Philadelphia Flyers: Top 10 Controversial Captains

4. Dave Poulin (1984-90)

Dave Poulin‘s six-year stint as the Philadelphia Flyers captain started with controversy and ended with it as well. Poulin was an undrafted former figure skater who caught the eye of Ted Sator while playing in Sweden.

Sator got him to the Flyers and Poulin quickly impressed,  making a two-goal debut on the last day of the 82-83 season. He was given the C after Darryl Sittler, who had been poised to be the new Captain, was traded to the Red Wings on the eve of the 1984 season. The trade was made by former player new GM Bobby Clarke, whom Sittler would have been replacing as Captain.

Poulin led the 1985 Flyers to the Stanley Cup Finals, famously scoring a spectacular 2 man down shorthanded goal in Game 6 of the Wales Conference Championship versus the Quebec Nordiques. The Flyers, wracked with injuries, lost in seven games to Edmonton in the Finals.

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During his time with the Flyers, Poulin won the Selke Trophy and was a two time All Star. He was loved by the fans, respected by his team mates and feared by opponents. Poulin was inexplicably stripped of the C and traded to the Boston Bruins during the 89-90  season. Poulin would be in familiar territory, losing another Stanley Cup Final to the Oilers with the Bruins. He would end his playing career with the Washington Capitals in 1995.

Poulin has participated in several Flyers alumni games, and was inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame on February 23, 2004.