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Checking Up On Hitchcock and Stevens

News Type: Other — Thu Dec 21, 2006 8:38 AM EST

Ken Hitchcock

John Stevens

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With the Philadelphia Flyers setting the all-time team record for straight losses and Bobby Clarke heaping praise on the current regime I thought it would be a good time to check and see how Ken Hitchcock, the former Flyers head coach, and John Stevens, the current head coach, are doing.

At the end of October the Philadelphia Flyers fired Ken Hitchcock as head coach and replaced him with John Stevens. (For more on that: The Real Problem with the Flyers Family.) Then about a month ago Hitchcock accepted the position of head coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Now I'm wondering just how each of them is doing with his team.

Under John Stevens the Flyers are 7-17 and are currently in the midst of a seven game losing streak. Believe it or not but this is a slight improvement over the team's record before he took over. They were 2-13 for a 13% winning record then versus a 29% winning record under Stevens. I don't know about you but that does not really impress me.

On the other hand, Ken Hitchcock has done a decent job in Columbus. Before he took over the Blue Jackets were 9-18 for a 33% winning record. Hitch's record with them is 7-5. In other words, he took a losing team and now has them winning more games than they're losing. I would say that's a good head coach.

Meet the new GM, same as the old GM

When Ken Hitchcock was fired Bobby Clarke also 'retired' from the job of General Manager and was replaced with his assistant and long-time, loyal Flyer Paul Holmgren. Clarke is now Senior Vice President with the team. In effect nothing has changed in the front office of the team but on the ice they have lost a good, experienced head coach.

I'm still finding it very hard to be optimistic about the Flyers.

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{"commentId":440265,"authorDomain":"jaybutler"}
Jay Butler

They really have an awful product to sell. I went down to the Wachovia Center for the Caps game on December 9. Boring game even though the Flyers seemed to be scoring. The Flyers still looked like they knew that they were not going to win. Once the Caps seemed to realize that they might face the embarrassment of losing to this hurting unit, they turned it up a notch and the Flyers did not respond.

It is a sad situation when almost every goaltender the team faces anymore is the backup. Yet, the Flyers still have trouble finding the back of the net.

This season is a loss. I dread having to go to the remainder of the games in my season strip. But, I cannot sell them for anywhere near face value. It is a real shame to put on such a poor show for $89 per ticket plus parking plus drinks, etc. Just me and wife, it is a $200+ night out. If I spent that on a dinner at Le Bec Fin, I am getting something I would remember.

{"commentId":440265,"threadId":"62722","contentId":"490625","authorDomain":"jaybutler"}
  • 2 votes
Reply#1 - Thu Dec 21, 2006 11:37 AM EST
{"commentId":440340,"authorDomain":"michaelsautter"}
Michael Sautter
This season is a loss.

I'm afraid you're right about that.

{"commentId":440340,"threadId":"62722","contentId":"490625","authorDomain":"michaelsautter"}
  • 2 votes
#1.1 - Thu Dec 21, 2006 12:18 PM EST
{"commentId":440953,"authorDomain":"jaybutler"}
Jay Butler

The worst part of this is that I feel like Ed Snider stole over $2,000 from me.

In the past, I have had schedule conflicts and never had a problem selling Flyers tickets even at the last minute. This year, nobody even wants them. I could be giving them away for free and most of my friends would rather stay home and not waste the time driving downtown, sitting through 3 hours of punishment and driving home.

Ugh.

{"commentId":440953,"threadId":"62722","contentId":"490625","authorDomain":"jaybutler"}
  • 2 votes
#1.2 - Thu Dec 21, 2006 4:30 PM EST
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