Keith Allen obit

‘Broad Street Bullies’ mastermind Keith Allen dead at 90 

He was not on the list.

Keith Allen, the front office architect who built the Flyers into a National Hockey League power in the 1970s, died Tuesday at 90. He had been living in a Newtown Square extended care facility, reportedly since Hurricane Sandy tore into his family’s home on Long Beach Island in October 2012.

Allen was the expansion franchise’s first coach, hired by initial general manager Bud Poile in 1967. Despite a won-loss record of 51-67-32 over two seasons as head coach, his upstart team made the playoffs in 1968 and ’69, losing twice to the St. Louis Blues.

But Allen really made his mark as a GM of the club, taking over for Poile later in 1969 and under the directive of owner Ed Snider began to bring in physical players who would form the brawling foundation of the ‘Broad Street Bullies.’

Allen quickly showed he was also an elite talent evaluator. His draft picks included Bill Barber and Bill Clement, who together with 1969 second-round pick Bobby Clarke would soon help to boost the club into the upper echelon of teams in the league. While the Flyers gained a well-deserved rap as a club that never hesitated to goon its way to victory, their skill was undervalued by almost every other team in the league, something that served them well on the road to Stanley Cup championships in 1974 and ’75.

He had a master’s touch for trades, earning the nickname ‘Keith the Thief.’ He would trade for players such as Barry Ashbee, Terry Crisp, Rick MacLeish and Reggie Leach among many others. He traded goalie Bernie Parent in 1971, then traded to get him back in 1973. The titles would soon come.

‘In my mind, he was and always will be one of the greatest general managers in the history of hockey,’ Flyers club chairman Ed Snider said in a statement. ‘He was known as ‘Keith the Thief.’ I never knew of a bad deal he made. This team would never have reached the level of success we have had over the past 48 years, if it were not for Keith.’

In Allen’s 14 years as GM, half of them with Fred Shero as his personally appointed coaching guru, the Flyers went 613-360-215, making the playoffs 12 times and going to four Stanley Cup finals, winning twice.

‘Keith was responsible for the Flyers winning the Stanley Cup,’ said Clarke, now an executive vice president, an advisory position similar to what Allen held during Clarke’s years as a GM. ‘He was in charge of the draft, in charge of the trades, in charge of getting Bernie back. All the things that were necessary for the Flyers to win the Stanley Cup. Keith put the pieces in place and hired (Shero). So he, more than anybody, was responsible for us winning two Cups.’

Allen was a native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and was a longtime player in the AHL. He twice was promoted to the Detroit Red Wings during the 1953-54 and 1954-55 seasons. He later played then coached in the Western Hockey League before joining Poile with the start-up Flyers.

Allen was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992, in the builder’s category.

Snider said that Allen had long been ‘one of my closest confidants and one of my best friends. I will never forget all of the many memories we shared together.’

Clarke indicated that for all of Allen’s talents, the way he touched people might have been his greatest gift.

‘Keith was one of those men you very rarely come across, who was very fatherly (or) grandfatherly to all us players and our families, and yet was tough enough and strong enough to do the things that were necessary so that we had the right players to win a Stanley Cup,’ Clarke said. ‘And every player who ever played here under his leadership liked Keith. Everybody who was traded liked Keith. … One of the few men in hockey, maybe the only man in hockey, who everybody liked. Didn’t have a person who disliked him in the world. Wonderful, wonderful man. And one of the best general managers of all-time.’

 

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season             Playoffs

Season Team            League            GP            G            A            Pts            PIM            GP            G            A            Pts            PIM

1939–40            North Battleford Beavers            N-SJHL   —            —            —            —            —            —            —            —            —            —

1940–41            Saskatoon Quakers            SJHL            10            4            0            4            2            2            1            0            1            2

1940–41            Saskatoon Quakers            M-Cup            —            —            —            —            —            14            3            3            6            8

1941–42            Washington Eagles            EAHL            60            13            11            24            27            8            0            1            1            0

1942–43            Buffalo Bisons  AHL            55            1            14            15            29            7            1            0            1            0

1943–44            Saskatoon Navy            SSHL            15            9            7            16            12            1            0            0            0            0

1944–45            Saskatoon Navy            SJHL            5            0            1            1            0            —            —            —            —            —

1945–46            Saskatoon Elks            WCHL            33            5            4            9            42            3            1            0            1            6

1946–47            Springfield Indians            AHL            61            2            8            10            23            2            0            0            0

1947–48            Springfield Indians            AHL            51            2            12            14            12            —            —            —            —            —

1948–49            Springfield Indians            AHL            68            3            28            31            28            3            1            0            1            4

1949–50            Springfield Indians            AHL            69            3            17            20            30            2            0            2            2            0

1950–51            Springfield Indians            AHL            70            8            34            42            18            3            0            0            0            0

1951–52            Syracuse Warriors            AHL            67            4            17            21            24            —            —            —            —            —

1952–53            Syracuse Warriors            AHL            64            1            18            19            24            2            0            0            0            0

1953–54            Syracuse Warriors            AHL            47            6            17            23            14            —            —            —            —            —

1953–54            Sherbrooke Saints            QHL            3            0            1            1            4            —            —            —            —            —

1953–54            Detroit Red Wings            NHL            10            0            4            4            2            5            0            0            0            0

1954–55            Detroit Red Wings            NHL            18            0            0            0            6            —            —            —            —            —

1954–55            Edmonton Flyers            WHL            34            4            12            16            10            9            0            2            2            6

1955–56            Brandon Regals            WHL            69            0            13            13            40            —            —            —            —            —

1956–57            Seattle Americans            WHL            41            0            6            6            0            —            —            —            —            —

AHL totals            552            30            165            195            202            19            2            2            4            4

NHL totals            28            0            4            4            8            5            0            0            0            0