The Flyers Cup is an annual high school ice hockey tournament held by the Philadelphia Flyers. The first Flyers Cup was organized by the Flyers' Hockey Central organization in 1980, sponsored by the Pepsi Cola Bottlers of the Delaware Valley. It was held at the University of Pennsylvania's Class of '23 Rink until relocating to the Haverford Skatium in 1984.
The Flyers Cup was the idea of Ed Golden, then Public Relations Director for The Spectrum, who suggested the concept of a regional high school hockey championship in the fall of 1979 to Aaron Siegel and Andy Abramson, who is considered the father of the Flyers Cup. The Flyers Cup logo was designed by Sal Panasci, husband of the Flyers Marketing Director at the time, Linda Panasci, and donated by his design firm.
The founding organizers of the Flyers Cup included Aaron Siegel, President of The Spectrum, Andy Abramson, Executive Director/Flyers Hockey Central, Kenneth R. Gesner, Atlantic District President and USA Hockey Director, Jack Hunt, President, InterCounty Scholastic Hockey League, Andy Richards, President, Suburban High School Hockey League, Paul Saylor, Commissioner, Lower Bucks County Scholastic Hockey League and Jim Cunningham, President, Lower Bucks County Scholastic Hockey League. Archbishop Carroll's Scott Chamness was named the first recipient of the Bobby Clarke Award as the 1980s Flyers Cup's Most Valuable Player.
The invitational tournament is the scholastic hockey championship for eastern Pennsylvania high schools and is conducted through three tiers of play, AAA, AA, and A with AAA representing private schools, AA large public schools and A small public schools based on male student enrollment. There are 53 participating teams consisting of 13 AAA, 20 AA, and 20 A chosen from teams participating in the following leagues: the Eastern High School Hockey League, the Inter-County Scholastic Hockey League, the Lehigh Valley Scholastic Hockey League, the Lower Bucks County Scholastic Hockey League, the South Jersey High School Ice Hockey League, the Suburban High School Hockey League, and the Central Pennsylvania Ice Hockey League. Teams are invited to participate based on their skill level as demonstrated by the strength of their overall schedule and season performance. The winner of the Flyers Cup at each tier level plays the respective western champion as determined by the Penguins Cup, held by the Pittsburgh Penguins, for the Pennsylvania State High School Ice Hockey Championship.
The Pennsylvania Cup came about through the collaboration of USA Hockey Director for Mid-America, Frank Black and the Flyers/Hockey Central's Andy Abramson, with support from Flyers President Bob Butera and then Penguins CEO Paul Martha. The first Pennsylvania Cup was held in 1981 in Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania's Class of '23 Ice Rink and hosted by The Philadelphia Flyers. The game featured the winner of the Flyers Cup vs. the winner of the Penguins Cup, a tournament that was inaugurated in 1981.
Champions
AAA Level Flyers Cup Champions:
1980: Archbishop Carroll 1981: Archbishop Carroll 1982: Germantown Academy 1983: Germantown Academy 1984: Archbishop Ryan 1985: Cherry Hill East 1986: Conestoga 1987: Malvern Prep 1988: Council Rock 1989: William Tennent High School 1990: Malvern Prep 1991: Council Rock 1992: Monsignor Bonner 1993: Monsignor Bonner 1994: Germantown Academy 1995: Germantown Academy 1996: La Salle College High School 1997: Malvern Prep 1998: La Salle College High School 1999: Conwell–Egan 2000: Father Judge 2001: Malvern Prep 2002: Malvern Prep 2003: Malvern Prep 2004: Malvern Prep 2005: Malvern Prep 2006: Cardinal O'Hara High School 2007: Holy Ghost Prep 2008: La Salle College High School 2009: La Salle College High School 2010: Cardinal O'Hara High School 2011: La Salle College High School 2012: La Salle College High School 2013: La Salle College High School 2014: La Salle College High School 2015: Holy Ghost Prep 2016: La Salle College High School 2017: Holy Ghost Prep 2018: Saint Joseph's Preparatory School 2019: La Salle College High School 2021: Malvern Prep 2022: Malvern Prep 2023: La Salle College High School 2024: La Salle College High School 2025: Holy Ghost Prep 2026: Holy Ghost Prep
AA Level Flyers Cup Champions:
1980: 1981: 1982: 1983: 1984: 1985: 1986: 1987: 1988: 1989: 1990: LBCSHL - Father Judge High School Crusaders 1991: SHSHL - Germantown Academy Patriots 1992: SHSHL - Council Rock High School North Indians 1993: LBCSHL - Father Judge High School Crusaders 1994: LBCSHL - Conwell Egan High School Eagles 1995: LBCSHL - Conwell Egan High School Eagles 1996: EHSHL - Upper Darby High School Royals 1997: ICSHL - Conestoga High School Pioneers 1998: ICSHL - Unionville High School Indians 1999: ICSHL - LaSalle College High School Explorers 2000: ICSHL - Archbishop John Carroll High School Patriots 2001: ICSHL - Archbishop John Carroll High School Patriots 2002: ICSHL - Archbishop John Carroll High School Patriots 2003: LBCSHL - Holy Ghost Prep Firebirds 2004: ICSHL - Archbishop John Carroll High School Patriots 2005: EHSHL - Haverford High School Fords 2006: EHSHL - Haverford High School Fords 2007: EHSHL - Haverford High School Fords 2008: ICSHL - Conestoga High School Pioneers 2009: SHSHL - Council Rock High School South Golden Hawks 2010: ICSHL - Downingtown East High School Cougars 2011: SHSHL - Council Rock High School South Golden Hawks 2012: SHSHL - Council Rock High School South Golden Hawks 2013: SHSHL - Cherokee Chiefs 2014: SHSHL - Central Bucks South High School Titans 2015: ICSHL - Downingtown East High School Cougars 2016: SHSHL - Central Bucks South High School Titans 2017: ICSHL - Downingtown East High School Cougars 2018: ICSHL - Downingtown East High School Cougars 2019: ICSHL - Downingtown East High School Cougars 2020: CANCELLED - (COVID19 PANDEMIC) 2021: ICSHL- Haverford High School Fords 2022: SHSHL - Pennridge High School Rams 2023: LBCSHL - Pennsbury High School Falcons 2024: SHSHL - Pennridge High School Rams 2025: SHSHL - North Penn High School Knights 2026: SHSHL - North Penn High School Knights
A Level Flyers Cup Champions:
1980: 1981: 1982: 1983: 1984: 1985: 1986: 1987: 1988: 1989: 1990: 1991: EHSHL - Monsignor Bonner High School Friars 1992: EHSHL - Haverford High School Fords 1993: LBCSHL - Pennsbury High School Falcons 1994: SJHSHL - Washington Twp High School 1995: ICSHL - Unionville High School Indians 1996: ICSHL - St Pius X High School 1997: EHSHL - Marple-Newtown High School Tigers 1998: ICSHL - Garnet Valley High School Pioneers 1999: LBCSHL - Archbishop Ryan High School Raiders 2000: LBCSHL - Pennsbury High School Falcons 2001: EHSHL - Springfield High School Cougars 2002: ICSHL - Radnor High School 2003: ICSHL - Radnor High School 2004: ICSHL - Radnor High School 2005: ICSHL - Penncrest High School Lions 2006: ICSHL - Penncrest High School Lions 2007: ICSHL - West Chester Henderson High School Warriors 2008: ICSHL - West Chester East High School Vikings 2009: ICSHL - Bayard Rustin High School Golden Knights 2010: ICSHL - Bayard Rustin High School Golden Knights 2011: ICSHL - Springfield Cougars 2012: ICSHL - Bayard Rustin High School Golden Knights 2013: ICSHL- West Chester East High School Vikings 2014: ICSHL - Bayard Rustin High School Golden Knights 2015: ICSHL - Bayard Rustin High School Golden Knights 2016: ICSHL - Bayard Rustin High School Golden Knights 2017: ICSHL - Bayard Rustin High School Golden Knights 2018: ICSHL - Bayard Rustin High School Golden Knights 2019: ICSHL - Bayard Rustin High School Golden Knights 2020: CANCELLED - (COVID19 PANDEMIC) 2021: ICSHL- West Chester East High School Vikings 2022: ICSHL- West Chester East High School Vikings 2023: ICSHL- West Chester East High School Vikings 2024: CPIHL - Hershey High School Trojans 2025: ICSHL - Garnet Valley High School Jaguars 2026: CPIHL - Hershey High School Trojans
See also Pennsylvania high school hockey
External links Flyers Cup website (on www.icshl.org) Flyers Cup Awards (on www.icshl.org) Philadelphia Flyers Fan Development website Eastern Pennsylvania High School Hockey Rankings (on United States High School Hockey Online website Flyers Cup History from 1980-1999 (on PA Hockey History website)