Ed Snider. If you are a fan of the Philadelphia Flyers not much needs to be said about the man. He is mostly likely been a huge part of your life. If you weren’t around when he brought us hockey, or the Stanley Cup, you still knew him. Chances are if he didn’t convince the NHL to take a chance on him in 1966 there is a chance you may not be a hockey fan today, and almost certainly not a Philadelphia hockey fan. He brought a sport we love to a city we loved.
I could go on for hours about Mr. Snider’s work as a businessman, and as a philanthropist. I could talk about the lives he is touched in positive ways. I could go on about the way he fought for every inch of ice alongside his players. But everything I could say, you all already know. He was an icon to this city, a person many looked up to, and true man of the people.
The culture we resonate with, the memories we have shared and the sense of belonging we all feel stems from the determination and passion of one man. When Snider founded the Flyers back in 1966 with a vision of playing tough, passionate hockey and winning the Stanley Cup, nobody predicted that he would become one of the most influential owners in the history of the NHL.
An inspiration to many and a man who truly gave everything he had to this city and its people. Ed Snider was a man who changed Philadelphia sports forever and who’s legacy will live on every night that the Flyers take to the ice.
Everything I could say, someone has already said it better. So this is just a thank you. Thank you Ed, for everything you have done, to bring us together, to allow us to share your passion and to feel like a family. We salute you!
Photo credit: Paul Beaty / Associated Press
