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"Flyers and NHL follow me at http://twitter.com/BobHaynesJr"
United States, VA • United States •
It’s about time! I agree on the decision to remove Stevens as the head coach. He was virtually mute in the dressing room and locker room. He said the same thing daily after a win and a loss. I am not inside the locker room, but I am positive by the reaction of the team on the ice, that the players felt the same way.

I am not a huge fan of Laviolette, but he does come with a ring. He is also a guy with a reputation for motivating players and that definitely needed with this team. He rips players for taking bad penalties, he adjusts the ice time of players that don’t play with the team’s benefit in mind, and he also expects players to take the body consistently. All of these things sound like items the Flyers fans will love.

I disagree with the timing of the move. During this season the Flyers have had numerous long breaks that would have been perfect to change coaches and give the new coach a few days to implement a new system. Now the team should play very inspired tonight in front of a rabid fan base and the Caps are showing up without the best player in the NHL, since Ovechkin is serving the 2nd game of his suspension. However, with no practices before Laviolette’s debut, players will make mistakes and become judged by the mistakes they make. Not a great way to start.

This might be the first move that Holmgren has made that I have not agreed with 100%. I will hold my judgment for a few games and I really hope that the super-talented team that Holmgren has assembled starts to play like the deep team they are. I know that there have been injuries to the Flyers up front, but they are still as deep as most teams up front and much deeper on defense than any team in the league. Steven’s had created a basically .500 team over the last season and a half. His system spread the forwards and defense too far apart. They were always looking for the homerun pass and this created turnovers. Stevens also had a penchant for creating lines in a pattern that loads up and creates weak 3rd and 4th lines and 3rd defense pairs.

Go Flyers!
Filed Under:   Flyers  
December 5, 2009 4:46 PM ET | Delete
The Flyers problems, according to their players, had nothing to do with Stevens. Chris Pronger is not the only one to have said this team needs to take a long look in the mirror and start playing for each other and not themselves as individuals.
December 5, 2009 4:48 PM ET | Delete
I respect Philadelphia fans for their love of sports, but they take it way to far. Can you honestly tell me that Ray Emery is a better goalie than Martin Biron? And I'm suprised to see that Emery's backup is a guy that was once booed out of town because he couldn't get it done in the playoffs. Are they going to bring back Robert Esche next year after they miss the playoffs because Emery can't stop the puck?
December 5, 2009 6:47 PM ET | Delete
Since you obviously a Penguins fan. And since your team has fired a few coaches - see Ed Olczyk - keep your opinions to yourself. Was it Eddie's fault that Cindy Crosby is a whiney baby?
December 6, 2009 3:00 AM ET | Delete
1) i thought dressing room and locker room were the same thing2) who do you know or better yet HOW do you know he was silent in the dressing room ... are there players who out and said this? were you there to hear it yourself??3) with the team that the flyers ice ... it is hardly stevens' fault ... that team either needs a roster shakeup or a few bag skates to wake the christ up ... they should be a top 4 team in the east (on paper)
December 6, 2009 4:44 AM ET | Delete
Watch an old Flyers game. No reaction positive or negative from Stevens. That persona travels through the team. You have to play with passion and a quiet coach creates a quiet team. Just my opinion, but I have been around long enough to know I am right on that one.
December 6, 2009 4:59 PM ET | Delete
BryanM-While you likely nothing more than a worthless bandwagon pens fan (like most Pits fans) I don't think that I can really disagree with you. I do wish the we had copied your teams path, both recently and historically, of dumping seasons for top 5 picks. It definitely works.
December 7, 2009 4:46 PM ET | Delete
Boucher was booed out of town? That is sure news to me.
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