1973-74 Stanley Cup Success: 50 Years Since the Philadelphia Flyers First Title

It has been a long time since the Philadelphia Flyers managed to win the Stanley Cup, with the last of their two titles having come in the 1974-75 season.

Their first was the year before, therefore meaning this campaign marks the team’s 50th anniversary since winning its maiden title.

It was a momentous occasion for the Pennsylvanian franchise at the time, and many had hoped the NHL team would have been able to kick on.

Evidently, they were able to do it in successive years, but since then, no silverware has been obtained.

50 Years: Time to Celebrate Historic Stanley Cup

The 1973/74 Stanely Cup Series was played between the Flyers and the Boston Bruins. The Flyers had managed to reach the premier hockey game by defeating both the Atlanta Flames (4-0) and the New York Rangers (4-3). The Bruins had managed a 4-0 whitewash of the Toronto Maple Leafs and a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Black Hawks to advance to the final.

The best-of-seven series between the two teams did not start the way the Flyers would have hoped as they were defeated 3-2 in Game 1; however, things turned their way immediately after that as they managed to win Games 2, 3, and 4. Scores of 3-2 in overtime, 4-1, and 4-2 were achieved as they took a commanding 3-1 lead and never looked back.

They did drop a game in Game 5 as the Bruins managed to secure a 5-1 win and give themselves some hope, but by Game 6, the Flyers were crowned the newest Stanley Cup winners as they recorded a 1-0 victory to claim their maiden title.

In doing so, the Flyers managed to create history. They became the first team from the 1967 expansion in which six new franchises entered the NHL and double it in size to 12 to win the title, while they also became the first team from outside the original six to have founded the league to win the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Maroons managed to win it back in 1935.

They repeated the success the following year as they defeated the Buffalo Sabres in six games in the final, but that is as good as it has gotten for the Pennsylvania franchise on the ice.

Flyers Already Eliminated

The last time the Flyers made the Stanley Cup finals was in 2010, which marked their eighth appearance in the series, having lost on six occasions. And this year will be another year in which they fail to reach the game, as they have already been eliminated from playoff contention.

Those that may have been wagering on the team will have been disappointed by what they have seen on the ice from their favorite team, but with the postseason fast approaching, there are a number of markets open to those who want to enhance their viewing of the sport for the final sprint.

The latest NHL odds to have been made available have the Boston Bruins as the favorites to win the Stanley Cup at +350, whereas the Colorado Avalanche is priced at +650. The Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Edmonton Oilers are each valued at +850, while the New Jersey Devils are offered at +900.

For Flyers fans, the best that those who like to wager on the action can hope for is that they finish the season strongly and can build some momentum that can potentially be used next year.

Could The Flyers Return To The Top?

The great thing about professional sports is that anything can happen, even the unexpected. While it has been 49 years since the last Stanley Cup success, the team has managed to appear in the series on six further occasions since then.

Of course, there is a lot of work that still needs to be done throughout the organization if they are to challenge but never say never. Perhaps today’s players can look at the legacy of the team from the 1973-74 success, which included players from Bobby Clarke to Bernie Parent, and propel themselves into the category of being regarded among the most beloved figures in Philadelphia sports history by ending the drought and securing a Stanley Cup in the future.