Mark Recchi Enters Philadelphia Flyers Hall of Fame
Mark Recchi can now look to the rafters at the Wells Fargo Center and see his name as a member of the the Philadelphia Flyers Hall of Fame. The former right winger officially joined the franchise’s all-time greats during a pregame ceremony on Saturday.
The Mark Recchi Tribute Video pic.twitter.com/0m7g55ctOR
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Mark Recchi: Flyers Hall of Fame
Recchi spoke to the Philadelphia media on Friday afternoon before the Flyers Alumni Game. He remembered his experience in Philadelphia, the great playoff teams of the late ‘90s and early 2000s. The 2017 inductee to the Hockey of Fame shared his optimism that the organization’s new leadership can steer the ship back in the right direction.
“This is a special place. It’s an awesome place to play. This is a tremendous honor. I’ve played with some of the guys (Flyers Hall of Famers)… Watching what’s going on now and knowing Keith (Jones) and just getting to know Dan (Hilferty)…This is a family. It’s family again. To me, that’s the most important thing.” -Mark Recchi
Keith Jones and Dan Hilferty joined Recchi to celebrate his legendary contributions to the franchise. Jones told Flyers fans what he respects most about his former teammate.
“I remembered the first time we played together. I was just so impressed by his physical abilities for a guy who wasn’t one of the taller guys on the team. He was unafraid, and that really set the tone for the way that we wanted to play the game. It was the type of leadership you expect from a star-level player, and Mark did that on a nightly basis.” -Keith Jones
Hilferty took the compliments beyond the ice. The CEO and franchise governor spoke highly of Recchi’s family life and his contributions to the local community.
“It really exemplifies not only who he was as a great player, but as a great person. Mark, thank you for being a key part of this family as we enter this new era.” -Dan Hilferty
Mark Recchi
Recchi spent parts of 10 seasons in Philadelphia in two stints from 1992-1995 and 1999-2004. He set Philadelphia’s single-season scoring record with 123 points in 1992-93. The Flyers brought him back during a window of Stanley Cup contention that lasted into the NHL lockout in 2004.
“We didn’t get to the promised land, but we’re still very proud of what we did as a group because it is hard to win…We fell short, but it wasn’t because we weren’t a close team (or) we weren’t a special group of guys.” -Mark Recchi
He sits 14th in NHL history in scoring, the highest of any player who recorded more points with the Flyers than any other franchise. He won three Stanley Cups with three other teams.
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6 Philadelphia Flyers Retired Numbers & 1 More That Deserves It
Bernie Parent #1
“Only the Lord saves more than Bernie Parent.”
Countless drivers in Philadelphia during the 1970s read the iconic bumper sticker about the future Hall of Fame goaltender. Parent accumulated Hall of Fame numbers over 13 NHL seasons, 10 of which included stints with the Flyers.
The real mark of his legacy came in the 1973-74 and 1974-75 seasons. He won the Vezina Trophy as the top goaltender in the NHL after both regular seasons. His 47 wins in 1973-74 stood as a league record until 2007.
Parent won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP for each of the only two Stanley Cups in franchise history after both of his Venzina seasons. The famed Broad Street Bullies built their reputation on intimidation and grit, but they never would’ve sniffed a Stanley Cup without Bernie Parent between the pipes.
Mark Howe #2
Mark Howe played six seasons in the WHA to begin his professional career and didn’t make his debut with the Flyers until age 27. However, he established himself as the indisputable best defenseman in franchise history.
He still holds franchise records for goals, assists, points, shorthanded goals, and plus/minus rating among defensemen. Most of the blueliners behind him in the major statistical categories played more games with the Flyers. Howe published a book cleverly named Gordie Howe’s Son in 2013.
Eric Lindros #88
The Flyers made arguably the biggest splash in NHL history when they acquired the rights to Eric Lindros in 1992 after some lengthy drama. He was supposed to be the next Wayne Gretzky, and his dynamic skill and intimidating power didn’t disappoint when he was on the ice. He won the Hart Trophy after the shortened 1994-95 season and helped the Flyers to an appearance in the 1997 Stanley Cup Final.
Concussions derailed the career of arguably the most talented hockey player ever to lace up the skates. He struggled to stay healthy in a stretch that infamously ended with a devastating hit from Scott Stevens in the 2000 Eastern Conference Final.
He ranks sixth in franchise history in scoring, but his 1.36 points per game average blows every other Flyers skater out of the water. The organization has properly moved on from disagreements with one of their all-time greats whose number has hung in the rafters of the Wells Fargo Center since 2018.
Claude Giroux #28
The Flyers were in Stanley Cup contention when Claude Giroux broke into the NHL. The crafty forward developed into the organizational centerpiece, but the team dragged through a forgettable era in franchise history during his captaincy.
Giroux is second in Flyers history in points, games played, and assists trailing only the legendary Bobby Clarke. He played on teams that won six total playoff series and recorded 73 postseason points, including an overtime goal in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2010. He has finished fourth or higher in Hart Trophy voting three times during his tenure in Philadelphia.
The Flyers will someday retire the number of one of their all-time greats who unfortunately never broke through with a Stanley Cup.
