2006–07 Philadelphia Flyers season
| 2006–07 Philadelphia Flyers | |
|---|---|
| Division | 5th Atlantic |
| Conference | 15th Eastern |
| 2006–07 record | 22–48–12 |
| Home record | 10–24–7 |
| Road record | 12–24–5 |
| Goals for | 214 |
| Goals against | 303 |
| Team information | |
| General Manager |
Bob Clarke (resigned) Paul Holmgren |
| Coach |
Ken Hitchcock (fired) John Stevens |
| Captain | Peter Forsberg (traded) |
| Alternate captains |
Simon Gagne Derian Hatcher Sami Kapanen |
| Arena | Wachovia Center |
| Average attendance | 19,283 |
| Team leaders | |
| Goals | Simon Gagne (41) |
| Assists | Joni Pitkanen (39) |
| Points | Simon Gagne (68) |
| Penalties in minutes | Ben Eager (233) |
| Plus/minus | Scottie Upshall (+4) |
| Wins | Antero Niittymaki (9) |
| Goals against average | Martin Biron (3.01) |
The 2006–07 Philadelphia Flyers season was the Flyers' 40th season in the National Hockey League (NHL). For the first time in franchise history the Flyers finished with the worst record in the entire league and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1994.
During the off-season the Flyers lost Michal Handzus in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks, defenseman Kim Johnsson to free agency and Eric Desjardins and team captain Keith Primeau to retirement.
Peter Forsberg replaced Primeau as team captain, but a chronic foot injury had him in and out of the lineup throughout the season and limited his effectiveness. Eight games into the regular season and with a record of 1–6–1, General Manager Bob Clarke resigned and head coach Ken Hitchcock was fired. Assistant coach John Stevens replaced Hitchcock and assistant general manager Paul Holmgren took on Clarke's responsibilities on an interim basis.
The changes did little to improve the Flyers fortunes in 2006–07 as setting franchise records for futility became the norm. They had several multiple-game losing streaks including a franchise worst 10–game losing streak and a 12–game home losing streak that stretched from November 29 to February 10. Ultimately, the Flyers finished with a 22–48–12 record, the most losses in franchise history and the worst record in the league. They also set the NHL record for the biggest points drop off in the standings in a one-year span (101 points in 2005–06 to 56 points in 2006–07, a difference of 45 points).
With the team clearly on the verge of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1994, Holmgren set his sights on rebuilding the team and preparing for the future. Forsberg, unwilling to commit to playing next season, was traded to the Nashville Predators for Scottie Upshall, Ryan Parent, and 2007 1st and 3rd-round draft picks. Veteran defenseman Alexei Zhitnik was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers for prospect defenseman Braydon Coburn and disappointing off-season acquisition Kyle Calder was sent to the Detroit Red Wings via Chicago in exchange for defenseman Lasse Kukkonen. The Flyers also acquired goaltender Martin Biron from the Buffalo Sabres for a 2007 2nd-round pick. Given wide praise for his efforts, the Flyers gave Holmgren a two-year contract and removed the interim label from his title.
...
Wikipedia