Rahul Sharma (Editor)

1989–90 Philadelphia Flyers season

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Division
  
6th Patrick

1989–90 record
  
30–39–11

Road record
  
13–20–7

Conference
  
10th Wales

Home record
  
17–19–4

Goals for
  
290 (10th)

The 1989–90 Philadelphia Flyers season was the Philadelphia Flyers 23rd season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Flyers missed the playoffs for the first time since the 1971–72 season and only the third time in franchise history.

Contents

Regular season

The 1989–90 season was one of the most turbulent in franchise history.

Goaltender Ron Hextall had to sit out the first 12-games of the schedule, sentenced after cementing his folk-hero status in the city by crowning Chris Chelios in the waning minutes of Game 6 of the Wales Conference Finals in May. Unfortunately, the layoff plus contract disputes cost him practice time in training camp, and he was felled by groin injuries three separate times during the season.

An ugly 1–6–1 start was reversed despite injuries to Hextall, Brian Propp, Tim Kerr, Mark Howe and others with the team atop the weakened Patrick Division after a win in Montreal just before Christmas.

Little used Tony Horacek posted a hat trick in a 6–3 win in Los Angeles over the Kings on December 30, but the team suffered through a dismal 10-game winless stretch thereafter (0–7–3) from December 31 through January 23. Previous inconsistent play plus the slide cost Dave Poulin his captaincy on December 15, then forced his trade to Boston for former Flyer Ken Linseman. The move did not work, and despite breaking the skid with an 8–6 win against the Jets, Holmgren accused his club of quitting during a 7–2 loss at Washington on January 28 - a defeat which put them three points behind the Capitals in last place.

Newly acquired back-up Pete Peeters had his only season highlight with a 3–0 shutout over Toronto on February 15, but he finished the season 1–13–5. On February 28 in Vancouver, the team was lucky to pull out a 7–7 tie after blowing a 5–2 first-period lead. In the interim, Wells was dealt to the Sabres for unknown winger and future NHL referee Kevin Maguire.

Following an inspired win in Calgary on March 1, Propp was traded to the Bruins, and a four-goal game by Mark Messier in a 5–3 loss to Edmonton two days later triggered a four-game losing streak. The nadir of the late-season collapse came on March 17 in Quebec, as the Flyers allowed three third-period goals to drop a 6–3 decision to the Nordiques (who went on to win all of 12 games that year). Inexplicably, with the Islanders and Penguins also taking late-season dives, the Flyers were still alive for the final playoff spot in the division.

A 5–3 home win over Pittsburgh on March 22 got the team within one point of fourth, but they limped to the end of the schedule with an 0–3–2 record. A 6–2 road loss to the Islanders on March 31 eliminated them from the postseason.

It marked the first time in franchise history that the team finished in last place in any division since its 1967 inception.

Among the bright spots, Tocchet led the team with 37 goals and 96 points. Seven players scored 20-or-more goals. Kerr was limited to 40 games but managed 24 goals and 48 points.

General manager Bob Clarke, having been with the Flyers organization since he was drafted in 1969, was fired on April 16.

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.

Divisions: PTK – Patrick, ADM – Adams

bold – Qualified for playoffs; p – Won Presidents' Trophy

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.

    • Transactions

    The Flyers were involved in the following transactions from May 26, 1989, the day after the deciding game of the 1989 Stanley Cup Finals, through May 24, 1990, the day of the deciding game of the 1990 Stanley Cup Finals.

    Trades

    Trade notes
  • a The Oilers had the choice of year. The Oilers chose the 1990 draft pick.

    • 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 1989 NHL Waiver Draft was held on October 2, 1989. 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.

    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 1989 NHL Entry Draft, which was held at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, on June 17, 1989.

    Draft notes
  • The Flyers' first-round pick, 12th overall, was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs along with the Calgary Flames' first-round pick, 21st overall, for Ken Wregget on March 6, 1989.
  • a The Flyers traded Bob Froese to the New York Rangers for Kjell Samuelsson and Rangers' second-round pick, 34th overall, on December 18, 1986.
  • The Flyers traded their third-round pick, 54th overall, and Greg Smyth to the Quebec Nordiques for Terry Carkner on July 25, 1988.
  • b The Flyers traded Gordie Roberts to the St. Louis Blues for the Blues' fifth-round pick, later upgraded to the Blues' fourth-round pick, 72nd overall, on March 8, 1988
  • The Flyers traded their fourth-round pick, 75th overall, to the Minnesota North Stars for Gordie Roberts on February 9, 1988.
  • The Flyers traded the Toronto Maple Leafs' fifth-round pick, 87th overall, to the Minnesota North Stars for Moe Mantha on December 8, 1988.
  • The Flyers traded their fifth-round pick, 96th overall, to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Al Secord on February 7, 1989.

    • NHL Supplemental Draft

    Philadelphia's picks at the 1989 NHL Supplemental Draft.

    Farm teams

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

    References

    1989–90 Philadelphia Flyers season Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA