brought that to the Flyers, too. He brought snarl, gumption and a winner’s competitiveness. He logged monstrous ice time in all game situations. Pronger held himself — and teammates — accountable but also knew how to take pressure off his club.
Unfortunately, the 2009-10 season was the only full and reasonably healthy season of Pronger’s stint with the Flyers. Knee surgery, foot surgery and a broken hand limited him to 50 regular season and three playoff games in 2010-11. In 2011-12, he got off to an outstanding start before an eye injury (Oct. 13, 2011) and related ocular concussion that led to severe post-concussion issues ended his playing career one month later.
Despite the short duration of his Flyers career, Pronger made an enormous impact on the ice in the dressing room during his time with the club.
Drafted by the Flyers in the first round (7th overall) in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Russian defenseman Ivan Provorov annually led the Flyers in ice time during his seven seasons with the club.
Provorov also showed remarkable durability while keeping himself in phenomenal physical condition. He never missed a single game due to injury during his stint with Flyers, dressing in 532 of 535 possible regular season games.Despite a separated shoulder suffered during the 2018 playoffs, he dressed in all 22 postseason matches the Flyers played in 2016, 2018, and 2020. The only three games Provorov missed during his Flyers career were mandatory due to being diagnosed with Covid-19 on January 3, 2022.
At his best, Provorov contributed strong performances in all three zones of the ice. His 2017-18 campaign, paired with offensive defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, saw Provorov achieve his top all-around season in the NHL to date.
Drafted by the Flyers in the first round (22nd overall) of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, Rhode Island native Brian Boucher was in net for some of the team’s most important and memorable moments of the last 25 years.
Boucher had three separate NHL stints with the Flyers: 1999-2000 to 2001-02, 2009-10 to 2010-11, and a portion of the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign. “Boosh” previously won the Calder Cup as a rookie member of the AHL’s Philadelphia Phantoms in 1997-98 and later returned to the Phantoms on an AHL deal for the majority of 2007-08 before going to the San Jose Sharks.
