Gary Dornhoefer stands as one of the most beloved Philadelphia Flyers in franchise history. A reliable player known as a solid offensive contributor and tough guy over parts of 14 seasons in the NHL, the right-winger is idolized by the Flyers’ faithful for a significant play in the 1973 Stanley Cup Playoffs that immortalized the great in bronze.
Niagara Falls Flyers
Between 1960 and 1963, Dornhoefer spent parts of three seasons playing in the juniors in Canada. He appeared in 29 games with his hometown Kitchener Greenshirts of the Central Ontario Junior C Hockey League (COJHL) during the 1960-61 campaign. That season, he finished sixth overall in the league leader’s category for assists.
The following two seasons were spent with the Niagara Falls Flyers of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA). During the 1962-63 campaign, his Niagara Falls squad finished first overall during the regular season, only to be defeated in the Memorial Cup Final by the Edmonton Oil Kings (4-2).
Breaking into the NHL
Dornhoefer broke into the NHL with the Boston Bruins during the 1963-64 season. In his debut season as a professional, he appeared in 32 games, recording a respectable 22 points (12 goals and 10 assists). That season, he also spent 39 games with Boston’s Central Professional Hockey League (CPHL) affiliate, the Minneapolis Bruins. There, he scored 21 goals and tallied 30 assists. Over the course of the next three seasons, Dornhoefer split time between the Bruins and the minor leagues. During the 1964-65 season, he appeared in 20 games with the Bruins and 37 games with the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) San Francisco Seals.
During the 1965-66 campaign, Dornhoefer spent most of the season with the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears, appearing in 54 games. He also played 10 games with the Bruins that season, tallying one assist. The following season, Dornhoefer spent the entirety of the season in the AHL with Hershey, recording 41 points (19 goals and 22 assists) in 71 games. This performance was good enough to catch the attention of the Flyers’ scouts leading up to the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft.
Philadelphia Flyers
Left unprotected by the Bruins organization leading up to the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft, the Flyers snatched up Dornhoefer in the 14th round. This expansion draft would prove to be a critical part of the Flyers’ success in coming years, as future star players Bernie Parent, Ed Van Impe, and Joe Watson were also selected by the club that day in Montreal. The 1967-68 campaign marked his first full season in the NHL. That season, the 25-year-old ended the season with 43 points (13 goals and 30 assists) in 65 games.
Between 1968 and 1973, Dornhoefer compiled an impressive 101 goals and 146 assists in 334 games. During the 1972-73 campaign, the right-winger had an outstanding season, recording a personal career-high 79 points (30 goals and 49 assists) in 77 games. His popularity grew in the city’s sports scene partly due to his 168 penalty minutes.
He also appeared in the Flyers’ 11 playoff games, recording six points (three goals and three assists). His overtime goal in game five of the Flyers’ quarterfinals matchup against the Minnesota North Stars turned the tide in the Flyers’ favor and helped the team to capture their first playoff series victory (4-2) in franchise history. Unfortunately, the Fred Shero-coached Flyers squad was no match for the tough Montreal Canadiens that knocked them out in the semifinal round of the playoffs (4-1).
The following season, behind the play of talented and physical players like Bobby Clarke, Rick MacLeish, and Dave “The Hammer” Schultz, the Flyers were poised to make another playoff run. During the 1973-74 campaign, Dornhoefer had 50 points (11 goals and 39 assists) in 57 regular season games, with 125 penalty minutes. To the delight of owner Ed Snider, a fierce advocate for the team getting stronger and more resilient, the Flyers finished the 1973-74 campaign first in the NHL’s West Division with an impressive record of 50 wins, 16 defeats, and 12 ties. The Broad Street Bullies went on to defeat the Atlanta Flames in the quarterfinal (4-0) and the New York Rangers in the semifinal (4-3) on the way to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Final.
In 14 playoff appearances, Dornhoefer recorded 11 points (five goals and six assists), including a huge winning goal in the third period of Game 7 in the semifinal against the Rangers. The Flyers went on to defeat the heavily favored Bruins (4-2) in the 1974 Stanley Cup Final.
The Flyers carried their winning ways into the 1974-75 campaign. That season, they won the Patrick Division and Campbell Conference with a record of 51 wins, 18 losses, and 11 ties. Dornhoefer supported the team’s winning ways by recording 44 points (17 goals and 27 assists) in 69 appearances and adding 102 penalty minutes to his career total. In the 1975 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Flyers swept the Toronto Maple Leafs (4-0) in the quarterfinal and defeated the New York Islanders (4-3) in the semifinal on the way back to their second consecutive Stanley Cup Final.
In 17 playoff appearances, Dornhoefer recorded 10 points (five goals and five assists), including three goals in the Stanley Cup Final series against the Buffalo Sabres. The Flyers defeated the Sabres (4-2) to capture Philadelphia’s second world championship in professional hockey.
Dornhoefer played in the NHL for parts of three more seasons with the Flyers before retiring after the 1977-78 campaign. He helped lead the Flyers to another Stanley Cup Final in 1976, recording 63 points and 128 penalty minutes during the regular season, with another seven points and 43 penalty minutes coming in the playoffs. The Canadiens crushed Philadelphia’s dream of capturing a third straight Stanley Cup by sweeping the Flyers in four games.
His 202 career goals currently place him at number 15 overall among Flyers’ franchise leaders for goal scoring. He also sits in the top 10 for career penalty minutes with 1,256.
Post-Playing Career
Following his retirement from professional hockey, Dornhoefer embarked on a long broadcasting career. His first assignment was in Philadelphia before moving back to his native Ontario to work on Hockey Night in Canada as a color commentator from 1978-87. After a hiatus from broadcasting, he joined the Flyers’ broadcast team in 1992 to work alongside legendary play-by-play man Gene Hart. Dornhoefer served in this role until the end of the 2005-06 season.
Honors
The Flyers organization bestowed two significant honors on Dornhoefer in his post-playing days. In March 1991, he was inducted into the Philadelphia Flyers Hall of Fame alongside former teammate and coach Barry Ashbee.
Related: Barry Ashbee: Flyers’ Stanley Cup Winning Coach & Player
A statue depicting his overtime goal against the North Stars in the 1973 Stanley Cup Playoffs was cast in bronze to honor the playoff hero. This statue, which was previously located at the Flyers’ original home, The Spectrum, now sits outside of Xfinity Live!. A short walk from the franchise’s new home at the Wells Fargo Center, this new location ensures that future generations of fans will continue to gaze upon one of the Flyers’ greatest goals in franchise history, scored by a true Philadelphia sports legend.
