Who are some of the Best Candidates to become the next Flyers’ Head Coach?

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This horrid Flyers season has left fans vomitous, but one topic that seems to be on everyone’s mind is just who will be the next Head Coach of this once historic franchise? Of course, this is all under the assumption that the team’s General Manager Chuck Fletcher does not wish to lift the Interim prefix that to date has been left static in front of their acting Head Coach Mike Yeo’s job title. As we all know, Yeo is one of many of Fletcher’s recycled pieces from his failed times in Minnesota, hence him being gifted the opportunity to take over after the decision was made that Alain Vigneault’s services were no longer needed.  However, things haven’t exactly gone the way Mike would have hoped since taking control of that silver whistle. Through 59 games since being labeled the teams’ bench boss Yeo’s Flyers have only managed to post a record of 17 wins, 36 losses, and 7 over time losses. That equates to a win percentage of just .342%. Hearing that one would hope that even Chuck would see that something needs to be done and he himself needs to push his own nepotism tendencies aside in order to do what’s best for the team. 

So, with that being said the process for finding the teams next head coach should already be well under way. The question is just who might be some of the best candidates for the job?  

Rick Tocchet

Keeping true to form with that previously mentioned word of nepotism, it should come as no surprise that a name that has been thrown around a lot in conversations recently concerning this topic is former Flyers great Rick Tocchet; which in theory would seem like a wise choice considering the way Tocchet played the game embodied what most think when you mention the Flyers. One would hope if chosen Rick would be able to come in and quickly extract that same kind of intensity that he once played with from the players on this roster, and thus regain their forementioned hardnosed identity. Sadly, that may be all but a pipe dream because if you look at what Tocchet was able to do elsewhere as an assistant coach verse what he failed to do as a head coach it doesn’t even compare. As an assistant Rick was beloved by his players and thought of as a great mentor. A person that when he saw someone struggling, he could/would take the time to help them through their problems or transgressions. In fact, Tocchet did so well in this role that he has two Stanley Cup rings to prove it from his time serving as an assistant with the Penguins. However, that same luck did not seem to translate either time he was a head coach. During his two seasons as the head coach of the Lightning, Rick only managed to win a combined 53 games, which left him with a .446-win percentage. To which he did not fair much better during his four years in the desert. Where he achieved a .490-win percentage, which with stats like these it leaves this writer to believe that the team should take a pass on bringing back this once gritty player to be their next head coach. 

Dave Tippett 

While we are on the topic of nepotism we might as well as look at Dave Tippett as a viable option. Now it is reported that Tippett who is now 60-years-old has essentially retired from coaching but with Dave being another former Flyers player there’s always a chance that he could be enticed to come out of retirement to coach one of his old teams. Tippett thinks of himself as not an offensive or defensive minded coach but rather a coach who tries to use his players skill sets to his team’s advantage. In Dallas he played to the team’s offensive talents winning .617%, where in Arizona, Dave tried to rely more on the team’s strong defense and solid goaltending to help them win games. This versatile coaching style helped him to win the 2010 Jack Adams Award (award given to the best coach annually) while still with the Coyotes. Tippet’s last job, however, was in Edmonton where over three years he was still able to win .596 of his games despite not ever having the luxury of solid goaltending. If the Flyers could coax him out of retirement Dave could use his talents to get the most out of the Flyers that don’t currently have any stars. 

John Tortorella 

Tortorella has gained the reputation of being a hard-nosed defense first coach that some players today don’t seem to appreciate. A fiery type that has been known to rip into the team mid game if things aren’t going their way, may have worked for a player like you are I when we were young with the mindset of us then being: “I don’t know who this guy think he is cussing me out for making a mistake I’ll show him”, but sadly that’s not conducive to today’s “woke” society and or a bunch of players that grew up with participation trophy’s handed to them when they outright lost. However, there’s no denying that Tortorella’s efforts can be effective. He did win a Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay in 2004 and has managed to win two Jack Adams Awards one when coaching the Lightning and one during his time with the Blue Jackets.  In saying that the team already tried a similar style of coach in Vigneault with him coming in benching players right and left when they did not perform up to expectations. To date Torts. has coached in over 1,300 regular season games and has managed to maintain a career .548-win percentage. The only question is: if hired will the Flyers be prepared to trust his tactics and deal with the repercussions of his actions in order to achieve similar accolades?   

Paul Maurice

A coach with over 1,650 regular season games behind the bench recently stepped down from his position as head coach in Winnipeg (a job that he held for nine years) claiming that he was no longer the best person to lead that particular team. Over his 24-year coaching career Maurice (who was drafted by the Flyers in back in 1985 in the 12^th round) has been able to use his adept communication skills to effectively convey his message to his teams. To date Paul holds a .528 career win percentage and very well could be considered an option for the Flyers moving forward.

Claude Julien 

Another elder statesman who has coached in close to 1,275 regular season games: Claude Julien, despite his recent cardiac issues has shown a willingness to still coach after recently getting back behind the bench for Team Canada in Beijing for the Olympic games. Claude whose style is a 200ft game where he tends to heavily favor veteran players may be a little too similar to Vigneault’s system for this writers liking but there’s no doubt that it has had success in years past. For example: In Boston he won a Stanley Cup in 2011 and a Jack Adams Award in 2009, this is because while in Beantown, Claude often times found himself winning anywhere from .600-.700% of their games each season.  Be that as it may Julien is now a 62-year-old coach (with Heart problems and who also slipped and fell during a team building activity breaking ribs before the Olympics) that at times seems to be out of touch with his younger players. If the Flyers choose to go with a coach with his type of experience, they should not only expect to see their youth ride the bench but should see to it as well that they get Julien a life alert necklace/bracelet so that he can call out that famous line of “Help, I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up” to awaiting responders. 

Mike Babcock

A former NHL head coach that has complied an incredible 700 regular season wins over the years not to mention hoisting a Stanley Cup in 2008 while coaching the Red Wings. Was recently brought down to earth after being let go by the Toronto Maple Leafs subsequently (sarcasm) following an incident that happened some two years earlier in which Babcock asked Mitch Marner (who at that time was still relatively young) to rank himself against the rest of his teammates in terms of work ethic. To which Babcock later used to read a loud in front of the whole team. Which once this incident came to light sparked a slew of similar stories coming out from past players of his of incidents involving Babcock that happened to them. Where his tactics smart given today’s culture, probably not, but might they have been effective years ago before everyone was so in their feelings about everything? Yes. There’s no denying that Mike knows what it takes to win and given the fact that he has had to resort to returning to where it all started for him taking a position back coaching for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, he might have learned a thing or two about adhering to other peoples’ feelings. In time someone will give this once great coach another chance in the NHL, question is will it be the Flyers? 

Jim Montgomery 

The current St. Louis Blues Assistant coatch Jim Montgomery is an interesting name that has come up in discussion lately concerning the Flyers soon to be vacant coaching position and like so many on this list Montgomery, has previous ties to the organization as well. Seeing that he played for both the Flyers and the Phantoms during his career. But just like his playing career his coaching endeavors has seen their up and down’s as well. A little history: He got his shot at the NHL after winning a NCAA National Championship with the University of Denver Pioneers in 2017, when the Dallas Stars hired him at that time to be their new head coach. However, Montgomery was quickly let go after just a year and a half because of his alcohol addiction. Since then, he has sobered up and like previously mentioned now back behind the bench for the St. Louis Blues. As for if the Flyers will try to hire him. Well, the Flyers are no stranger to giving someone a second chance just ask Paul Holmgren who the team brought back to be a member of the organization’s leadership after he received a DUI arrest. 

Kevin Dineen

Possibly a long shot candidate here but he’s one Flyers fans most certainly will remember that name being Kevin Dineen. A player turned coach that had a very successful playing career that spanned over parts of 19 seasons and close to 1,200 NHL games played. Dineen got his chance to coach in 2005 when the then Might Ducks of Anaheim hired him as to be the head coach of their affiliate the Portland Pirates. Which after a hand full of successful seasons in Portland he then decided to take the Head Coaching job in Florida for the Panthers. Once in Florida Dineen was able get the team to finish first in their division and make the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs. But, after just three seasons were the Panthers posted a combined .479 win percentage Dineen was let go. Since his time as a Head Coach for the Panthers, Kevin was named the coach of Team Canada where he led the Woman’s team to an Olympic gold medal in 2014. He was an assistant for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015 when they won the Stanley Cup. From there Dineen returned to the AHL where he was named Head Coach of the San Diego Gulls to which he excelled posting a combined 56–36–9 record but for some reason was not retained. So, the New Jersey Devils then hired him to be the head coach of their AHL affiliate the Utica Comets where this season Kevin has his team sitting atop their division with a record of 42 wins 19 losses and 8 OTL which equates to a win percentage of .664 and a total of 93 points with games still in hand on the season. Dineen was considered (and probably should have been selected) to be named the first head coach of the Seattle Kraken before they settled on Hakstol, and therefore, should be considered to be in the running for the Flyers impending coaching vacancy. 

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Some others whose name may be in the hat to draw from when deciding who might be the Flyers next head coach are Sweden’s Rikard Gronborg, former Jack Adams winner Dan Bylsma, the recently fired David Quinn, and Calgary Flames current assistant Kirk Muller. 

Who will be the next coach of the Flyers? Your guess is as good as mine. With this current regime who knows what qualities or lack there of they will be looking for when making their decision, let’s just hope they luck out and get something right for a change.