A new era of Philadelphia Flyers hockey has begun.
On Friday, Chuck Fletcher was relieved of his duties as General Manager. Daniel Briere, the former special assistant to Fletcher, is now the interim General Manager. Not owning the ‘official’ General Manager title yet, it appears likely that Briere will ultimately fulfill the full-time role.
“Oh, there’s no doubt in my mind that I can do the job.”
Daniel Briere; 3/12/2023
Dave Scott, Chairman of Comcast Spectacor and Governor of the Flyers, announced on Friday that the President and General Manager positions will be separated in the future. Fletcher owned both titles before he was let go. Now, the department will be restructured moving forward.
On Friday’s episode of ’32 Thoughts: The Podcast’, Elliotte Friedman linked three names to the open positions in Philadelphia: Ed Olczyk, Eric Lindros, and Chris Pronger.
Out of the three names that Friedman mentioned, Lindros is the biggest. A Flyers legend, the organization thinks highly of Lindros, and the likelihood of him becoming more involved is high.
Pronger is also an intriguing name. After his career, he served as the Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations for the Florida Panthers from 2017-2020. He stepped down from his role to focus on his business, Well Inspired Travels; a luxury travel company that caters to elite athletes, executives, and business owners.
On Saturday’s edition during Hockey Night in Canada, Jeff Marek mentioned more names that Briere could surround himself with: Ray Whitney, Shane Doan, Brent Flahr, and Robert Esche.
Flahr worked with Fletcher in Minnesota before joining the Flyers. He’s helped lead the Flyers’ drafting process, and Briere is fond of Flahr. The likelihood of Flahr remaining part of the organization is high.
“I have a great relationship with Brent. He’s been tremendous. He’s included me on everything since I started working with Chuck. I have a lot of confidence in Brent. You look at his track record at the draft. It’s pretty impressive.”
Daniel Briere; 3/12/2023
Former NHL players Ray Whitney and Shane Doan both worked with Briere in the management group for Team Canada during the 2022 Spengler Cup. Doan seems like a long shot due to his heavy ties and affiliation with the Arizona Coyotes, but Philadelphia is realistic due to his tight friendship with Briere.
A unique name mentioned was Esche. He was a goaltender for the Flyers from 2002-2007, posting 60 wins in 128 games, and a co-winner of the William M. Jennings trophy during the 2002-2003 season. Esche currently serves as president of the Utica Comets, the AHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils.
Former Flyers in the Front Office again!?
With the mentions of Lindros, Pronger, and Esche as potential candidates to join the front office in Philadelphia, the recycling of former Flyers may frustrate fans. Three of the last four general managers were former Flyers: Bobby Clarke, Paul Holmgren, and Ron Hextall. Often, the Flyers hire from within.
The upcoming movements in the front office remain unseen. Briere had conversations with the current senior advisors but nothing more in his couple of days as interim general manager. Some strong candidates could be hired from within, but Briere meshes with outside candidates too.
Rebuild
The Flyers are formally rebuilding. The ‘aggressive retool’ Fletcher started last summer failed, putting the franchise on this path. The franchise hasn’t drastically undergone a rebuild in the past because the likes of Clarke and Holmgren did everything in their power to keep the Flyers competitive in a chase for the Stanley Cup. The term ‘rebuild’ was foreign when Ed Snider owned the team. Now, it’s a reality.
“We’re going to look at every possible option out there to improve the team. I don’t think this is a quick fix. That’s my belief and that’s why I’m not afraid to use the word rebuild.”
Daniel Briere; 3/12/2023
Hires in Philadelphia for the additional roles will intrigue many across the league. The offseason surrounding the Flyers will be eventful, and the dismissal of Fletcher and what awaits made the future much more hopeful.
(Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire)
