When the Philadelphia Flyers joined forces with three local high school hockey leagues to create the Flyers Cup Scholastic Championships in 1979, it’s unlikely that they envisioned the tournament becoming the premier high school sporting event in the Philadelphia region.

The first Flyers Cup tournament was played in 1980 at the University of Pennsylvania’s Class of ‘23 Arena.  Teams from the three high school leagues (Inter-County Scholastic Hockey League, Suburban High School Hockey League, and Lower Bucks County Scholastic Hockey League) competed for the inaugural Cup.  The 1980 Flyers Cup featured just four teams: Archbishop Carroll (ICSHL champions), Germantown Academy (SHSHL champions), Archbishop Ryan (LBCSHL champions), and Malvern Prep (ICSHL runner-up).  A sellout crowd of more than 2,200 watched Carroll defeat Malvern in the championship game at the Class of ’23 Arena.  Archbishop Carroll star Scott “The Shot” Chamness captured the inaugural Bobby Clarke Award as the tournament MVP after recording an impressive four hat tricks in four games.

Archbishop Carroll would repeat as Flyers Cup champions in 1981.  However, there was a new powerhouse building in the Suburban High School Hockey League, as Germantown Academy won their first of back-to-back titles in 1982.  Those GA teams were backstopped by goaltender Mike Richter, who went on to star with the University of Wisconsin and Team USA before landing with the NHL’s New York Rangers, where he won the Stanley Cup in 1994.

While Richter is easily the most recognizable name engraved on the Flyers Cup, there have been many great players to contend for the tournament crown throughout the years.  Archbishop Ryan’s Ray Staszak, who competed in the inaugural Flyers Cup tournament, became the first Flyers Cup alumnus to spend time in the NHL when he suited up for the Detroit Red Wings in 1985.

Jamie Leach played an instrumental role for Cherry Hill East, as they became the first South Jersey team to win the Flyers Cup in 1985.  After starring in the Ontario Hockey League, Leach played professionally with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, Hartford Whalers, and Florida Panthers.  Leach and Richter are the only players with their names etched on both the Flyers Cup and the Stanley Cup.

There are many other notable Flyers Cup alumni that have reached the NHL, including 2018 Team USA Olympians Brian O’Neill (Germantown Academy) and Chad Kolarik (La Salle), as well as Nick Foligno (Hershey), Colby Cohen (Radnor), David Sloane (Germantown Academy), Eric Tangradi (Archbishop Carroll), Kyle Criscuolo (St. Joseph’s Prep), Matt Campanale (Malvern Prep), Ryan Mulhern (Malvern Prep), and T.J. Brennan (Moorestown).  In all, over 150 Flyers Cup alumni have moved on to play NCAA D-1 and/or professional hockey.

In addition to the ISCHL and SHSHL, the current edition of the Flyers Cup features teams from the South Jersey High School Ice Hockey League, Central Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League, and Lehigh Valley Scholastic Hockey League.

The Flyers Cup has experienced constant expansion throughout the years, growing from four to six teams in 1986, and doubling to 12 teams in 1991.  The 1991 tournament marked the birth of the three-tiered format, although at that time the tiers were formatted differently, and used the names Flyers Cup (Tier I), Presidents Cup (Tier II), and Directors Cup (Tier III).

The 2019 Flyers Cup will include more than 50 teams competing in five divisions – AAA (private/parochial schools), AA (large public), A (small public), New Jersey/Delaware, and the Girls Division.

The 40th edition of the Flyers Cup begins on March 4th, and should be one of the most competitive in recent years.  The tournament will conclude on March 17, when for the first time ever, the Wells Fargo Center will play host to all five championship games.

As we celebrate the 40th year of tournament play, the Flyers Cup Scholastic Championships remain the pinnacle of high school hockey in the Philadelphia region, and a goal that over 100 teams strive for at the beginning of every season.  Keep an eye on the ice, you never know when you might be witnessing a future NHL star.