Flyers ink head coach Stevens to two-year contract

[Hextall_Fan88]

http://www.philadelphiaflyers.com/pr...chive/2855.asp


Monday, November 20, 2006 - The Philadelphia Flyers announced that the team has reached an agreement with Head Coach John Stevens on a new two-year contract, effective immediately and running through the 2007-08 season, according to club General Manager Paul Holmgren.

"Over the course of the last month with John Stevens moving in as the head coach, we have had time to settle some issues and we have officially come to an agreement with John on a two-year contract,? said Holmgren in making the announcement.

?We are very excited about this, as is John. This stabilizes the situation in terms of his leadership of the hockey team. We are looking forward from this point on as we march ahead."

?I?m excited,? said Stevens. ?I know that we have work to do here, but I do see a lot of potential for this hockey team. I want to be the guy who brings success here. I?ve been in Philadelphia for a long time and I know what it means to win here. I?ve won championships at the minor league level and I?d love to have the chance to do it at the NHL level. We have a great coaching staff in place and it?s a pleasure working with Paul Holmgren. This is an ideal situation for me and it?s an opportunity that I welcome.?

Under Stevens, the Flyers have compiled a 4-7-1 record in the 12 games since he was named head coach on October 22. Stevens, 40, was named a Flyers? assistant coach on June 5, 2006, after serving as the Phantoms? head coach for the previous six seasons (2000-01 through 2005-06). He led the team to the Calder Cup Championship in 2005.

Stevens? career AHL coaching record is 230-181-33-25 in 480 regular season games, not including 11 shootout losses. He has a 29-19 record in 48 career AHL playoff games.

He was named the second-ever head coach of the Flyers? AHL affiliate on June 8, 2000. His 480 games coached and 230 career wins are the most in Phantoms history. He was named an assistant coach for the Phantoms on February 10, 1999, after announcing his retirement from hockey due to an eye injury.

A native of Campbellton, New Brunswick, Stevens played 15 seasons of professional hockey as a defenseman (1984-85 to 1998-99), including 53 NHL games with the Flyers and Hartford Whalers. Over parts of five seasons (1986-87 and 1987-88 with the Flyers and 1990-91, 1991-92 and 1993-94 with Hartford), Stevens recorded 10 assists and 48 penalty minutes in 53 games. In 834 career AHL games over 14 seasons with the Hershey Bears (1984-85 and 1986-87 through 1989-90), Springfield Indians/Falcons (1990-91 through 1995-96) and the Phantoms (1996-97 to 1998-99), Stevens registered 21 goals and 167 assists for 188 points and 1,399 penalty minutes. He was a member of three Calder Cup Championship teams as a player (Hershey - 1988, Springfield - 1991 and Philadelphia - 1998) and won the Barry Ashbee Award as the Phantoms? top defenseman for the 1996-97 season. He was named the Phantoms? first-ever captain on October 1, 1996. Stevens was originally drafted from the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League by the Flyers in the third round (47th overall) of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft.


This is a good move. It at least stabalizes a bit of the season and organization and gives Stevens the comfort of knowing hes not in the hot seat.

[Chris]

Reported by the Associated Press:

PHILADELPHIA -- A month after elevating John Stevens to the head coaching job, the Philadelphia Flyers gave him a two-year contract on Monday.

Stevens, who replaced the fired Ken Hitchcock, went 4-7-1 in his first 12 games.

"This stabilizes the situation in terms of his leadership of the hockey team," general manager Paul Holmgren said. "We are looking forward from this point on as we march ahead."

Stevens coached Philadelphia's AHL affiliate, the Phantoms, for six seasons before signing a one-year contract as Hitchcock's assistant this year. Stevens replaced Hitchcock on Oct. 22, the same day longtime GM Bob Clarke stepped down in the team's biggest shakeup in recent history.

With Stevens signed through the 2007-08 season, the Flyers move forward in their rebuilding process. A team that reached the playoffs each of the last 11 seasons is now among the worst in the NHL.

"I know that we have work to do here, but I do see a lot of potential for this hockey team," Stevens said. "I want to be the guy who brings success here. I've been in Philadelphia for a long time and I know what it means to win here.

"I've won championships at the minor league level, and I'd love to have the chance to do it at the NHL level. We have a great coaching staff in place and it's a pleasure working with Paul Holmgren."

Holmgren's status beyond this season is uncertain. The Flyers spoke to Colin Campbell about replacing Clarke, but he wasn't interested in the position.

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press

[tmcc]

Am I happy about this? Someone tell me how to feel!!

[Ryan20]

I think this is a good move. It gives some sense of stability to this team.

[Andy]

I don't even care.

[Geddy_G]

Originally Posted by Andy

I don't even care.

Me neither ... they never should have canned Hitch.

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Geddy_G

Me neither ... they never should have canned Hitch.

I think no matter what, it was bound to happen, either a resignation or a canning. Hitch wasn't bound to be here much longer.

[Hextall_Fan88]

I already had a thread on this

[Chris]

My bad buddy, I didn't see it on the "Latest Threads" box.

Could a super-mod merge the topics? It occurs to me that I don't have that power anymore.

[Jlg-28]

Originally Posted by Chris

My bad buddy, I didn't see it on the "Latest Threads" box.

Could a super-mod merge the topics? It occurs to me that I don't have that power anymore.

fixed

[Chris]

Thanks, if you want to attach the picture to the post that shows up on the frontpage to spice it up a little, you can.

Either way, thanks Jeff.

[Hextall_Fan88]

lol, not a big deal, but thanks Chris, and I appreciate the effort Jlg. Our 2 threads now have merged to form a super thread.

[Drew]

My thinking is that if the players see that their coach is locked up (and not interim as thought to be), it gives them reassurance to play hard and build on something. It won't help. We have zero talent and zero ambition. For chrissakes, fold already.