The 2008–09

Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wells ...

season was the Flyers'

42nd 4 (four) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 3 and preceding 5. It is the smallest semiprime and composite number, and is considered unlucky in many East Asian cultures. In mathematics Four is the smallest c ...

season in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

(NHL). The Flyers lost in the first round of the playoffs to the

Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...

in six games.

Regular season

The Flyers began the 2008–09 season by naming

Mike Richards Michael Richards (born 1949) is an American actor best known for playing Cosmo Kramer in ''Seinfeld''. Michael Richards or Mike Richards may also refer to the following people: Arts and entertainment *Mike Richards (television personality) (born ...

the 17th captain in Flyers history on September 17, with Jason Smith headed to the

Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...

as a free agent. The Flyers were looking to build on the success of the previous season, but instead got off to an 0–3–3 start which became indicative of the season ahead. Despite a solid December and January, and finishing with four points more than the year before, for the most part the 2008–09 Flyers were an inconsistent unit, playing at the top of their ability one night while subpar the next. Defenseman

Derian Hatcher Derian John Hatcher (born June 4, 1972) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Minnesota North Stars, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers. He ...

missed the entire regular season and playoffs with a knee injury, and

Steve Downie Steve Downie (born April 3, 1987) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, Pittsburgh Penguins and Arizona Coyotes, ...

was traded to the

Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...

for defenseman

Matt Carle Matthew Carle (born September 25, 1984) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. Carle played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers and Nashville Predators. He was ...

. Two pleasant surprises were the emergence of rookie center

Claude Giroux Claude Giroux (; born January 12, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and alternate captain for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Philadelphia Flyers and the Florida Panthe ...

and defenseman

Luca Sbisa The last universal common ancestor (LUCA) is the most recent population from which all organisms now living on Earth share common descent—the most recent common ancestor of all current life on Earth. This includes all cellular organisms; t ...

, who was drafted by the Flyers in June with the 19th overall pick acquired from the

Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...

in exchange for

R. J. Umberger Richard Alan "R. J." Umberger, Jr. (born May 3, 1982) is a former American professional ice hockey center. Drafted in the first round, 16th overall, in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks, Umberger has played in the National Hockey ...

, the victim of a salary cap crunch.

Scottie Upshall Scott Upshall (born October 7, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. He was selected in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators in the first round, sixth overall. Playing career Amateur As a youth, Upshall p ...

also found himself the victim of such a crunch, traded to the

Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mull ...

for

Daniel Carcillo Daniel Carcillo (born January 28, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. He most recently played under contract to the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). His on-ice reputation as an enforcer has led ...

at the

trade deadline In professional sports within the United States and Canada, a trade is a sports league transaction between sports clubs involving the exchange of player rights from one team to another. Though player rights are the primary trading assets, draft p ...

. Despite holding on to the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference for much of the season, due to a 4–5–1 finish to the season, highlighted by a home loss to the

New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...

on the last day of the regular season, the Flyers slipped to the fifth seed and lost home-ice advantage in their first round series with the

. The Flyers finished the regular season having scored the most shorthanded goals in the NHL, with 16, and having allowed the fewest shorthanded goals, with just one.

Divisional standings

Conference standings

Playoffs

Pittsburgh dominated the Flyers in Game 1, and despite a better effort by the Flyers in Game 2, Pittsburgh came to Philadelphia with a 2–0 series lead. The Flyers were the better team in Games 3 and 4, but Pittsburgh gained a split in Philadelphia and took a 3–1 series lead. After a decisive 3–0 win in Game 5, the Flyers jumped out to a 3–0 lead in Game 6, but promptly fell victim to the inconsistencies that plagued the team all season and gave up five unanswered goals in a season-ending 5–3 loss.

Schedule and results

Preseason

, - style="background:#cfc;" , 1 , , September 22 , ,

New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...

, , 4–1 , , 17,108 , , 1–0–0 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 2 , , September 24 , , @

, , 1–3 , , 17,038 , , 1–1–0 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 3 , , September 25 , ,

New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...

, , 4–5 , , 7,706 , , 2–1–0 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 4 , , September 27 , ,

Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...

, , 4–2, , 17,700 , , 3–1–0 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 5 , , September 28 , , @ Carolina Hurricanes , , 0–1 , , 11,265 , , 3–2–0 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 6 , , October 1 , ,

Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...

, , 2–1 , , 17,523 , , 4–2–0 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 7 , , October 3 , , @ Washington Capitals , , 1–5 , , 14,864 , , 4–3–0 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 8 , , October 4 , , @ New Jersey Devils , , 0–1 , , 9,558 , , 4–4–0 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 9 , , October 7 , , @

Philadelphia Phantoms The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League (AHL) from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and played most of its home games at the Spectrum (arena), Spectrum ...

, , 2–4 , , 17,077 , , 4–5–0 , , , - , colspan="7" style="text-align:center;", ''Notes:''
Game played at

John Labatt Centre Budweiser Gardens is a sports-entertainment centre, in London, Ontario, Canada – the largest such centre in Southwestern Ontario. Until 2012, it was known as the John Labatt Centre. The John Labatt Centre, which opened on October 11, 2002, was ...

London, Ontario London (pronounced ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River, approximate ...

.
Game played at

Wachovia Spectrum The Spectrum (later known as CoreStates Spectrum, First Union Spectrum and Wachovia Spectrum) was an indoor arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Opened in September 1967 as part of what is now known as the South Philadelphia Spo ...

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. , - , - , ''Legend'':

Regular season

, - style="background:#fcc;" , 1 , , October 11 , ,

NY Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Borough (New York City), New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ...

, , 4–3 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,623 , , 0–1–0 , , 0 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 2 , , October 13 , ,

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

, , 5–3 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,323 , , 0–2–0 , , 0 , , , - style="background:#ffc;" , 3 , , October 14 , , Philadelphia , , 2–3 , ,

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

, , OT , , Niittymaki , , 16,965 , , 0–2–1 , , 1 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 4 , , October 16 , , Philadelphia , , 2–5 , ,

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

, , , , Biron , , 18,007 , , 0–3–1 , , 1 , , , - style="background:#ffc;" , 5 , , October 18 , , Philadelphia , , 4–5 , , San Jose , , OT , , Niittymaki , , 17,496 , , 0–3–2 , , 2 , , , - style="background:#ffc;" , 6 , , October 22 , , San Jose , , 7–6 , , Philadelphia , , SO , , Biron , , 19,072 , , 0–3–3 , , 3 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 7 , , October 24 , , Philadelphia , , 6–3 , ,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, , , , Biron , , 15,529 , , 1–3–3 , , 5 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 8 , , October 25 , ,

, , 2–3 , , Philadelphia , , OT , , Biron , , 19,611 , , 2–3–3 , , 7 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 9 , , October 28 , , Philadelphia , , 7–0 , ,

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

, , , , Niittymaki , , 13,207 , , 3–3–3 , , 9 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 10 , , October 30 , ,

NY Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...

, , 2–3 , , Philadelphia , , OT , , Biron , , 18,227 , , 4–3–3, , 11 , , , - , - style="background:#fcc;" , 11 , , November 2 , ,

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...

, , 5–4 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,437, , 4–4–3 , , 11 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 12 , , November 6 , , Philadelphia , , 1–4 , ,

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

, , , , Niittymaki , , 18,938 , , 4–5–3 , , 11 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 13 , , November 8 , ,

Tampa Bay Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater in ...

, , 2–1 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,412 , , 4–6–3 , , 11 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 14 , , November 11 , , Philadelphia , , 3–1 , ,

, , , , Biron , , 13,447 , , 5–6–3 , , 13 , , , - style="background:#ffc;" , 15 , , November 13 , , Philadelphia , , 4–5 , ,

, , SO , , Biron , , 17,132 , , 5–6–4 , , 14 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 16 , , November 15 , , Philadelphia , , 2–1 , ,

, , , , Biron , , 21,273 , , 6–6–4 , , 16 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 17 , , November 16 , ,

, , 3–4, , Philadelphia , , , , Niittymaki, , 19,437 , , 7–6–4 , , 18 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 18 , , November 21 , , Philadelphia , , 3–0 , , Buffalo , , , , Biron , , 18,256 , , 8–6–4 , , 20 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 19 , , November 22 , ,

Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

, , 3–4 , , Philadelphia , , OT , , Biron , , 19,520, , 9–6–4, , 22 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 20 , , November 24 , ,

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

, , 3–4 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,171, , 10–6–4 , , 24 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 21 , , November 26 , , Philadelphia , , 3–1 , , Carolina , , , , Niittymaki, , 15,057 , , 11–6–4 , , 26 , , , - style="background:#ffc;" , 22 , , November 28 , , Carolina , , 2–3 , , Philadelphia , , OT , , Biron , , 19,587 , , 11–6–5 , , 27 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 23 , , November 29 , , Philadelphia , , 2–4 , ,

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, , , , Biron , , 19,387 , , 11–7–5 , , 27 , , , - , - style="background:#cfc;" , 24 , , December 2 , ,

, , 3–4 , , Philadelphia , , OT , , Biron , , 19,227 , , 12–7–5 , , 29 , , , - style="background:#ffc;" , 25 , , December 4 , ,

, , 3–2 , , Philadelphia , , OT , , Biron , , 19,577, , 12–7–6 , , 30 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 26 , , December 6 , , Philadelphia , , 2–1 , , Carolina , , OT , , Niittymaki, , 14,061 , , 13–7–6 , , 32 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 27 , , December 9 , ,

, , 3–4 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,037 , , 14–7–6 , , 34 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 28 , , December 11 , , Carolina , , 5–6 , , Philadelphia , , SO , , Niittymaki , , 19,057 , , 15–7–6 , , 36 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 29 , , December 13 , ,

, , 3–6 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,811 , , 16–7–6 , , 38 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 30 , , December 16 , ,

, , 2–5 , , Philadelphia , , , , Niittymaki , , 19,219 , , 17–7–6 , , 40 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 31 , , December 18 , , Philadelphia , , 2–5 , ,

, , , , Niittymaki , , 21,273 , , 17–8–6 , , 40 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 32 , , December 20 , ,

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...

, , 1–7 , , Philadelphia , , , , Niittymaki , , 19,897 , , 18–8–6 , , 42 , , , - style="background:#ffc;" , 33 , , December 21 , , Philadelphia , , 2–3 , ,

, , SO , , Niittymaki , , 14,426 , , 18–8–7 , , 43 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 34 , , December 23 , ,

, , 4–6 , , Philadelphia , , , , Nittymaki , , 19,578 , , 19–8–7 , , 45 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 35 , , December 26 , , Philadelphia , , 1–5 , ,

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, , , , Biron , , 22,712 , , 19–9–7 , , 45 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 36 , , December 27 , , Philadelphia , , 0–3 , ,

Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...

, , , , Niittymaki, , 18,402 , , 19–10–7 , , 45 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 37 , , December 30 , , Philadelphia , , 3–2 , ,

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

, , , , Biron , , 18,630 , , 20–10–7 , , 47 , , , - , - style="background:#cfc;" , 38 , , January 2 , , Philadelphia , , 5–4 , ,

Anaheim Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most p ...

, , SO , , Biron , , 17,597 , , 21–10–7 , , 49 , , , - style="background:#ffc;" , 39 , , January 3 , , Philadelphia , , 1–2 , ,

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, , SO , , Niittymaki , , 18,118, , 21–10–8 , , 50 , , , - style="background:#ffc;" , 40 , , January 6 , , Philadelphia , , 1–2 , ,

, , SO , , Biron , , 18,277 , , 21–10–9 , , 51 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 41 , , January 8 , ,

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

, , 1–3 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,596 , , 22–10–9 , , 53 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 42 , , January 10 , ,

, , 1–4 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,787 , , 23–10–9 , , 55 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 43 , , January 13 , ,

, , 4–2 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron, , 19,872 , , 23–11–9 , , 55 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 44 , , January 15 , , Philadelphia , , 1–4, ,

, , , , Biron , , 15,604 , , 23–12–9 , , 55 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 45 , , January 16 , , Philadelphia , , 3–2 , ,

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

, , SO , , Niittymaki , , 17,827 , , 24–12–9 , , 57 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 46 , , January 21 , ,

, , 3–5 , , Philadelphia , , , , Niittymaki , , 19,766 , , 25–12–9 , , 59 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 47 , , January 27 , , Philadelphia , , 2–3 , ,

, , , , Biron , , 13,904, , 25–13–9 , , 59 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 48 , , January 30 , , Philadelphia , , 6–1 , ,

, , , , Niittymaki , , 18,120 , , 26–13–9, , 61 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 49 , , January 31 , , Philadelphia , , 0–4 , ,

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

, , , , Niittymaki , , 19,150 , , 26–14–9 , , 61 , , , - , - style="background:#fcc;" , 50 , , February 4 , ,

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, , 3–1 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,748 , , 26–15–9, , 61 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 51 , , February 7 , , Philadelphia , , 4–3, ,

, , OT , , Niittymaki , , 17,565 , , 27–15–9, , 63 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 52 , , February 8 , , Philadelphia , , 3–2 , ,

, , , , Niittymaki , , 14,175, , 28–15–9, , 65 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 53 , , February 12 , ,

, , 5–2, , Philadelphia , , , , Niittymaki , , 19,679 , , 28–16–9 , , 65 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 54 , , February 14 , ,

, , 1–5 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,789 , , 29–16–9 , , 67 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 55 , , February 15 , , Philadelphia , , 5–2 , ,

, , , , Biron , , 18,200 , , 30–16–9 , , 69 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 56 , , February 19 , , Buffalo , , 3–6 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,642 , , 31–16–9 , , 71 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 57 , , February 21 , ,

, , 5–4 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,992 , , 31–17–9 , , 71 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 58 , , February 24 , , Philadelphia , , 4–2, ,

, , , , Biron, , 18,277, , 32–17–9 , , 73 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 59 , , February 25 , ,

, , 0–2 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,568 , , 33–17–9 , , 75 , , , - style="background:#ffc;" , 60 , , February 27 , ,

, , 4–3 , , Philadelphia , , OT , , Niittymaki , , 19,881 , , 33–17–10 , , 76 , , , - , - style="background:#fcc;" , 61 , , March 1 , , Philadelphia , , 0–3 , ,

, , , , Biron , , 17,625 , , 33–18–10 , , 76 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 62 , , March 3 , , Philadelphia , , 4–2 , ,

, , , , Niittymaki , , 17,020 , , 34–18–10 , , 78 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 63 , , March 5 , ,

Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...

, , 5–1 , , Philadelphia , , , , Niittymaki , , 19,513, , 34–19–10, , 78 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 64 , , March 7 , ,

Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...

, , 1–4 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,611, , 35–19–10 , , 80 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 65 , , March 10 , , Buffalo , , 2–5 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,421 , , 36–19–10 , , 82 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 66 , , March 12 , ,

, , 2–1 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,728 , , 36–20–10 , , 82 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 67 , , March 14 , ,

, , 2–4 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,836 , , 37–20–10 , , 84 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 68 , , March 15 , , Philadelphia , , 1–4, ,

, , , , Niittymaki , , 18,200 , , 37–21–10, , 84 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 69 , , March 17 , , Philadelphia , , 2–3 , ,

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

, , , , Biron , , 20,066 , , 37–22–10 , , 84 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 70 , , March 20 , , Philadelphia , , 6–4 , , Buffalo , , , , Biron , , 18,690 , , 38–22–10 , , 86 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 71 , , March 22 , , Philadelphia , , 3–1 , ,

, , , , Biron , , 17,132 , , 39–22–10 , , 88 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 72 , , March 23 , ,

, , 2–4 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,762 , , 40–22–10 , , 90 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 73 , , March 26 , ,

, , 4–2 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,631 , , 40–23–10, , 90 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 74 , , March 28 , , Philadelphia , , 4–3 , ,

, , SO , , Biron , , 16,234 , , 41–23–10 , , 92 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 75 , , March 29 , ,

, , 4–3, , Philadelphia , , , , Niittymaki, , 19,715 , , 41–24–10 , , 92 , , , - , - style="background:#fcc;" , 76 , , April 1 , , Philadelphia , , 2–3 , ,

, , , , Biron , , 19,340 , , 41–25–10 , , 92 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 77 , , April 3 , ,

, , 5–8, , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,727 , , 42–25–10 , , 94 , , , - style="background:#ffc;" , 78 , , April 4 , , Philadelphia , , 3–4 , ,

, , SO , , Niittymaki, , 19,557 , , 42–25–11 , , 95 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 79 , , April 7 , ,

, , 1–2 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron, , 19,637 , , 43–25–11 , , 97 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 80 , , April 9 , , Philadelphia , , 1–2 , ,

, , , , Biron , , 18,200 , , 43–26–11 , , 97 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 81 , , April 11 , , Philadelphia , , 3–2, ,

, , , , Biron , , 16,234 , , 44–26–11 , , 99 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 82 , , April 12 , ,

, , 4–3, , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,648 , , 44–27–11 , , 99 , , , - , - , ''Legend'':

Playoffs

, - style="background:#fcc;" , 1 , , April 15, , Philadelphia , , 1–4 , ,

, , , , Biron , , 17,132 , , Penguins lead 1–0 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 2 , , April 17 , , Philadelphia , , 2–3 , ,

, , OT , , Biron , , 17,132 , , Penguins lead 2–0 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 3 , , April 19 , ,

, , 3–6 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,745 , , Penguins lead 2–1 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 4 , , April 21 , ,

, , 3–1 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 19,883 , , Penguins lead 3–1 , , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 5 , , April 23 , , Philadelphia , , 3–0 , ,

, , , , Biron , , 17,132 , , Penguins lead 3–2 , , , - style="background:#fcc;" , 6 , , April 25 , ,

, , 5–3 , , Philadelphia , , , , Biron , , 20,072 , , Penguins win 4–2 , , , - , - , ''Legend'':

Player statistics

Scoring

* ''Position abbreviations: C =

Center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...

; D =

Defense Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense industr ...

; G =

Goaltender In ice hockey, the goaltender (commonly referred to as the goalie) is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays in or near t ...

; LW =

Left Wing Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in soci ...

; RW =

Right Wing Right-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that view certain social orders and hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position on the basis of natural law, economics, authori ...

'' * '' = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Flyers only.'' * '' = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Flyers only.''

Goaltending

Awards and records

Awards

Records

Among the team records set during the 2008–09 season was Simon Gagne tying the team record for most shorthanded goals in a single game on November 13. On December 20,

Scott Hartnell Scott Wesley Hartnell (born April 18, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets. Hartnell ...

tied the team record with three goals scored in a single period. On the season,

tied the team record for most shorthanded goals (7) and

Jeff Carter Jeffrey J. Carter (born January 1, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Los Angeles Kings ...

tied the mark for most game-winning goals (12). The one shorthanded goal allowed by the Flyers during the season is the fewest in franchise history.

Milestones

Transactions

The Flyers were involved in the following transactions from June 5, 2008, the day after the deciding game of the

2008 Stanley Cup Finals The 2008 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2007–08 season, and the culmination of the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested between the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings ...

, through June 12, 2009, the day of the deciding game of the

2009 Stanley Cup Finals The 2009 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2008–09 season, and the culmination of the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested between the Eastern Conference champion Pittsburgh Penguins ...

Trades

Players acquired

Players lost

Signings

Draft picks

Philadelphia's picks at the

2008 NHL Entry Draft The 2008 NHL Entry Draft was the 46th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted by the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place in the city of Ottawa, Ontario, on June 20–21, 2008. The Senators were originally awarded the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, but because of ...

, which was held at

Scotiabank Place Canadian Tire Centre (french: links=no, Centre Canadian Tire) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, located in the western suburb of Stittsville. It opened in January 1996 as the Palladium and was also known as Corel Cen ...

Ottawa, Ontario Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

on June 20–21, 2008. The Flyers traded their originally allotted second, third, fifth, and seventh-round picks in four separate trades.

Farm teams

;

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...

–

(

Standings Standings or rankings are listings which compare sports teams or individuals, institutions, nations, companies, or other entities by ranking them in order of ability or achievement. A table or chart (such as a league table, a ladder or a leaderb ...

) The 2008–09 season was the Phantoms' last playing in the

and means they will move following the season.

Comcast Spectacor Comcast Spectacor is a Philadelphia-based American sports and entertainment company. It owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, the Maine Mariners of the ECHL, the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League, the Phi ...

sold the Phantoms to the Brooks Group of

on February 4, 2009, and the new ownership has expressed interest in eventually moving the Phantoms to

Allentown Allentown may refer to several places in the United States and topics related to them: * Allentown, California, now called Toadtown, California * Allentown, Georgia, a town in Wilkinson County * Allentown, Illinois, an unincorporated community in T ...

provided that a multi-purpose arena can be constructed there. Until a permanent new home is found for the club it will have to operate starting in 2009–10 in a temporary location. The site being given the most serious consideration for that is Glen Falls, the former home of the AHL

Adirondack Red Wings The Adirondack Red Wings were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Glens Falls, New York, United States at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The team was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the Natio ...

from 1979 to 1999. Comcast Spectacor continues to operate the team through the conclusion of the 2008–09 AHL season and playoffs. With

Craig Berube Craig Berube (; born December 17, 1965) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the head coach for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Chief", Berube played 17 seasons in the NHL for ...

returning to his role as an assistant coach with the Flyers,

John Paddock Alvin John Paddock (born June 9, 1954) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player, currently the senior vice-president of hockey operations of the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He is a former head coach of t ...

was named head coach of the Phantoms. The Phantoms trailed the

Binghamton Senators The Binghamton Senators were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that played from 2002 to 2017. Nicknamed the B-Sens, they played in Binghamton, New York, at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena. The B-Sens w ...

by as many as 12 points on March 14 for the final playoff spot in the East Division,''2009 Calder Cup Playoffs - East Division Semi-finals Preview''
PhantomsHockey.com April 15, 2009 but came back to overtake Binghamton and clinch the final playoff spot in the final regular season game at the Spectrum. The Phantoms final season in Philadelphia came to an end after being swept from the first round of the playoffs by the

Hershey Bears The Hershey Bears are a professional ice hockey team based in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a town located 14 miles east of the state capital of Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the c ...

. ;

ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The E ...

–

Mississippi Sea Wolves The Mississippi Sea Wolves are a professional hockey team based in Biloxi, Mississippi, and play in the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. The Sea Wolves are members of the FPHL. They are a revival of a team by the same name that played in the ECHL, ma ...

(

) Mississippi missed the ECHL playoffs and announced they would suspend operations for the 2009–10 season.

Notes

References

;General * * * ;Specific

External links

Philadelphia Flyers Historical Salaries
fro
CapGeek.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Philadelphia Flyers season, 2008-09 2008-09 2008–09 NHL season by team 2008–09 in American ice hockey by team 2008 in sports in Pennsylvania 2009 in sports in Pennsylvania