While not the biggest rivalry anymore, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers have had their fair share of interactions over the years. From franchise-altering trades to theatrical line brawls, these two teams have a deep-rooted history.
Flyers – Maple Leafs Notable Trades
The first trade on this list was almost a massive mistake for the Flyers. On Jan. 31, 1971, the Flyers dealt goaltender Bernie Parent and a 1971 2nd-round draft pick to the Maple Leafs in exchange for netminder Bruce Gamble, center Mike Walton, and a 1971 1st-round draft choice. Parent is now in the Hockey Hall of Fame with multiple Stanley Cup championships, so this would look pretty bad on the Flyers’ part if this is where the transaction ended. Thankfully, they made a trade that would reverse what would have been a monumental disaster.
On May 15, 1973, Philadelphia made a trade with Toronto to get Parent back. They received a 1973 2nd-round draft selection and Parent, while Toronto received a 1973 1st-round pick and the rights to Flyers’ starting goaltender Doug Favell. Only a year after this trade, the Flyers became the first expansion team to hoist the Stanley Cup, defeating the Boston Bruins in six games, while Parent won the Conn Smythe Trophy as Playoff MVP with his dominating effort, as well as the Vezina Trophy for being the best goaltender in the NHL during the regular season. Parent won the Vezina and Conn Smythe again the following season, becoming the only goaltender to win both awards in consecutive seasons. That Parent trade remains one of the worst in Maple Leafs history.
On Jan. 20, 1982, Toronto made the decision to deal captain and franchise star Darryl Sittler to the Philadelphia Flyers and received forward Rick Costello, a 1982 2nd-round draft choice and future considerations that became forward Ken Strong. Displeasure with ownership was the sole reason for this move.
Related: Flyer Trades: Acquiring Darryl Sittler
Sittler actively wanted to leave Toronto, and Philadelphia was on his list of destinations. While Sittler did not help bring a championship to Philadelphia, he did score 84 goals and 94 assists in just 191 games for the club. Overall, Philadelphia ended up getting the best player in the deal.
We have to go to the 21st century to…
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