Best Flyers Trades Since 1990 #1: Landing 2 All-Time Flyers

Fans of the Philadelphia Flyers will still bring up losing Patrick Sharp, Justin Williams, or Sergei Bobrovsky before their prime NHL seasons. However, the conversations don’t include the best trades in Flyers history often enough.

The Flyers haven’t won a Stanley Cup in half a century. However, their competitive history in the top tier of the NHL has required some savvy moves.

You know plenty about the worst, but what are the best trades the Flyers have made since 1990?

February 9, 1995
Flyers Get: John LeClair, Eric Desjardins, Gilbert Dionne
Montreal Canadiens Get: Mark Recchi, 3rd-Round Pick in 1995 (Martin Hohenberger)

Philadelphia fans didn’t take the news well when Bobby Clarke made a major trade just 10 games into his first season as general manager in the shortened 1994-95 campaign.

Mark Recchi set a franchise record with 123 points in 1992-93 and followed it up with 107 points in 1993-94. Why would the Flyers trade a 26-year-old star with Eric Lindros rising into stardom?

Clarke shrewdly acquired two young players on the rise who would become core contributors throughout one of the best eras in franchise history. 

John LeClair and Eric Desjardins climbed through the franchise record books and became the two most impactful complementary players to Lindros during an extended run of Stanley Cup contention.

While Gilbert Dionne was actually the most accomplished NHL player in the return, he only played 22 games for the Flyers.

LeClair hit the ground running with 49 points in 37 games in his first season. He quickly demonstrated his worth as the perfect sidekick of the “Legion of Doom” line next to the 1995 Hart Trophy winner Eric Lindros.

“Johnny Vermont” then became the first American-born player with three consecutive seasons with 50+ goals while the Flyers jumped into the league’s elite tier. He’s one of only 13 American-born players with 400+ career NHL goals.

Desjardins took ownership of the top spot on the Philadelphia blue line. He won the Barry Ashbee Trophy in six consecutive seasons after the trade.

He sits second in franchise history among defensemen in most major categories, including goals, points, and assists, behind only Mark Howe. 

John LeClair played 116 playoff games with the Flyers while Desjardins played 97. They became mainstays of a roster in annual Stanley Cup contention, and they even outlasted an unfortunately abrupt ending to Lindros’ tenure in Philadelphia.

Mark Recchi decreased his point production slightly in five seasons with the Canadiens. However, he became one of many frequent Flyers of the 1990s.

Clarke reacquired Recchi ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline in 1999 for a package highlighted only by eventual NHL journeyman Dainius Zubrus. 

The 31-year-old Recchi had plenty left in the tank in his second stint. He played an additional 402 regular-season and 65 playoff games, logging 404 total points. He reached the Eastern Conference Final twice but twice lost decisive Game 7s.

The Flyers gave up a Hall of Fame talent for the incredible return of LeClair and Desjardins. However, they didn’t miss out on his talents in an overall sense.

Recchi sits ninth in franchise history and 15th in NHL history in scoring. He is the highest member of the all-time list who scored more points with the Flyers than with any other NHL franchise.

Clarke’s front office track record in the late 1990s and early 2000s wasn’t immaculate. However, his history with LeClair, Desjardins, and Recchi impacted the team’s success exponentially.

They will remember one detail about their careers together in Philadelphia. Each of the three players lifted the Stanley Cup during their respective careers. None of them did it with the Flyers.