Rick MacLeish, the smooth-skating center who scored the goal that gave the Flyers their first Stanley Cup championship in 1974, is battling multiple medical issues in a Philadelphia hospital.
MacLeish, 66, has been hospitalized for six weeks.
"We deeply appreciate all the support that's been given to our dad," said Brianna MacLeish, one of Rick's two daughters. "At this time, we want to spend time with our dad, and the family asks for our privacy."
The owner of one of the league's most dynamic wrist shots, MacLeish became the first 50-goal scorer in franchise history in 1972-73, and he finished with 349 career goals.