Flyers bring back franchise legend John LeClair in latest front office move

LeClair was a five-time 40-goal scorer for the Flyers in the 1990s and ranks fifth in franchise history with 333 career goals.

John LeClair, pictured at a Flyers alumni game, is back involved with the organization where he became a star.Read moreSTEVEN M. FALK / Staff Photographer

by Giana Han

Published June 15, 2023, 10:43 a.m. ET

Two days after the Flyers hired former Flyer Patrick Sharp as a special adviser to hockey operations, they announced John LeClair, another former Flyer, is joining the organization in the same capacity.

Between special advisers Sharp and LeClair, president of hockey operations Keith Jones, and general manager Danny Brière, there are now four former Flyers in prominent roles within the team’s new-look front office.

Working alongside Sharp, LeClair’s role will include being “involved in all aspects of the club’s hockey operations department with a strong focus on player development with Flyers prospects,” according to the press release sent out Thursday.

“Adding in John LeClair to work in conjunction with Patrick Sharp and the rest of our hockey operations group will be a powerful combination with their vast hockey knowledge and a ‘team-first’ mentality,” Jones said. “John has been around the NHL and the game for a long time and knows what it takes to bring the core ethics of our foundation to the Philadelphia Flyers.”

LeClair, 53, played 16 seasons in the NHL, 10 with the Flyers, who traded for him in 1995. He was previously with the Montreal Canadiens, who drafted him, for parts of five years, and finished up his career with two seasons in Pittsburgh with the Penguins.

The five-time All-Star scored 406 goals and had 413 assists across 967 career games. He scored 50 goals for the Flyers in three straight seasons from 1995-98 and 40 goals in five straight from 1995-2000. His 333 career goals with the Flyers rank as the fifth most in franchise history.

LeClair went to the playoffs 14 times during his 16 seasons, including all 10 years with the Flyers, but his sole Stanley Cup came with the Canadiens in 1992-93 when he scored two overtime game-winning goals in the Cup Final. He registered 42 goals and 47 assists in 154 career playoff games.

While in Philadelphia, LeClair worked himself into a leadership position and was named the alternate captain in the 1999-2000 season. He, along with Eric Lindros and Mikael Renberg, comprised the infamous “Legion of Doom” line in the mid-90s. LeClair wore an “A” as an alternate captain for five years until he was bought out following the 2004-05 NHL lockout.

The Vermont native also excelled in international play. He represented the United States in two World Junior Championships, the World Cup of Hockey, and two Olympics. He won gold at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and silver at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

LeClair has been inducted into four different halls of fame. In 2001, he was added to the University of Vermont Athletic Hall of Fame; in 2009, the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, the Vermont Sports Hall of Fame in 2012, and the Flyers Hall of Fame in 2014.

“We have another great addition to our hockey operations team in John LeClair,” said Brière. “John’s hockey resume speaks for itself. 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.”

LeClair currently coaches a team in 3ICE, a three-on-three professional hockey league, and will continue to do so. His team will play in Hershey’s Giant Center on Wednesday, July 5, and at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday, Aug. 12 at 1 p.m.