A junior coach and former Briere teammate linked to Flyers' job

McKee coaches in the OHL and was a teammate of Briere's for parts of three seasons with the Sabres

Flyers general manager Danny Briere discussed the team’s head coaching search and the criteria it’ll seek in the candidates.

As the Flyers search for a new head coach, we're looking at potential candidates to fill the vacancy.

"Communication and teaching are probably two things that will be at the forefront of our next coach," general manager Danny Briere said April 19 at his end-of-the-season press conference. "When you have a young team in place, I really think those two attributes are extremely important."

We've profiled Mike Sullivan (hired by the Rangers), Rick Tocchet, Pat Ferschweiler, Brad Shaw, Jay Woodcroft, Ian Laperriere and Jeff Halpern. Next up in our series is Jay McKee, the head coach of the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs.

On the 32 Thoughts podcast a little over a week ago, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that McKee "could be on Philly's radar."

Why McKee would be a fit

The 47-year-old is coming off a 44-19-5 season in Brantford. He captured the 2022 OHL title with the Bulldogs, leading a club that put up 107 points in the regular season (51-12-5) and won 16 of its 19 playoff games.

McKee has been a head coach in the OHL for parts of eight seasons and was an assistant for a 2014-15 Erie Otters team that featured Connor McDavid. His time working with prospects might have appeal to the Flyers, whose roster has consistently gotten younger.

Some quality former and current coaches took paths from the OHL to the NHL. Jacques Martin, Peter DeBoer, Sheldon Keefe and Kris Knoblauch all went through the OHL and eventually climbed to an NHL bench.

McKee has a connection to Briere. The two were teammates for parts of three seasons with the Sabres. Their prior relationship could make for a seamless GM-coach fit.

As the 14th overall pick in the 1995 NHL draft, McKee had a 14-year career between three teams. The former defenseman played 802 games in the NHL and had Shaw as an assistant coach for three seasons with the Blues.

McKee's wisdom on the back end could potentially benefit the Flyers' young blue-line picture.

Why McKee would not be a fit

Do the Flyers want more of a household name?

Considering McKee is such an under-the-radar candidate, he may not move the needle with the fan base. If a coach is the right coach, the Flyers won't be super worried about outside perception, but it does matter to a degree.

The Flyers have gone five straight seasons without a playoff berth, matching the franchise's longest drought. Their decision on the next head coach has a chance to reinvigorate the fan base a bit and set expectations for a critical 2025-26 season.

McKee's inexperience coaching at the pro level would elicit some concern. He has never coached in the NHL and has one season as an AHL assistant, which was 13 years ago.