Hextall Revisited

By: Patrice L. Leonard

A long time ago, in a era far, far away…………..twenty years ago to be exact, there was a tall, cool goaltender skating onto the ice for his rookie season with the Philadelphia Flyers. The year was 1986 and that goaltender was Ron Hextall.

He had big shoes to fill in the eyes of some of the most demanding fans in professional hockey. His predecessors include Bruce Gamble, Bernie Parent, Pelle Lindbergh, and Bob “Frosty” Froese. His first NHL game was played against the Edmonton Oilers on October 9, 1986. He won his debut 2-1. He never looked back.

His rookie year he lead the Flyers to the Patrick Division Championship, the Wales Conference Championship, and an appearance in the Finals. Personally, he walked away with the Con Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup MVP, and the Vezina Trophy for the league’s best goaltender, was voted to the All-Star team and the All-Rookie team. All this was accomplished in his first NHL season. Quite a feat for someone many considered an unstable hot head. I call it fire. He had it. It used to ignite the entire team. Everyone fed off of his passion, and everyone played better because of it.

Not afraid to mix it up, I recall many occasions in which Hexy thought it was perfectly necessary and acceptable to throw a few punches or verbally assault whichever opposing player was closest to him during a melee. He was the first one down the ice when there was a fight at the opposite end, grabbing onto his fellow goalie. I remember the look of fear in those goalies’ eyes. It was almost laughable.

But Ron Hextall wasn’t all bite, he had a lot of bark, too. He was part of what was my most memorable and favorite sports moment. He scored his first goal. The opponent was the Boston Bruins. The date was December 8, 1987. It was an open net. Kate Smith sang, via video, “God Bless America” before the game. He was the first NHL goaltender to do this. I can still remember his reaction when that puck went in. Stick raised, he jumped about 5 feet into the air. The sheer joy he felt was contagious.

In 1989 he did it again, this time in the playoffs. He was the first to do this as well. The date was April 11 and it happened against the Washington Capitols. That same year he once again led the Flyers to the Patrick Division Championship. He continued on his winning ways for many years. But, alas, all good things must come to an end. The Flyers traded Hextall and numerous others to the Quebec Nordiques(along with another famous name, Peter Forsberg) for Eric Lindros. This trade became one of the most talked about, and publicized trades in NHL history. The Flyers were never the same to me again. The obstinate attitude that you got with Hextall was found in others to be sure, but he had a special something you just can’t find everyday.

So, we went through two seasons with other goalies. Then in 1994, our old friend came back home. He never skipped a beat. He had slight success with Quebec and the Islanders, but when he came back to Philly he proved that home is where the heart is. His first year back he led his team, once again, deep into the playoffs. In March of 1996 he did something no other Flyers goaltender had done since Bernie Parent did it in 1973. He recorded two consecutive shut-outs.

That same year he got his 36 th playoff win as a Flyer. A mark formerly held by Bernie Parent.

Once again the Flyers rode Hextall’s coat tails through the Stanley Cup playoffs and into the Finals. He may not have the best memories from that series versus Detroit, but he made us proud just the same. He never gave up. He fought until the end. We got swept. It was ugly. It should never have happened. Hextall wore his heart on his sleeve throughout those four games, taking every goal he let in as a personal failure. He was not a failure. He was a warrior who should have held his head high.

Now, we come to 1999. Ron Hextall’s final year in the NHL, his final year as a Flyer. On March 13 th he once again passed Bernie Parent. This time on the all-time games played list when he suited up for number 487. Ron Hextall retired at the end of this season. He retired a Flyer. He retired as a fan favorite. He retired as my personal favorite Philadelphia athelete. Over the past few seasons we’ve seen the likes of Brian Boucher, Roman Cechmanek, Sean Burke, and now Robert Esche and Antero Niittymaki. None have had the personality or vehemence of Hexy. I see fleeting moments of it in Esche,. He likes to spar, and jaw. He can be hard on himself at times. Ron is still part of the Flyers organization as Director of Pro Hockey Personnel. So, in a way, he’s still part of the family.

Maybe he could sit down with our current goalies and give them a clinic on how to pull the jersey up over a goalie mask, just in case they ever need to drop the gloves.

I’m sure those days are behind him. He’s older, wiser, gentler. Who am I kidding? A leopard can’t change his spots. And why would we want him to be any other way?