Historical Moments:
1930/31: Playing in Philadelphia the team changes its name to the Philadelphia Quakers amid
promises an arena would built in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh that would rival
New York's Madison Square Garden. With former referee Cooper Smeaton as their coach
the Quakers were made up of a bunch of toughs that preferred to fight rather
then play. The ugliest incident involving the Quakers came on Christmas Day
when police had to come onto the ice and break up a fight they were having with
the Boston Bruins. The Quakers goon squad would put together one of the worst
season in NHL history as they won just four game son the way to finishing in last
place with a horrible 4-36-4 record.
1931-1936: Cash strapped, the Quakers would receive permission from the NHL to temporally cease
operations as they sought a permanent arena in either Pittsburgh or Philadelphia.
The franchise had hoped that they would be able to return to the ice after
just one season. However, they would also have to sit out the next four seasons,
as The Great Depression was taking a toll on the entire league, getting permission
form the NHL Board of Governors to stay on the sidelines at the start
of each season. On May 7, 1936 after five seasons on hiatus the Pittsburgh/Philadelphia
franchise would officially fold, as hopes for a new arena in ether Philadelphia
or Pittsburgh were gone.
1936-1967: The Great Depression would devastate the NHL as four teams were forced to fold leaving
behind just six teams. The NHL would play with six teams for 25 years before
deciding to expand in 1967. Philadelphia would get one of these new franchises
named the Flyers as the NHL added six teams.
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