Former 'Legion of Doom' member takes new role with Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers continued its front office facelift on Thursday, bringing another longtime fan favorite, five-time All-Star John LeClair, back into the fold as a special advisor to hockey operations.
"John's hockey resume speaks for itself," general manager Daniel Briere said via the team's website. "His passion for the city of Philadelphia along with his strong leadership skills will be a key component to building our team back into its winning ways."
After 16 years in the NHL, LeClair, a United States Hockey Hall of Famer, offers a wealth of knowledge he can back up with an on-ice career many might underrate. LeClair was a member of the vaunted "Legion of Doom" line alongside fellow winger Mikael Renberg and star center Eric Lindros. The trio was one of the most feared line combos in the NHL during the mid-90s. While Lindros grabbed the headlines, LeClair also played an integral part.
Over a decade with the Flyers, LeClair was an elite power forward, posting back-to-back-to-back 50-goal seasons from 1995-1998. Furthermore, LeClair dominated in an era when goal-scoring dipped to 2.63 per game in 1998, the lowest mark seen in the NHL since the 1950s.
LeClair joins Patrick Sharp as the latest former Flyer brought in as a special advisor, following the hiring of Briere as GM and Keith Jones as the team's new president. LeClair and Sharp come with knowledge of what it's like to play in Philly and they also have the invaluable experience of winning a Stanley Cup, which the Flyers haven't done since 1975.
The Flyers have faced criticisms for keeping things too in-house after decades of relying on the old guard to steer the ship. But, looking on the outside hasn't worked, either, after a failed five-season experiment with Chuck Fletcher as GM and president.
Once a consistently competitive club, the Flyers have fallen on hard times. After three consecutive losing seasons, the franchise has now given the keys back to those who donned the orange and black in the past while embracing a full-on rebuild in hopes of returning to prominence.
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