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1988–89 Philadelphia Flyers season

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Division
  
4th Patrick

1988–89 record
  
36–36–8

Road record
  
14–21–5

Conference
  
7th Wales

Home record
  
22–15–3

Goals for
  
307 (8th)

The 1988–89 Philadelphia Flyers season was the Philadelphia Flyers' 22nd season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Flyers lost in the Wales Conference Finals to the Montreal Canadiens in six games.

Contents

Regular season

With Mike Keenan's firing, the reins were handed off to Paul Holmgren, who presided over a club in flux with young players promoted to larger roles. The defense underwent a major overhaul, as Brad Marsh was let go to Toronto, and Doug Crossman was dealt to Los Angeles for Jay Wells. Gord Murphy and Jeff Chychrun cracked the lineup on the back line as well.

Tim Kerr was fully healed from his shoulder surgeries and subsequent infections, while Rick Tocchet, Scott Mellanby, Murray Craven, Pelle Eklund and Peter Zezel were counted on to carry the offense. After a promising 5–1–0 start, a 4–15–1 slide cost Zezel his job, shipped off to St. Louis for Mike Bullard after Thanksgiving.

Following the deal, the Flyers went 13–2–1 to climb back over .500 and into solid playoff footing. However, youth and inconsistency constantly derailed much progress to the top of the standings, and the team never went higher than three games above even. Mark Laforest was replaced in March as backup by Maple Leafs castoff Ken Wregget with the team reeling.

On the last day of the season, they fell 6–5 in overtime to the Penguins and into fourth place, as Mario Lemieux scored into an empty net. If the Flyers had won using the extra attacker, they would have leapt over the Rangers into third place in the Patrick Division. Despite their mediocre record, their positive goal differential was a positive indicator that the team still had some life left.

The Flyers finished the regular season with the league's best power-play percentage, at 26.70% (98 for 367).

Season standings

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Playoffs

Facing the first-place Washington Capitals in the first round, the Flyers pulled off the upset in six games. Ron Hextall managed to score another empty-net goal in the waning moments of Game 5, becoming the first NHL goalie to score a goal in the playoffs. The Flyers then came back from a 3 games to 2 deficit to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games to make the Wales Conference Finals before bowing out to the Montreal Canadiens in six games. This would be the Flyers last playoff appearance until 1995.

Skaters

  • Position abbreviations: C = Center; D = Defense; G = Goaltender; LW = Left Wing; RW = Right Wing
  • = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Flyers only.
  • = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Flyers only.
  • Goaltenders

  • = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Flyers only.
  • = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Flyers only.
  • Records

  •   *  NHL record
  •  **  Tied for NHL record
  • Transactions

    The Flyers were involved in the following transactions from May 27, 1988, the day after the deciding game of the 1988 Stanley Cup Finals, through May 25, 1989, the day of the deciding game of the 1989 Stanley Cup Finals.

    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 Waiver Draft

    The 1988 NHL Waiver Draft was held on October 3, 1988. Each NHL team placed 18 skaters and 2 goaltenders on a protected list from which the other teams could not select. First-year professional players were exempt.

    The Flyers left the following players unprotected: Don Biggs, Marc D'Amour, Warren Harper, Willie Huber, Chris Jensen, Mark Lofthouse, Gord Paddock, and Mike Stothers.

    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 (*).

    NHL Entry Draft

    Philadelphia's picks at the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, which was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, on June 11, 1988.

    Draft notes
  • a The Flyers traded Brad McCrimmon to the Calgary Flames for the Flames' third-round pick, 63rd overall, and the Flames' 1989 first-round pick on August 26, 1987.
  • NHL Supplemental Draft

    Philadelphia's picks at the 1988 NHL Supplemental Draft.

    Farm teams

    The Flyers were affiliated with the Hershey Bears of the AHL.

    References

    1988–89 Philadelphia Flyers season Wikipedia