5. Eric Desjardins (1999-2001)
Poor Rico. The seven-time winner of the Barry Ashbee Trophy as the Flyers Best Defenseman, two time NHL All-Star as a Flyer, and 1999 Class Guy Award winner found himself smack dab in the middle of an office bru ha ha for the ages.
When the Flyers stripped the C from Eric Lindros, it was handed to Desjardins. The “C” apparently wore heavily on Rico, and it showed in his play. He resigned the C on October 23, 2001, the first and only Flyer to do so. He retired as a Flyer in August of 2006 after the team did not offer him a contract.
Rico was inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame on February 15. 2015. One has to think he will soon grace the NHL Hall of Fame as he remains the only defensemen to record a hat trick in a Stanley Cup Final game.
Desjardins spent 11 seasons with the Flyers. In 738 games, he put up 396 points, including 303 assists. In 1998-99 and 1999-00, Desjardins finished in the top five in the Norris Trophy voting. He also spent seven years with the Montreal Canadiens before coming to the Flyers.