The 2007–08 Philadelphia Flyers season was the franchise's 41st season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Flyers went from the worst team in the league during the previous season to the Eastern Conference finals, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in five games.
Off-season In June, the Flyers made a trade which sent the first round draft pick they had acquired in the Peter Forsberg trade (23rd overall) back to the Nashville Predators for the rights to negotiate with impending unrestricted free agents Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell. Both were signed to six-year contracts.
Due to having the NHL's worst record during the 2006–07 season, the Flyers had the best chance to claim the first overall pick in the draft lottery. However, the Chicago Blackhawks won the lottery and jumped up to the first overall selection, relegating the Flyers to the 2nd overall pick. After much speculation as to whether the Flyers would trade the pick in the 2007 NHL entry draft, the Flyers stayed put and selected New Jersey native James van Riemsdyk.
The Flyers wasted no time in addressing their free agent needs. On July 1, the Flyers signed Buffalo Sabres center Danny Briere to an eight-year, $52 million contract. Continuing to revamp their defensive core, defenseman Joni Pitkanen and forward Geoff Sanderson were traded to the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Jason Smith and forward Joffrey Lupul. Smith was named Flyers captain on October 1.
Regular season The season began in the image of the Broad Street Bullies era, with multiple-game suspensions handed out to five separate players, the most serious being 20- and 25-game suspensions to Steve Downie and Jesse Boulerice, respectively, for two separate incidents. A 7–3 start in October and a 9–3–1 January run had the Flyers near the top of both the division and conference standings. However, a disastrous ten-game losing streak in February, reminiscent of such a streak the previous season, nearly derailed the Flyers' season. An 8–3–4 run in March coupled with two vital wins over the New Jersey Devils and the Pittsburgh Penguins over the final weekend of the regular season put the Flyers back in the playoffs as the sixth seed and set for a first round matchup with the Washington Capitals.
Divisional standings
Conference standings
Playoffs After taking a three games to one series lead over Washington, the Capitals won Games 5 and 6 to force a Game 7 in Washington. The Flyers won the series in overtime on Joffrey Lupul's power play goal. The Flyers then drew a matchup with the heavily-favored Montreal Canadiens in the second round. Despite being outshot the majority of the series, the Flyers upset Montreal in five games and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2003–04 to face the Pittsburgh Penguins. Before the start of the series, the Flyers suffered a fatal blow when it was learned that defenseman Kimmo Timonen was out with a blood clot in his ankle. Coupled with a gruesome facial injury to Braydon Coburn in Game 2, Pittsburgh ran roughshod over the Flyers' depleted defense and jumped out to a 3–0 series lead. The Flyers won Game 4 at home to stave off elimination, and although Timonen returned for Game 5, Pittsburgh finished off the Flyers in five games.
Schedule and results
Preseason
| 1 || September 17 || 3–2 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils || Biron || 4,615 || 1–0–0 ||
| 2 || September 18 || 0–4 || align="left"| Ottawa Senators || Niittymaki || 9,100 || 1–1–0 ||
| 3 || September 22 || 5–0 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers || Biron || 12,500 || 2–1–0 ||
| 4 || September 24 || 1–3 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils || Biron || 16,572 || 2–2–0 ||
| 5 || September 25 || 2–4 || align="left"| @ Ottawa Senators || Niittymaki || 18,053 || 2–3–0 ||
| 6 || September 26 || 2–1 || align="left"| Washington Capitals || Biron || 16,327 || 3–3–0 ||
| 7 || September 28 || 5–7 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals || Niittymaki || 10,409 || 3–4–0 ||
| 8 || September 29 || 2–3 || align="left"| New York Rangers || Biron || 17,911 || 3–5–0 || |- | colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Notes: Game played at Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey. Game played at John Labatt Centre in London, Ontario.
Legend:
Regular season
| 1 || October 4 || 3–2 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames || Biron || 19,289 || 1–0–0 || 2 ||
| 2 || October 6 || 3–5 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers || Biron || 16,839 || 1–1–0 || 2 ||
| 3 || October 10 || 8–2 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks || Biron || 18,630 || 2–1–0 || 4 ||
| 4 || October 13 || 3–1 || align="left"| New York Islanders || Biron || 19,714 || 3–1–0 || 6 ||
| 5 || October 16 || 4–0 || align="left"| Atlanta Thrashers || Biron || 18,933 || 4–1–0 || 8 ||
| 6 || October 18 || 4–0 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils || Biron || 19,113 || 5–1–0 || 10 ||
| 7 || October 20 || 3–2 OT || align="left"| Carolina Hurricanes || Biron || 19,615 || 6–1–0 || 12 ||
| 8 || October 24 || 3–4 || align="left"| @ Florida Panthers || Biron || 12,856 || 6–2–0 || 12 ||
| 9 || October 25 || 2–5 || align="left"| @ Tampa Bay Lightning || Niittymaki || 18,616 || 6–3–0 || 12 ||
| 10 || October 27 || 2–1 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins || Biron || 14,956 || 7–3–0 || 14 ||
| 11 || November 1 || 2–5 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens || Biron || 21,173 || 7–4–0 || 14 ||
| 12 || November 2 || 3–2 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals || Niittymaki || 16,055 || 8–4–0 || 16 ||
| 13 || November 5 || 0–2 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers || Biron ||18,200 || 8–5–0 || 16 ||
| 14 || November 7 || 3–1 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins || Biron || 17,132 || 9–5–0 || 18 ||
| 15 || November 8 || 1–4 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils || Biron || 14,948 || 9–6–0 || 18 ||
| 16 || November 10 || 5–2 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins || Biron || 19,859 || 10–6–0 || 20 ||
| 17 || November 12 || 3–2 || align="left"| New York Islanders || Biron || 19,312 || 11–6–0 || 22 ||
| 18 || November 15 || 3–4 SO || align="left"| New York Rangers || Biron || 19,571 || 11–6–1 || 23 ||
| 19 || November 17 || 2–6 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils || Biron || 19,621 || 11–7–1 || 23 ||
| 20 || November 21 || 6–3 || align="left"| @ Carolina Hurricanes || Biron || 16,351 || 12–7–1 || 25 ||
| 21 || November 23 || 3–4 OT || align="left"| Washington Capitals || Biron || 19,727 || 12–7–2 || 26 ||
| 22 || November 24 || 4–3 || align="left"| @ Ottawa Senators || Niittymaki || 20,128 || 13–7–2 || 28 ||
| 23 || November 26 || 3–6 || align="left"| Boston Bruins || Niittymaki || 19,457 || 13–8–2 || 28 ||
| 24 || November 28 || 3–1 || align="left"| @ Carolina Hurricanes || Biron || 15,108 || 14–8–2 || 30 ||
| 25 || December 1 || 1–4 || align="left"| Dallas Stars || Biron || 19,660 || 14–9–2 || 30 ||
| 26 || December 5 || 3–1 || align="left"| @ Minnesota Wild || Niittymaki || 18,568 || 15–9–2 || 32 ||
| 27 || December 7 || 1–2 || align="left"| @ Colorado Avalanche || Biron || 16,312 || 15–10–2 || 32 ||
| 28 || December 11 || 8–2 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins || Biron || 19,409 || 16–10–2 || 34 ||
| 29 || December 13 || 1–4 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens || Niittymaki || 19,322 || 16–11–2 || 34 ||
| 30 || December 15 || 5–6 SO || align="left"| Carolina Hurricanes || Biron || 19,460 || 16–11–3 || 35 ||
| 31 || December 16 || 2–4 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils || Niittymaki || 16,687 || 16–12–3 || 35 ||
| 32 || December 18 || 2–3 || align="left"| Phoenix Coyotes || Biron || 19,211 || 16–13–3 || 35 ||
| 33 || December 21 || 2–3 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres || Biron || 18,690 || 16–14–3 || 35 ||
| 34 || December 22 || 5–6 SO || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres || Biron || 19,606 || 16–14–4 || 36 ||
| 35 || December 27 || 4–1 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs || Biron || 19,727 || 17–14–4 || 38 ||
| 36 || December 29 || 4–2 || align="left"| @ Tampa Bay Lightning || Biron || 20,124 || 18–14–4 || 40 ||
| 37 || December 30 || 1–0 || align="left"| @ Florida Panthers || Niittymaki || 18,767 || 19–14–4 || 42 ||
| 38 || January 4 || 0–3 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils || Biron || 17,625 || 19–15–4 || 42 ||
| 39 || January 5 || 3–2 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs || Niittymaki || 19,412 || 20–15–4 || 44 ||
| 40 || January 8 || 4–1 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Thrashers || Niittymaki || 13,047 || 21–15–4 || 46 ||
| 41 || January 10 || 6–2 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers || Niittymaki || 18,200 || 22–15–4 || 48 ||
| 42 || January 12 || 3–4 OT || align="left"| Boston Bruins || Niittymaki || 19,792 || 22–15–5 || 49 ||
| 43 || January 13 || 6–4 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals || Biron || 17,713|| 23–15–5 || 51 ||
| 44 || January 16 || 5–3 || align="left"| Florida Panthers || Niittymaki || 19,207 || 24–15–5 || 53 ||
| 45 || January 19 || 5–3 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders || Biron || 16,234 || 25–15–5 || 55 ||
| 46 || January 20 || 6–1 || align="left"| Ottawa Senators || Niittymaki || 19,742 || 26–15–5 || 57 ||
| 47 || January 22 || 3–7 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils || Niittymaki || 19,677 || 26–16–5 || 57 ||
| 48 || January 24 || 4–3 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins || Biron || 19,807 || 27–16–5 || 59 ||
| 49 || January 29 || 3–2 OT || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings || Biron || 19,127 || 28–16–5 || 61 ||
| 50 || January 31 || 0–4 || align="left"| New York Rangers || Niittymaki || 19,670 || 28–17–5 || 61 ||
| 51 || February 2 || 3–0 || align="left"| Anaheim Ducks || Biron || 19,822 || 29–17–5 ||63 ||
| 52 || February 5 || 3–2 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Thrashers || Niittymaki || 15,082 || 30–17–5 || 65 ||
| 53 || February 6 || 3–4 || align="left"| Washington Capitals || Biron || 19,778 || 30–18–5|| 65 ||
| 54 || February 9 || 0–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers || Biron || 19,862 || 30–19–5 || 65 ||
| 55 || February 10 || 3–4 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins || Biron || 17,132 || 30–20–5|| 65 ||
| 56 || February 12 || 3–4 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders || Niittymaki || 11,193 || 30–21–5|| 65 ||
| 57 || February 14 || 3–5 || align="left"| Tampa Bay Lightning || Biron || 19,336 || 30–22–5 || 65 ||
| 58 || February 16 || 0–1 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens || Niittymaki || 21,273 || 30–23–5 || 65 ||
| 59 || February 17 || 3–5 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens || Niitymaki|| 19,611 || 30–24–5 || 65 ||
| 60 || February 19 || 2–3 SO || align="left"| @ Ottawa Senators || Biron || 19,729 || 30–24–6 || 66 ||
| 61 || February 21 || 1–3 || align="left"| San Jose Sharks || Biron || 19,487 || 30–25–6 || 66 ||
| 62 || February 23 || 1–2 OT || align="left"| Florida Panthers || Niitymaki || 19,629 || 30–25–7 || 67 ||
| 63 || February 25 || 4–3 SO || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres || Biron || 18,690 || 31–25–7 || 69 ||
| 64 || February 28 || 3–1 || align="left"| Ottawa Senators || Biron || 19,567 || 32–25–7 || 71 ||
| 65 || March 1 || 4–1 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders || Biron || 15,136 || 33–25–7 || 73 ||
| 66 || March 2 || 4–5 SO || align="left"| @ New York Rangers || Biron || 18,200 || 33–25–8 || 74 ||
| 67 || March 4 || 2–5|| align="left"| Buffalo Sabres || Biron || 19,516 || 33–26–8 || 74 ||
| 68 || March 6 || 3–2 || align="left"| Tampa Bay Lightning || Biron || 19,217 || 34–26–8 || 76 ||
| 69 || March 8 || 4–1 || align="left"| New York Islanders || Biron || 19,748 || 35–26–8 || 78 ||
| 70 || March 11 || 3–4 OT || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs || Biron || 19,507 || 35–26–9 || 79 ||
| 71 || March 12 || 2–3 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs || Biron || 19,642 || 35–27–9 || 79 ||
| 72 || March 15 || 2–3 OT || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins || Biron || 17,565 || 35–27–10 || 80 ||
| 73 || March 16 || 1–7 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins || Biron || 17,132 || 35–28–10 || 80 ||
| 74 || March 18 || 3–2 || align="left"| Atlanta Thrashers || Niittymaki || 19,564 || 36–28–10 || 82 ||