Two weeks ago, the Philadelphia Flyers announced that two more players (Rod Brind'Amour and Jimmy Watson) would be the latest players to achieve one of the team's highest honors — enshrinement into the Flyers Hall of Fame before games on Nov. 23 and Feb. 29.
Established in 1988, the Flyers Hall of Fame has enshrined 23 members, and the additions of Brind'Amour and Watson will bring that number to 25. The inductees aren't just limited to those who best represented the Orange and Black on the ice — movers and shakers behind the scenes, behind the bench and behind the microphone have received the honor as well.
Surely, the number of inductees won't be capped at 25. Let's take a look at some instrumental Flyers that could very well receive the honor, ranked in no particular order.
Ilkka Sinisalo: Ilkka Sinisalo joined the Flyers in 1981-82, in an era when Finnish players weren't scouted nearly as intensively as they are today. He spent nine seasons as a Flyer before being dealt to Minnesota in 1990-91, totaling 199 goals and 408 points in 526 games with the organization. His best season as a Flyer came in 1985-86, when he scored 39 goals and 76 points in 74 games.
Pelle Eklund: After cutting his teeth in Sweden's Elitserien, Pelle Eklund joined the Flyers in 1985-86. An eighth-round draft pick in 1983 (in an era when the draft lasted 12 rounds), Eklund established himself as a formidable playmaking center during his nine-season Flyers career. In the 1987 playoffs, Eklund recorded 20 assists — second only to Wayne Gretzky. Eklund scored a career-high 69 points twice in his tenure with the Flyers — in 1988-89 when he scored 18 goals and 51 assists, and 1990-91 when he scored 19 goals and 50 assists.
Mark Recchi: A fan favorite during his time with the Flyers, Mark Recchi was acquired in a 1992 trade with Pittsburgh. In his 22-season career, 'Rex' spent 10 years over two stints with the Orange and Black (one of which ended in arguably the best trade in franchise history), where he totaled 232 goals and 627 points in 602 games. His 627 points rank eighth all-time in franchise history, to boot.
Simon Gagne: Another fan favorite with the Orange and Black, Gagne scored 264 goals and 535 points over 11 seasons as a Flyer. He scored several of the franchise's most notable playoff goals in recent history (namely in 2004 against Tampa Bay and 2010 against Boston). The 22nd-overall draft pick in 1998 posted back-to-back 40-goal seasons in 2005-06 and 2006-07, and his 535 points rank 10th in franchise history.
Kimmo Timonen: The Flyers acquired Kimmo Timonen in the 2007 offseason, and he went on to establish himself as one of the franchise's steadiest defensemen. Timonen was a versatile two-way defenseman on the ice, and a respected voice in the dressing room. Timonen's 270 points are the third-most by a defenseman in franchise history, trailing elite company in Eric Desjardins (396 points) and Mark Howe (480).
Pelle Lindbergh: Pelle Lindbergh's Flyers career only lasted parts of five seasons, but there's no question how impactful he was in those seasons. He backstopped the Orange and Black to a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1984-85, and earned a Vezina Trophy for his efforts (becoming the first European goalie to win the trophy). The team's award for most improved player is named in his honor, and his number 31 has not been in circulation since his death in 1985. He was also the first player in the four major North American professional sports to be posthumously elected to an All-Star Game.
Andre 'Moose' Dupont: Andre Dupont joined the Flyers following a trade with St. Louis in 1972-73, and became one of the most prolific defensemen of the Broad Street Bullies era. The Trois-Rivieres, Quebec spent eight seasons in a Flyers uniform, and accrued 42 goals and 177 points along the way. Dupont also gained fame for his "Moose Shuffle," which was his go-to method of celebrating goals.
Mike Keenan: Only two coaches in franchise history have guided the Flyers to multiple Stanley Cup Final berths, and Mike Keenan is one of them (the other being Fred Shero). 'Iron Mike' is also second to Shero in wins behind the Flyers' bench, with 190 over four seasons. In Keenan's first season with the Flyers (1984-85), the team led the NHL with a 53-20-7 record and 113 points — to date, the last time they accomplished that feat. While Keenan's tenure with the Orange and Black ended tumultuously, that should not disqualify him for a Hall of Fame berth.
Lou Nolan: Without a doubt, Lou Nolan's a lock for the Flyers Hall of Fame, not on an "if" basis but rather on a "when" basis. He's announced Flyers games at The Spectrum and Wells Fargo Center since 1972, and his announcing has been synonymous with many of the great moments in franchise history. Generations of fans have been entertained by his booming vocals over the sound systems. What would a Flyers game be if not for the classic "And the Flyers are going on the PECO Power Play!" line?
Jim Jackson/Steve Coates/Tim Saunders: If you enshrine one of these broadcasters, you have to enshrine all of them. All three broadcasters have a combined 74 years of experience broadcasting the Orange and Black over television and radio mediums. If it were up to me, I'd induct Coates solely because of the old "Coatsey's Corner" segments from intermissions of the past, but that's ultimately out of my hands. Jackson was also granted the tough task of succeeding the legendary Gene Hart, and has formed a legacy of his own.
For the sake of argument, I've left current players off the list — though it wouldn't be inconceivable to see players like Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek or Wayne Simmonds join the ranks of the Flyers elite some time after their playing days end.
Inductions to the Flyers Hall of Fame haven't been a regular occurrence over the past 15-20 years, but with three inductions last year and two coming up this season, they seem to be a growing trend on the part of the organization. While many figures from the team's illustrious history have received the honor, there are still plenty of figures with strong cases for induction.
Rob Riches is a contributor to Flyerdelphia and Sports Talk Philly. Follow him on Twitter @Riches61.
