Flyers Fire Coach Peter Laviolette

The Philadelphia Flyers have fired coach Peter Laviolette and replaced him with assistant coach Craig Berube.

(L-R) Craig Berube, Paul Holmgren and Ed Snider at press conference announcing Flyers coaching change (Philadelphia Flyers)

"Craig [Berube] is one of the smartest hockey guys I've ever seen around" said general manager Paul Holmgren of the change officially made at a press conference.

The Flyers also have fired assistant coach Kevin McCarthy.John Paddock and Ian Laperriere have been named new assistants.Joe Mullen remains as an assistant coach who watches games from the press box and communicates with the bench. He will also continue to work with the power play. Jeff Reese remains as the goaltending coach.

Holmgren says thing have to get better and they will with Craig Berube as head coach. However, owner Ed Snider got upset when a reporter implied that the team has taken on a losing culture. "“We don’t need a fresh perspective,” he snapped.

Berube is well liked around the Flyers locker room. His first game as head coach will be tomorrow night when the Flyers host Carolina.

Laviolette was fired with the flyers off to an 0-3 start a year after they missed the playoffs. It's the team's second 0-3 start in two season. Laviolette was hired early in the 2009 season after John Stevens was fired and he led them to the 2010 Stanley Cup finals. Laviolette has previously coached the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders. He compiled a 149-98-29 record with the Flyers over the past five seasons.

Berube was previously coach of the AHL's Philadelphia Phantoms before moving up to the Flyers.

Laviolette's firing means all four Philadelphia teams have changed coaches in the last year. Eagles coach Chip Kelly, hired in January, is now the dean of Philadelphia coaches.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Filed Under: Philadelpiha Flyers, Sports

Categories: New Jersey News