Mark Recchi played for the Philadelphia Flyers for two stints during his career, between 1992 and 1995 and again between 1999 and 2004. Considered one of the Flyers’ greatest scorers, he is ninth overall in franchise history for points with 627 and wore the alternate captain’s “A” during five seasons for the team. The former right-winger’s time in Philadelphia was a significant part of his Hockey Hall of Fame career. His contributions to the organization will be honored on Jan. 27, 2024 when Recchi will officially join a long list of franchise greats in the Flyers Hall of Fame.
Recchi’s professional hockey career spanned parts of four decades and took him to seven NHL cities. His 1,652 NHL appearances place the veteran forward towards the top of the all-time regular season career list in league history. This statistic, coupled with his career 1,533 points (577 goals and 956 assists) that put him at fourteenth overall in NHL history, made a strong argument for his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017.
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The Kamloops, British Columbia-native was a fan favorite at every stop during his long career. Even in his 40s, he was a formidable opponent scoring 42 goals and tallying 65 assists for the Boston Bruins between 2009 and 2011. A three-time Stanley Cup champion and alternate captain for four different NHL teams, it is only fitting that Recchi stayed in the game after hanging up his skates, serving as an advisor and assistant coach for three different teams.
1991 Stanley Cup Champion
Recchi broke into the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 1988-89 season. In 15 appearances, the 20-year-old recorded a goal and assist. This humble start to his NHL career would quickly be overshadowed by parts of three outstanding seasons with the club. During the 1989-90 season, his first full season in the league, he had 67 points.
Recchi’s first major career highlight came during the 1990-91 season when he exploded offensively, recording 113 points (40 goals and 73 assists) in 78 games. He finished fourth overall in the league for points and added another 34 points (1- goals and 24 assists) in 24 playoff games. This personal offensive surge helped lead the Penguins to their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history, defeating the Minnesota North Stars four games to two.
First Tenure with the Flyers
The following season, despite a strong start, the Penguins traded Recchi to the Flyers in Feb. 1992. He appeared in 22 games for the Flyers, recording 27 points (10 points and 17 assists.) Unfortunately, he also watched his former team capture their second straight Stanley Cup, sweeping the Chicago Blackhawks in four games.
Recchi remained in Philadelphia for parts of the next three seasons. In 1992-93, his first full campaign in orange, black, and white, he recorded 123 points (53 goals and 70 assists), a record that still stands as the club’s single-season record for points. Diehard fans of the organization fondly recall Recchi’s (sweater #8) time on the “Crazy Eights” line with center Eric Lindros (no. 88) and left wing Brent Fedyk (no. 18) between 1992 and 1995. This line was known for their fierce offensive play, recording 586 points.
The Flyers traded Recchi to the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 9, 1995 for a package that included forwards John LeClair and Gilbert Dionne, as well as defenseman Éric Desjardins. During his time in Montreal, he scored 120 goals in 346 games over the course of parts of five seasons.
Second Tenure with the Flyers
The Canadiens sent Recchi back to Philadelphia on Mar. 10, 1999. During the 1999-00 season, his 63 assists for the Flyers put him on top of the NHL leaders board in the category. That season, he was a key player in the Flyers’ run to the Eastern Conference Final. In this series, the Flyers were defeated by the soon-to-be Stanley Cup-champion New Jersey Devils in seven games. Recchi was one of the top 10 skaters in the overall points category during the playoffs with an impressive 18 (six goals and 12 assists) in 18 games.
Recchi’s 75 points in 82 regular season games and leadership on the ice were critical elements to the Flyers’ 2004 run to the Eastern Conference Final. The Flyers fell to the eventual champion Tampa Bay Lightning in a seven-game series thriller. During the playoffs, he had four goals and two assists in 18 games.
The conclusion of the 2003-04 season marked the end of Recchi’s tenure with the Flyers and solidified his place in the organization’s rich history. Recchi’s 395 assists with the franchise place him sixth overall in franchise history and his 602 appearances with the Flyers are also more than any other team he played for during his career.
A Stanley Cup Champion in 2006 and 2011
Following his second stint with the Flyers, Recchi played for the Penguins (during two separate periods), Carolina Hurricanes, Atlanta Thrashers, Lightning, and Bruins between 2005 and 2011. As a member of the 2005-06 Hurricanes and 2010-11 Bruins, he captured the second and third Stanley Cups of his career.
In 20 games for the Hurricanes, Recchi had four goals and three assists. His true impact on the organization was felt in the playoffs when he recorded 16 points in 25 playoff games en route to the Hurricanes’ first Stanley Cup Championship in franchise history.
During his final season in the league, Recchi suited up for his third campaign with the Boston Bruins. In 81 regular-season games during the 2010-11 season, he collected 48 points (14 goals and 34 assists). During the Bruins’ Stanley Cup winning playoff campaign, the 43-year-old played in 25 games, recording 14 points. A career highlight was a goal on Jun. 6, 2011 that made him the oldest player — at 43 years and 126 days — in NHL history to score a goal in a Stanley Cup Final. When the Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks in this final, Recchi became the eighth player to capture the Stanley Cup with three different teams in the modern era (since 1943-44).
Post-Playing Career
Since his retirement from the NHL following the 2010-11 season, Recchi has served in a variety of positions in the hockey world ranging from hockey team owner to assistant coach. Along with Dallas Stars owner Tom Gaglardi and NHL greats Shane Doan, Jarome Iginla, and Darryl Sydor, he is a co-owner of the Kamloops Blazers of the junior-level Western Hockey League (WHL).
Recchi received his call to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto in Nov. 2017. The seven-time NHL all-star entered the Hall with other greats including Dave Andreychuk, Paul Kariya, Teemu Selanne, and Danielle Goyette. Later that month, he was honored by a former NHL team, the Canadiens, when his name and number were added to the organization’s Ring of Honor in a pregame ceremony.
Recchi served as a consultant with the Stars and player development coach with the Penguins until officially being named assistant coach with Pittsburgh leading up to the 2017-18 season. He served in this role until the conclusion of the 2019-20 season when his contract was not renewed. His time away from the coaching ranks did not last long, though, as the New Jersey Devils brought him on board leading up to the 2020-21 season to serve as an assistant coach. He remained in this position until he was fired by the club following the 2021-22 season. After taking a season off from the league, Recchi joined Pascal Vincent’s coaching staff with the Columbus Blue Jackets prior to the start of the 2023-24 season.
Flyers Hall of Fame
Recchi’s Flyers Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Jan. 27, 2024 will immortalize him on a local scale alongside fellow Hockey Hall of Famers and Flyers greats Bobby Clarke, Bernie Parent, Mark Howe, and Eric Lindros. It is fitting that the induction to the hall of fame will come in a pregame ceremony leading up to the Flyers contest against the Bruins, another organization that the NHL legend achieved accolades with during his career. This induction ceremony will also be complemented by a Flyers Alumni Game on Jan. 26th, in which Flyers’ legends will suit up to take on franchise greats from the Bruins. The Philadelphia Flyers Alumni Association website has more information on tickets, game rosters, and festivities surrounding Recchi’s induction into the Flyers Hall of Fame.
