NHL hockey team season
The 1971–72 Philadelphia Flyers season was the Philadelphia Flyers' fifth season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Flyers missed the playoffs for the second time in three years.
Off-season
The Flyers fired head coach Vic Stasiuk on May 27, 1971, after heavy criticism by Flyers players. On June 2, the Flyers hired Fred Shero to replace him. In the previous two seasons Shero had guided two teams to league championships, the Buffalo Bisons of the American Hockey League and the Omaha Knights of the Central Hockey League .
Regular season
Bobby Clarke continued to progress as he led the team in goals (35), assists (46), and points (81) in 1971–72 and he became the first Flyer to win an NHL award, the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. However, in the season's final game, the Flyers needed a win or a tie against the second-year Buffalo Sabres to beat out the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final playoff spot. The score was tied late in the game, but with just four seconds on the clock, former Flyer Gerry Meehan took a shot from just inside the blue line that eluded Flyers goalie Doug Favell . With identical records, the playoff berth went to the Penguins because Philly lost the season series 2–3–1.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Vs. West Division
1971–72 NHL records
Team
CAL
CHI
LAK
MIN
PHI
PIT
STL
Total
California
—
1–4–1
3–2–1
1–4–1
2–4
2–2–2
0–3–3
9–19–8
Chicago
4–1–1
—
5–1
5–1
3–2–1
5–0–1
6–0
28–5–3
Los Angeles
2–3–1
1–5
—
0–6
2–3–1
1–4–1
2–4
8–25–3
Minnesota
4–1–1
1–5
6–0
—
3–1–2
4–2
4–2
22–11–3
Philadelphia
4–2
2–3–1
3–2–1
1–3–2
—
2–3–1
1–2–3
13–15–8
Pittsburgh
2–2–2
0–5–1
4–1–1
2–4
3–2–1
—
3–3
14–17–5
St. Louis
3–0–3
0–6
4–2
2–4
2–1–3
3–3
—
14–16–6
Vs. East Division
1971–72 NHL records
Team
BOS
BUF
DET
MTL
NYR
TOR
VAN
Total
California
2–4
3–0–3
2–2–2
0–3–3
1–4–1
2–3–1
2–4
12–20–10
Chicago
1–4–1
3–2–1
5–0–1
1–2–3
1–2–3
4–0–2
3–2–1
18–12–12
Los Angeles
1–4–1
3–2–1
2–3–1
0–5–1
0–6
1–4–1
5–0–1
12–24–6
Minnesota
0–5–1
2–2–2
4–2
1–4–1
3–1–2
2–2–2
3–2–1
15–18–9
Philadelphia
0–6
2–2–2
2–3–1
2–3–1
0–6
2–2–2
5–1
13–23–6
Pittsburgh
1–2–3
1–2–3
2–4
1–4–1
1–3–2
2–4
4–2
12–21–9
St. Louis
1–4–1
4–1–1
3–2–1
1–4–1
1–5
2–4
2–3–1
14–23–5
Schedule and results
Regular season
1971–72 regular season
October: 5–4–1, 11 points (home: 3–1–0; road: 2–3–1)
November: 2–7–3, 7 points (home: 2–4–2; road: 0–3–1)
December: 4–7–1, 9 points (home: 4–2–1; road: 0–5–0)
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Record
Points
Recap
23
December 2
Detroit Red Wings
1–1
7–11–5
19
Recap
24
December 4
@ Minnesota North Stars
1–3
7–12–5
19
Recap
25
December 5
California Golden Seals
3–0
8–12–5
21
Recap
26
December 9
New York Rangers
0–5
8–13–5
21
Recap
27
December 11
@ Detroit Red Wings
3–6
8–14–5
21
Recap
28
December 12
Montreal Canadiens
4–1
9–14–5
23
Recap
29
December 15
@ New York Rangers
2–6
9–15–5
23
Recap
30
December 16
Buffalo Sabres
5–0
10–15–5
25
Recap
31
December 19
Toronto Maple Leafs
0–4
10–16–5
25
Recap
32
December 25
@ Boston Bruins
1–5
10–17–5
25
Recap
33
December 26
Pittsburgh Penguins
6–1
11–17–5
27
Recap
34
December 29
@ New York Rangers
1–5
11–18–5
27
Recap
January: 3–8–3, 9 points (home: 3–2–1; road: 0–6–2)
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Record
Points
Recap
35
January 1
@ St. Louis Blues
4–4
11–18–6
28
Recap
36
January 2
@ Chicago Black Hawks
2–6
11–19–6
28
Recap
37
January 6
St. Louis Blues
2–3
11–20–6
28
Recap
38
January 8
@ Toronto Maple Leafs
2–2
11–20–7
29
Recap
39
January 9
California Golden Seals
10–3
12–20–7
31
Recap
40
January 11
@ Detroit Red Wings
0–5
12–21–7
31
Recap
41
January 15
@ Pittsburgh Penguins
2–4
12–22–7
31
Recap
42
January 16
Los Angeles Kings
3–3
12–22–8
32
Recap
43
January 20
Chicago Black Hawks
3–2
13–22–8
34
Recap
44
January 22
@ Los Angeles Kings
2–4
13–23–8
34
Recap
45
January 23
@ California Golden Seals
1–3
13–24–8
34
Recap
46
January 27
@ Boston Bruins
2–4
13–25–8
34
Recap
47
January 29
Boston Bruins
2–4
13–26–8
34
Recap
48
January 30
Pittsburgh Penguins
4–0
14–26–8
36
Recap
February: 5–6–3, 13 points (home: 2–1–1; road: 3–5–2)
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Record
Points
Recap
49
February 3
Detroit Red Wings
5–4
15–26–8
38
Recap
50
February 5
@ Toronto Maple Leafs
3–1
16–26–8
40
Recap
51
February 6
St. Louis Blues
2–2
16–26–9
41
Recap
52
February 8
@ Vancouver Canucks
3–1
17–26–9
43
Recap
53
February 9
@ California Golden Seals
2–3
17–27–9
43
Recap
54
February 12
@ Minnesota North Stars
1–5
17–28–9
43
Recap
55
February 13
@ Buffalo Sabres
4–4
17–28–10
44
Recap
56
February 16
@ Chicago Black Hawks
3–3
17–28–11
45
Recap
57
February 17
Boston Bruins
1–4
17–29–11
45
Recap
58
February 19
@ Montreal Canadiens
1–3
17–30–11
45
Recap
59
February 20
Toronto Maple Leafs
3–1
18–30–11
47
Recap
60
February 23
@ New York Rangers
3–4
18–31–11
47
Recap
61
February 26
@ Pittsburgh Penguins
2–5
18–32–11
47
Recap
62
February 27
@ Detroit Red Wings
3–1
19–32–11
49
Recap
March: 7–5–2, 16 points (home: 5–3–1; road: 2–2–1)
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Record
Points
Recap
63
March 2
Minnesota North Stars
3–0
20–32–11
51
Recap
64
March 4
St. Louis Blues
6–2
21–32–11
53
Recap
65
March 5
Montreal Canadiens
0–4
21–33–11
53
Recap
66
March 8
@ Vancouver Canucks
6–5
22–33–11
55
Recap
67
March 9
@ Los Angeles Kings
5–3
23–33–11
57
Recap
68
March 11
@ St. Louis Blues
2–4
23–34–11
57
Recap
69
March 13
@ Montreal Canadiens
1–2
23–35–11
57
Recap
70
March 16
Buffalo Sabres
3–3
23–35–12
58
Recap
71
March 18
New York Rangers
3–5
23–36–12
58
Recap
72
March 23
Chicago Black Hawks
2–4
23–37–12
58
Recap
73
March 25
California Golden Seals
3–0
24–37–12
60
Recap
74
March 26
Vancouver Canucks
4–1
25–37–12
62
Recap
75
March 28
@ Minnesota North Stars
2–2
25–37–13
63
Recap
76
March 30
Buffalo Sabres
3–1
26–37–13
65
Recap
April: 0–1–1, 1 points (home: 0–0–1; road: 0–1–0)
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Record
Points
Recap
77
April 1
Pittsburgh Penguins
4–4
26–37–14
66
Recap
78
April 2
@ Buffalo Sabres
2–3
26–38–14
66
Recap
Legend :
Win (2 points)
Loss (0 points)
Tie (1 point)
Player statistics
Scoring
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.
Goaltending
No.
Player
Regular season
GP
GS
W
L
T
SA
GA
GAA
SV%
SO
TOI
1
Doug Favell
54
52
18
25
9
1655
140
2.81
.915
5
2,985
30
Bruce Gamble ‡
24
18
7
8
2
659
58
2.94
.912
2
1,184
30
Bobby Taylor
6
5
1
2
2
193
16
3.00
.917
0
320
24
Don McLeod
4
3
0
3
1
109
14
4.65
.872
0
181
Awards and records
Awards
Records
See also: List of Philadelphia Flyers records
Among the team records set during the 1971–72 season was a 19-game winless streak on the road (15 losses and 4 ties) from October 23 to January 27. On October 31, Simon Nolet became the first Flyer to score three goals in a single period and four points in a single period, both franchise regular season records that have been matched but not exceeded several times , the earliest instance occurring on March 9, 1972, by Bill Flett for the goals record and Flett and Bobby Clarke for the points record. On January 9, the Flyers scored six power play goals during a game against the California Golden Seals , a mark which was later matched during the 1988–89 season.
Milestones
Franchise firsts
Milestone
Player
Date
Ref
30-goal season
Bobby Clarke
March 13, 1972
Transactions
The Flyers were involved in the following transactions from May 19, 1971, the day after the deciding game of the 1971 Stanley Cup Finals , through May 11, 1972, the day of the deciding game of the 1972 Stanley Cup Finals .
Trades
Date
Details
Ref
June 13, 1971 (1971-06-13)
To Philadelphia Flyers
To Los Angeles Kings
September 8, 1971 (1971-09-08)
To Philadelphia Flyers
To Portland Buckaroos (WHL )
October 15, 1971 (1971-10-15)
To Philadelphia Flyers
To Chicago Black Hawks
November 16, 1971 (1971-11-16)
To Philadelphia Flyers
To Buffalo Sabres
January 28, 1972 (1972-01-28)
To Philadelphia Flyers
To Los Angeles Kings
Players acquired
Players lost
Signings
Draft picks
See also: List of Philadelphia Flyers draft picks
Philadelphia's picks at the 1971 NHL amateur draft , which was held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal , on June 10, 1971.
Farm teams
The Flyers were affiliated with the Richmond Robins of the AHL , the San Diego Gulls of the WHL , and the Jersey Devils and Salem Rebels of the EHL .
Notes
Clement wore number 15 through January 16.
Hale wore number 23 in his first four games.
^ McLeod wore number 30 in his first two games.
McLeod was claimed by the Quebec Aces , the Flyers' AHL affiliate.
Gamble suffered a career-ending heart attack during a game played on February 8, 1972.
The Flyers acquired the 9th overall pick from the Toronto Maple Leafs along with Bruce Gamble and Mike Walton for Bernie Parent and the Flyers' second-round pick, 22nd overall, on January 31, 1971.
References
"All Time Team Attendance" . P. Anson . Flyers History. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
"Flyers Fire Coach Vic Stasiuk" . Chicago Tribune . May 28, 1971. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
^ "NHL Flyers Name Shero New Coach" . The Schenectady Gazette . Associated Press. June 3, 1971. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
"Flyers History – Philadelphia Flyer Game Summary" . P. Anson . Flyers History. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
"1971–1972 Division Standings Standings - NHL.com - Standings" . National Hockey League.
"All-Time NHL Results" . NHL.com . Retrieved August 25, 2023.
"1971-72 Philadelphia Flyers Schedule and Results" . Hockey-Reference.com . Retrieved August 29, 2022.
"Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy" . National Hockey League. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
"25th NHL All-Star Game" . NHL.com . Retrieved August 6, 2015.
"Team Records: Longest Road Winless Streaks, Season" . records.nhl.com . Retrieved September 5, 2022.
"Skater Records: Most Goals, Period" . records.nhl.com . Retrieved September 6, 2022.
"Skater Records: Most Points, Period" . records.nhl.com . Retrieved September 10, 2022.
"Team Records: Most Power-Play Goals, One Team, Game" . records.nhl.com . Retrieved September 5, 2022.
"1971-72 NHL Debuts" . Hockey-Reference.com . Retrieved October 3, 2024.
"Flyers History – All-Time Firsts" . P.Anson. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
"Hockey Transactions Search Results" . Pro Sports Transactions. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
"Flyers deal defenseman" . Delaware County Daily Times . UPI . June 14, 1971. Retrieved December 18, 2014 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Flyers Sign Four Skaters" . El Paso Herald-Post . UPI . September 9, 1971. Retrieved December 18, 2014 – via Newspapers.com .
"Briefly" . Brandon Sun . October 16, 1971. p. 6. Retrieved December 18, 2014 – via Newspapers.com .
"Flyers Get Keenan" . The Logansport Press . UPI . November 17, 1971. Retrieved December 18, 2014 – via Newspapers.com .
"'We had to do something:' Allen" . Delaware County Daily Times . UPI . January 29, 1972. Retrieved December 18, 2014 – via Newspapers.com .
^ Parsons, Mark (August 6, 2012). "1971 NHL Intra-League Draft" . Historical Hockey Stats & Trivia. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
^ "1971 NHL Intraleague Draft Picks at hockeydb.com" . hockeyDB.com. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
^ "Independent from Long Beach, California • 38" . Independent . June 9, 1971. Retrieved December 18, 2014 – via Newspapers.com .
"Frank Spring – Notes" . NHL.com . Retrieved December 18, 2014.
"Canadians Likely To Get A New Coach...In Addition To Players" . Kokomo Tribune . June 10, 1971. p. 33. Retrieved July 29, 2015 – via Newspapers.com .
"Don McLeod – Notes" . NHL.com . Retrieved December 18, 2014.
"Orest Kindrachuk – Notes" . NHL.com . Retrieved December 18, 2014.
"Michel Parizeau – Notes" . NHL.com . Retrieved December 18, 2014.
"Garry Peters – Notes" . NHL.com . Retrieved December 18, 2014.
"Flyers A-Z: Gamble, Bruce" . Philadelphia Flyers . Archived from the original on June 9, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
^ "Flyers sign Clarke to 5-year contract" . Delaware County Daily Times . March 21, 1972. Retrieved December 18, 2014 – via Newspapers.com .
"Flyers Sign Goalie Bruce Gamble" . The Gettysburg Times . Associated Press. August 17, 1971. Retrieved December 18, 2014 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Philly Flyers Sign 3 More" . The Gettysburg Times . Associated Press. September 3, 1971. Retrieved December 18, 2014 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Flyers Sign 10 Players" . The Gettysburg Times . Associated Press. September 6, 1971. Retrieved December 18, 2014 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Flyers sign 5, to open practice" . Delaware County Daily Times . UPI . July 1, 1975. Retrieved December 18, 2014 – via Newspapers.com .
"1971 NHL Amateur Draft Picks at hockeydb.com" . hockeyDB.com. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
"1971 NHL Amateur Draft Pick Transactions" . Pro Sports Transactions. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
"AHL Franchise Statistics" . P. Anson . Flyers History. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
"AHL Season Overview: 1971–72" . P. Anson . Flyers History. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
^ "Non-AHL Affiliates" . P. Anson . Flyers History. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
Categories :
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
**DISCLAIMER** We are not affiliated with Wikipedia, and Cloudflare.
The information presented on this site is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
You should always have a personal consultation with a healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, medication, or exercise routine.
AI helps with the correspondence in our chat.
We participate in an affiliate program. If you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission 💕
↑