Division 2nd West Home record 27–8–4 Goals for 296 (4th) | 1972–73 record 37–30–11 Road record 10–22–7 Goals against 256 (11th) | |
 | ||
The 1972–73 Philadelphia Flyers season was the Philadelphia Flyers' sixth season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Flyers earned the nickname "Broad Street Bullies" en route to their first winning season and first playoff series victory, beating the Minnesota North Stars, before losing in the semifinals to the Montreal Canadiens.
Contents
Regular season
It was during the 1972–73 season that the Flyers shed the mediocre expansion team label by recording their first winning season and becoming known as the intimidating "Broad Street Bullies", a nickname coined by Jack Chevalier and Pete Cafone of the Philadelphia Bulletin on January 3, 1973 after a 3–1 brawling victory over the Atlanta Flames that led Chevalier to write in his game account, "The image of the fightin' Flyers spreading gradually around the NHL, and people are dreaming up wild nicknames. They're the Mean Machine, the Bullies of Broad Street and Freddy's Philistines." Cafone wrote the accompanying headline, "Broad Street Bullies Muscle Atlanta".
That same month Bobby Clarke was the youngest player (at that time) in NHL history to be named team captain, replacing Ed Van Impe who had stepped aside in favor of Clarke. Rick MacLeish became the first Flyer to score 50 goals in a season.
After the season, Clarke was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player.
Playoffs
An overtime goal by Gary Dornhoefer in Game 5 turned the tide of their first round series with the Minnesota North Stars in the Flyers' favor, as the Flyers got their first playoff series win in six games. The goal was later immortalized as a bronze statue on the south side of the Spectrum. They were outmatched in the semifinals by the Montreal Canadiens, however, losing in five games.
Skaters
Records
Transactions
The Flyers were involved in the following transactions from May 12, 1972, the day after the deciding game of the 1972 Stanley Cup Finals, through May 10, 1973, the day of the deciding game of the 1973 Stanley Cup Finals.
Trades
Free agency
The following players were signed by the Flyers via free agency.
Re-signed
The following players were re-signed by the Flyers.
Draft picks
The Flyers signed the following of their draft picks.
NHL Intra-League Draft
The 1972 NHL Intra-League Draft was held on June 5, 1972. Each NHL team placed 18 players on a protected list from which the other teams could not select. It cost $40,000 to make a claim. The Flyers were not involved in any selections during the draft.
NHL Expansion Draft
The 1972 NHL Expansion Draft was held on June 6, 1972. It featured two expansion teams, the Atlanta Flames and New York Islanders, selecting players from the 14 existing NHL teams. Each NHL team placed 15 skaters and 2 goaltenders on a protected list from which the two expansion teams could not select. The Flyers were one of four teams exempted from protecting goaltenders since they lost a goaltender in the 1970 NHL Expansion Draft.
The Flyers protected the following players: Barry Ashbee, Willie Brossart, Bobby Clarke, Bill Clement, Gary Dornhoefer, Rick Foley, Bob Kelly, Ross Lonsberry, Rick MacLeish, Simon Nolet, Jean Potvin, Don Saleski, Dave Schultz, Ed Van Impe, and Joe Watson.
NHL Reverse Draft
The 1972 NHL Reverse Draft was held on June 8, 1972. The Reverse Draft featured American Hockey League (AHL) and Western Hockey League (WHL) teams selecting unprotected players from NHL teams. It cost $15,000 to make a claim.
Departures
The following players left the team via free agency, release, or retirement. Players who were under contract and left the team during the season are marked with an asterisk (*).
Draft picks
Philadelphia's picks at the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft, which was held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, on June 8, 1972.
Farm teams
The Flyers were affiliated with the Richmond Robins of the AHL, the San Diego Gulls of the WHL, and the Jersey Devils of the EHL.