Brian Boucher Talks Flyers Alumni Game with Preston & Steve
Brian Boucher joined The Preston & Steve Show to talk about the Philadelphia Flyers Alumni Game on January 26. He also discussed his NHL broadcasting career, the 2023-24 Flyers, and the firmest handshake in the world.
Flyers Alumni Game
Franchise legends of the past will play in the Flyers Alumni Game on Friday, Jan. 26 as part of the Alumni Weekend festivities. Mark Recchi will enter the Flyers Hall of Fame before the matchup against the Boston Bruins on Saturday, Jan. 27.
“I’m excited about January too when we get to see some of our old friends. It’s going to be a lot of fun. I know for some fans it’s hard to relate to the new group. Maybe they relate well with the older players of the past. They’re going to have a chance to see some of these guys play, which is going to be a lot of fun.” -Brian Boucher
It’s been 50 years since the Flyers defeated the Bruins to become the first expansion team to win the Stanley Cup against an Original Six opponent. The Broad Street Bullies will be back in full force for Alumni Weekend to celebrate the golden anniversary.
Boucher will strap on his old pads over 10 years since he last played in the NHL. He played goaltender for the Flyers in six of his 13 seasons in the league. He has made a new home in the broadcast booth with Jim Jackson on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Mike Richards, Scott Hartnell, Eric Lindros, John LeClair, and Patrick Sharp will skate on rosters that include at least one former Flyer from every decade since their inaugural season in 1967-68.
Joe Watson will suit up six months after his 80th birthday. That’s not a typo. He’s 80. Preston thinks Watson could still break anyone’s hand with his firm-grip handshake. The former Broad Street Bullies defenseman skated without a helmet in the 2021 Alumni Game. People must’ve been a little tougher back in the ’70s.
Rebuilding Flyers
Boucher believes the Flyers’ early-season success is a tribute to a new feeling of positivity within the locker room.
“The one thing that stands out is that this team competes extremely hard, and it’s a group that likes one another. Over the last couple of years, they lost their way a little bit. Maybe when you don’t win games and you don’t play hard, and you don’t play for one another, it can show on the ice.” -Boucher
He spoke optimistically about the leadership of Dan Hilferty, Keith Jones, Danny Briere, and John Tortorella as the Flyers look to build themselves back into a Stanley Cup contender.
Tickets to see the Flyers Alumni Game are on sale now. All proceeds benefit Flyers Charities and the Philadelphia Flyers Alumni Association. Check out the full interview with Brian Boucher below.
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6 Philadelphia Flyers Retired Numbers & 1 More That Deserves It
Bernie Parent #1
“Only the Lord saves more than Bernie Parent.”
Countless drivers in Philadelphia during the 1970s read the iconic bumper sticker about the future Hall of Fame goaltender. Parent accumulated Hall of Fame numbers over 13 NHL seasons, 10 of which included stints with the Flyers.
The real mark of his legacy came in the 1973-74 and 1974-75 seasons. He won the Vezina Trophy as the top goaltender in the NHL after both regular seasons. His 47 wins in 1973-74 stood as a league record until 2007.
Parent won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP for each of the only two Stanley Cups in franchise history after both of his Venzina seasons. The famed Broad Street Bullies built their reputation on intimidation and grit, but they never would’ve sniffed a Stanley Cup without Bernie Parent between the pipes.
Mark Howe #2
Mark Howe played six seasons in the WHA to begin his professional career and didn’t make his debut with the Flyers until age 27. However, he established himself as the indisputable best defenseman in franchise history.
He still holds franchise records for goals, assists, points, shorthanded goals, and plus/minus rating among defensemen. Most of the blueliners behind him in the major statistical categories played more games with the Flyers. Howe published a book cleverly named Gordie Howe’s Son in 2013.
Eric Lindros #88
The Flyers made arguably the biggest splash in NHL history when they acquired the rights to Eric Lindros in 1992 after some lengthy drama. He was supposed to be the next Wayne Gretzky, and his dynamic skill and intimidating power didn’t disappoint when he was on the ice. He won the Hart Trophy after the shortened 1994-95 season and helped the Flyers to an appearance in the 1997 Stanley Cup Final.
Concussions derailed the career of arguably the most talented hockey player ever to lace up the skates. He struggled to stay healthy in a stretch that infamously ended with a devastating hit from Scott Stevens in the 2000 Eastern Conference Final.
He ranks sixth in franchise history in scoring, but his 1.36 points per game average blows every other Flyers skater out of the water. The organization has properly moved on from disagreements with one of their all-time greats whose number has hung in the rafters of the Wells Fargo Center since 2018.
Claude Giroux #28
The Flyers were in Stanley Cup contention when Claude Giroux broke into the NHL. The crafty forward developed into the organizational centerpiece, but the team dragged through a forgettable era in franchise history during his captaincy.
Giroux is second in Flyers history in points, games played, and assists trailing only the legendary Bobby Clarke. He played on teams that won six total playoff series and recorded 73 postseason points, including an overtime goal in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2010. He has finished fourth or higher in Hart Trophy voting three times during his tenure in Philadelphia.
The Flyers will someday retire the number of one of their all-time greats who unfortunately never broke through with a Stanley Cup.
