Flyers: Debating the franchise’s top rivalries

Pittsburgh Penguins

The case for: Sidney Crosby. Has any opposing athlete produced such vitriol in Philadelphia fans during his career? Doubtful. Yes, there’s a tinge of jealousy to it, but Crosby is also a symbol for how undeservedly lucky a second-rate bankrupt franchise from the other side of the state got when he fell into their laps, repeating how they tanked their way to Mario Lemieux years earlier. Historically, this is strong as well thanks to playoff run-ins in 1997 and 2000, the latter of which produced Keith Primeau’s 5th OT winner. Postseason showdowns with Crosby have been extremely memorable, with 2012 sticking out from a Flyers perspective since they came out victorious that time. The teams have only traded with each other one time in the last 18 years, showing that even their front offices hate each other.

The case against: The Penguins were a garbage franchise early in their existence, essentially negating the first 15 years of rivalry potential with the Flyers. Then, when the Pens rose to prominence with Lemieux, the Flyers largely shrunk into the shadows. It just took a good long while for these teams to get on the same page. Finally, when you look at the distribution of Stanley Cups, the outrageous imbalance between the Penguins and Flyers is pretty spirit-crushing. Do Flyers fans really want to do this to themselves? Don’t answer that.