venerable ice hockey player Edward Van Impe, renowned for his actions that prompted the Soviets to depart, has passed away at the age of 84.
Hear Ya, Bud! Flyers' Tough Guy Ed Van Impe Kicked the Bucket
Raise your pints, folks, 'cause we got some sad news to share. The one and only, Ed Van Impe, a Philadelphia Flyers legend from their early days and a key member of the Broad Street Bullies teams of the '70s, has taken a skate off into the rafters, leaving behind an 84-year-old legacy.
Van Impe spent most of his 700-game career knocking opponents off their feet with the Flyers, and the team released a statement after his departure was announced:
"Say it ain't so, Furry!" the statement reads. "We're bucket-damned sad to bid farewell to one of our grittiest and most lovedoriginal Flyers—Ed Van Impe. He was our second captain, and one of the five delicious defensemen to ever wear the 'C'. He rocked that badge for more than four seasons before passing the granola to Bobby Clarke in the '72-73 split."
Starting his career with the Chicago Black Hawks (two words, back in the day) in 1966, Van Impe found his lasting home in Philadelphia after being picked by the Flyers in the 1967 expansion draft.
Van Impe was the rock on the Flyers' blue line in their formative years, and as the team's statement mentions, he even held the captain's spot from Lou Angotti in 1968.
The Broad Street Bullies era, famous for terrorizing opponents and winning the Stanley Cup in '74 and '75, wouldn't have been the same without Van Impe's physical prowess.
One of the most memorable moments of Van Impe's career came in '76 during a match against the Soviet Union's Central Red Army at the Spectrum. As part of the "Super Series", this showdown pitted NHL teams against two different Russian squads.
According to TSN, Van Impe earned a hooking penalty in the first period when the Flyers started dishing out hefty checks. As he stepped out of the sin bin, he spotted Soviet forward Valeri Kharlamov skating towards him with a target on his back, and he sent him flying backwards with a crunching open-ice hit.
Even with no call on the play, Soviet head coach Konstantin Loktev sent his team scampering off the ice, leading to CBC commentator Bob Cole's iconic yell, "They're going home! They're going home! Yeah! They're going home!"
The Flyers went on to win that contest 4-1.
Van Impe hang up his skates and moved on to the broadcast booth after his time with the Flyers and spent two seasons with the Penguins before he retired.
Van Impe is a vital ingredient in the Flyers' foundational years as well as their most successful ones. Our thoughts go out to the family, friends, and teammates of the unforgettable number 6.
- In the Broad Street Bullies' most memorable moments, Ed Van Impe, a legendary Flyers' defenseman, really sent a Soviet forward, Valeri Kharlamov, flying backwards with a powerful open-ice hit during the Super Series in '76.
- TSN reported that Van Impe had incurred a hooking penalty in the first period, but no call was made on the play where he executed the crushing hit on Kharlamov.
- Before becoming a broadcaster, Van Impe spent two seasons with the Penguins after retiring from his professional hockey career, where he hang up his skates.
- After starting his career with the Chicago Black Hawks in 1966, Van Impe was picked by the Flyers during the 1967 expansion draft and became a significant part of the Philadelphia Flyers' early days and their success in the National Hockey League (NHL).
- Even in the absence of Van Impe's physical presence on the ice, his influence continues to be felt as a forever member of the Broad Street Bullies teams and a vital ingredient in the Flyers' foundational and victorious years.
