Section 215
Fansided

Flyers: Debating the franchise’s top rivalries

By Kevin Lagowski

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - FEBRUARY 23: The Philadelphia Flyers head out for the third period against the Pittsburgh Penguins (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - FEBRUARY 23: The Philadelphia Flyers head out for the third period against the Pittsburgh Penguins (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers
25 May 1997: Center Wayne Gretzky of the New York Rangers Mandatory Credit: Robert Laberge /Allsport /

New York Rangers

The case for: A strong contender from the very beginning thanks to the New York/Philadelphia dynamic, this rivalry was cemented thanks to the teams’ knock-down drag-out seven-gamer in the 1974 playoffs. The teams faced each other seven times in the postseason between 1979 and 1987, creating a bitterness that seemed like it could never be topped. 1995 also produced a memorable result when the Flyers swept the defending champion Rangers, then the Flyers beat them again in the star-studded 1997 East Finals. The Lindros trade provided a spark a few years later, and who could forget the shootout in Game 82 of the 2010 regular season. All this, plus the fact that Philadelphia fans will always have a spot in their hearts for hating New York (and its fans), make compelling arguments that this is the gold standard of Flyers rivalries

The case against: It’s actually been pretty tame in recent years, though it could be on its way back since the Rangers now have a number of top young players. The teams have amazingly met just once in the playoffs since 1997, although their 2014 series was pretty entertaining despite a Flyers loss in seven games. In the end, though, recency bias might end up knocking Flyers/Rangers off its perch. You all know what’s coming next.

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