The Philadelphia Flyers made sweeping changes Sunday, allowing general manager Bob Clarke to resign and firing coach Ken Hitchcock.
Assistant coach John Stevens will take over from Hitchcock, while assistant general manager Paul Holmgren was announced as the new general manager, owner Ed Snider said at a news conference Sunday.
The Flyers (1-6-1), who are off to their worst start in more than 15 years, sit in the basement of the NHL standings with only three points.
Bob Clarke failed to bring a Stanley Cup to the city of Philadelphia during his tenure as the team's general manager.
(Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Their five-game losing skid, the worst in five years, includes an embarrassing 9-1 thumping at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.
"The decisions that had to be made, I was letting other people make them," said Clarke, who admitted to being tired and burned out. "I deeply regret not being able to bring a Stanley Cup here … I didn't deliver."
Clarke said his resignation was not the result of the team's dismal record.
"I just don't have the desire to do what this job requires," Clarke said. "I was tired of doing it."
Snider said he began the process of making major changes following Philadelphia's loss to Buffalo.
The team placed Petr Nedved, Niko Dimitrakos and defenceman Nolan Baumgartner on waivers the following day. Nedved and Dimitrakos cleared waivers and were assigned to the Flyers' AHL affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms.
"Over the last several weeks it has become clear that it was time to make a change," Snider said in a statement. "This is not easy for anyone involved, but we have to do what is best for this team."
'Heart and soul of the Flyers'
Clarke, who captained the Flyers to two Stanley Cup titles in 1974 and 1975, failed to duplicate that success during his tenure as a GM.
Clarke was in his 13th season and second term as the Flyers' general manager. He was initially hired as GM in 1984 following the conclusion of a Hall of Fame career, spending the next six seasons in Philadelphia's front office.
"Bob Clarke has been the heart and soul of the Flyers for nearly 40 years," Snider said.
"Bob was the driving force behind our Stanley Cups as a player, and as president and general manager, he built the Flyers into one of the premier franchises in hockey. I will always think of Bob as the 'Ultimate Flyer' and there is always a position within our organization for Bob Clarke."
Hitchcock, who signed a three-year contract extension in training camp, was in his fourth season as coach. He helped guide the Flyers to the Eastern Conference final in 2004, but lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
Prior to Hitchcock's hiring, Clarke used five different coaches behind the bench for Philadelphia in six years.
"He realized that we had to make a change, and he's behind the organization and he's willing to do whatever he can to help the organization move forward," Snider said of Clarke.
Hitchcock began his 10-year coaching career in the NHL with the Dallas Stars, highlighted by a Stanley Cup title in 1999 against the Sabres. The Stars advanced to the Stanley Cup final the following season, but were defeated by the New Jersey Devils in six games.
His career coaching record of 408-249-100 includes a 66-51 mark in the post-season.
Stevens, 40, coached the Phantoms for the last six seasons, guiding the team to the Calder Cup in 2005.
"John Stevens has quickly proven that he can coach in the National Hockey League," Snider said.
"He worked very closely with many of our younger players when he coached them as Phantoms. We believe that we have a core of great young talent and we think that John is the right guy to coach this team."
Clarke has been criticized for not adapting to the new NHL following the end of the lockout before beginning the 2005-06 season. While other teams like the Buffalo Sabres signed faster and younger players, the Flyers locked up bigger and slower defenceman like Derian Hatcher and Mike Rathje.
The Flyers' inept offence this season has produced only 15 goals in eight games, with five coming off the stick of Simon Gagne. The team also ranks 28th in the league on the power play, scoring only four times on 55 chances.
The Flyers also lost Peter Forsberg for a week after the centre sprained his wrist during a 4-1 defeat to the Lightning Thursday night.
With files from the Associated Press
