Does Schultz belong in Flyers' Hall of Fame?
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Does Schultz belong in Flyers' Hall of Fame?
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Dave Schultz, who epitomized the Broad Street Bullies' era in the mid 1970s, will be inducted into the Flyers’ Hall of Fame before Monday’s game against New Jersey at the Wachovia Center.
Is the honor justified?
That was the hot debate in the press box the other day, and the answers were mixed.
Based on his numbers alone, Schultz clearly does not deserve to be in the team's Hall of Fame. He only played four full seasons with the Flyers and averaged about 13 goals per year.
Schultz, a brawling left winger, led the league in penalty minutes during three of those seasons _ and he still holds the NHL record for time in the box in one year (472 minutes in 1974-75).
He even cut a record (remember 45s?) to memorialize his time in the penalty box.
So, based on his numbers, Schultz is an undeserving HOF member.
But here’s why he belongs: He helped give the Flyers an identity that was loved in Philadelphia and loathed around North America.
Whether or not you liked his style, he helped put the Flyers on the map and made opponents fear coming to the Spectrum. Many a player mysteriously became ill _ the “Philadelphia flu” it was called _ because they didn’t want to go on the ice against Schultz and the Flyers.
Schultz also had a little talent; he scored 20 goals in one of his four seasons, and he netted the game-winner in overtime in the clinching game against the Atlanta Flames in the 1974 quarterfinals _ propelling the Flyers to their first Cup.
He was far from a great player. He was a character and a character guy _ and those guys are needed just as much as the Bobby Clarkes, Bernie Parents, Reggie Leaches, Bill Barbers and Rick MacLeishes.
You can argue that the Flyers would not have won any Cups if Schultz wasn’t on the club.
So, yes, I think he belongs in the team’s Hall of Fame. Let me know what you think.
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Notes. The Flyers shelled Martin Brodeur earlier this season, but the Devils' legend has recovered and will lead NJ into the Wachovia Center Monday, when it will try to to equal an NHL record by starting a season with 10 straight road wins.....Claude Giroux has seven assists but just one goal in 16 games; he had nine goals in 42 games as a rookie last season. Coach John Stevens will move Giroux back to center in Monday's game, with Darroll Powe and Arron Asham as his wingers. Giroux had been shifted to RW earlier in the season....James van Riemsdyk, the Flyers' impressive rookie, will return to the lineup Monday after missing the last game with the flu…..NHL general managers will form a committee that could take a stronger stance on head shots for next season. A hit Mike Richards delivered to the head of Florida’s David Booth last month seems to be the impetus for the committee, which will report its findings in March.
Yes please— al personal foul- Dr Fog said that if you want to see skating, go watch the Ice Capades...hockey, watch us. The hammer was the stick that stirred the cups. I'll never forget the disserved beating he put on Dale Rolf of the Rangers after we clinched the victory and series during the 1st cup quest. Rolfe had been chippy for the whole series and Shero had enough of it. In the waning minutes of the final game, Shero dispatched Shultz to the ice Shultz sought him out near the net and pounded him unmercifully as he lay on top of it -- Shultz 5 minutes for fighting, Rolfe 5 minutes for repairs! The Flyers never got pushed around anymore once we got Shultz! He belongs in the Flyers HOF.— brinkmang
- The Hammer belongs !— MrMayhem
- Shultzzzzie 1000% Flyers HOF Those were great hockey years, and Dave got us alot of great moments,perfect for the times!!!— Chosen one
- Dave almost singlehandedly brought the beaten down Flyers some respect and turned the franchise around.Yes,he belongs.And don't forget,as we learned later on in his book,he actually loathed the enforcer role he was thrown into but he went about his business as instructed.— turtleguy64
- Shultzie had hat tricks in two games in a row! How many Flyers have done that?— DerbyBound
- Dale Rolfe, Keith Magnuson, Terry O'Reilley.... I'm getting misty eyed here.— DerbyBound
- you do not have to have the most strength, endurance, skill, courage or even heart or ' presence' to be an integral and virtually essential part of a team. SCHULTZ had all of these qualities to differing degrees. Other players on the Flyers of that time had much more of some of these traits but without Schultz we would not have been nearly as likely to win one cup, much less two and contend for others in that span. I salute him for his efforts and accomplishments and welcome him to a deserved place in the Flyers Hall of Fame [ or should it be Hall of Important Contributors!!??, no, too wordy, not as accurate!!]— papabearbruce
- I'm as big a Flyer fan as anyone. Love Schultz and what he did to help the team win 2 Cups. But he should never be in any "Hall of Fame". Where's Rick Tocchet, John LeClair and Eric Desjardins?— UncleEddie
- I agree that he does belong because he absolutely gave the guys around him a ton of physical support and took on every other tough guy in the league. And contrary to most of our memories, he didn't win every fight. Thankfully, Bob Kelly or Moose Dupont would always be close by and jump in as third man to keep the Hammer from being embarrassed, and he repaid them in kind. But I disagree with his talent. I know in junior he was a scorer, but the NHL isn't junior hockey, and compared to most of the guys in the league, Dave Schultz could barely skate. He scored 20 that year because he was fear by most of the league and got a lot of space. And that's why he belongs in the Flyers HoF. He gave Barber and McLeish a lot of space. You didn't want to lay out Reggie the Rifle or Schultz would hunt you down. So Leach scored more than he ever could have if Keith Allen didn't make the decision to get tough. No, make that to become the toughest in the league. And Schultz lead that charge. The Magnuson fight alone made people rethink running Bobby Clarke. And everyone in the league wanted to run him! Schultz earned his spot, one punch at a time....
He's obviously not in a category with Parent or Clarke, but he is a major part of the lore of the Broad Street Bullies, and the fans want this honor for him. And that's enough for a team HoF.— ICDogg- Yes, he was a big part of the success in the mid 70's. Its not his fault the NHL legislated fighting out of the sport, he proved a valuable asset in his era. On a side note, Gary Bettman is unequivocally the worst NHL commissioner ever!! Why would you take a David Stern clone (and Stern has ruined the NBA) and make him your man? Bettman has screwed this league up almost beyond repair. Fire Gary Bettman NOW!— downthemiddle
Comment removed.- Obviously Carchidi never watched the Flyers before the Bullies arrived. French players getting their faces flattened by the glass was the norm. Easily one of Phila's. best sports eras, too funny to have a non hockey journalist, a hockey dad if you will, question a selection to the Flyers hall of fame.— kobblepot
- No. No. No. I watched this no talent goon thru his Flyers career. He could fight and he actually did score 20 goals one year. But it would be an insult to the members of the Flyers hall to include him.— Flyers75
