James: Ranking Flyers Coaching Candidates

SAN JOSE, CA - FEBRUARY 06: Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet walks on the ice towards the bench during the NHL game between the Vancouver Canucks and the San Jose Sharks on February 06, 2025 at SAP Center in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Scott Dinn/Icon Sportswire)

As mid-May draws nearer, the Philadelphia Flyers have yet to name the 25th head coach in franchise history. The Flyers are not alone; there were seven NHL head coaching vacancies, and so far, only two have been filled (Sullivan to NYR, Quenneville to ANA).

It has been a relatively quiet coaching search for the Flyers. Not many reports have come out as to what they are thinking. The team has been heavily linked to Rick Tocchet, and Brad Shaw has had his name mentioned a few times as well.

Philadelphia has also interviewed with Western Michigan head coach Pat Ferschweiler. The only other report that has surfaced is that the Flyers are in no rush. Maybe they’re waiting out Tocchet’s decision? Maybe it’s an AHL guy (Laperrière, Nelson), or even an assistant on a team currently in the hunt?

Regardless, the Flyers are taking their time, making sure they do their due diligence to find the perfect coach to turn this team around.

With what is known so far, I rank the current coaching candidates in the order that I would want them.

Ranking my Top-Three Choices

HM- Jay Woodcroft

I still don’t know a whole lot about Jay Woodcroft. His head coaching resume is not long. He only has one complete season as a head coach, resulting in a second-round exit.

He brought the Oilers to the Western Conference Finals in his first season, had his lone full year in season number two, and only lasted 13 games in the 2023-24 season before being fired. His overall record is 79-41-13–not too shabby.

He was definitely canned a bit too early. While coaching will always be a factor in winning, it’s hard to win when your goaltending and defense allow five-plus goals a night. Again, coaching is always a factor. However, it feels like Woodcroft may have been a scapegoat.

Woodcroft is not higher because I don’t think the Flyers’ job should be a rehab spot. Woodcroft has been out of the coaching game since. While it shouldn’t deter the Flyers from giving him an interview, I don’t know if Philly is the best place for him to return behind the bench.

On the flip side, Woodcroft is a good coach in a small sample size. He helped lead Edmonton to the WFC after taking over mid-year—impressive. He also knows how to handle a star player. After coaching two of the best three players in the world, nothing will ever be harder.

Jay Woodcroft is an intriguing option for the Flyers, but he falls just outside of my top three.

3. Rick Tocchet

Ah, Rick Tocchet. If he were not a former Flyer, I think there may be a different perception of him. However, I still don’t think he is the perfect fit for the Flyers.

If Philadelphia’s roster were built with savvy veterans as the bulk of the roster, I’d think much differently about Tocchet and the Flyers. He is a brilliant coach who, if he decides to continue coaching, will make an organization and fan base very happy.

He has been rumored to be the Flyers’ top choice. The issue is that he seems to be the top choice for many of the remaining NHL teams with a head coaching vacancy. Personally, I don’t see why he’d choose Philly over Pittsburgh, the place where he has his name on the cup thrice. It’s been rumored that Boston is interested in Tocchet. That team is much closer to a cup than the Flyers are. If those two teams have Tocchet at the top of their lists, I don’t see how he would end up with the Flyers.

However, if Philly does become a reality, the Flyers would be getting a coach who won the Jack Adams Trophy in the 2023/24 season, and is a great hockey mind and leader. Tocchet would not be my first choice, but he would not be a disappointing hire.

2. Brad Shaw

Brad Shaw deserves a chance to be an NHL head coach, so why not let him have it in Philadelphia?

The defenseman rave about Shaw and what he has done for their individual games. As a team, the Flyers clearly responded to Shaw’s message in the absence of John Tortorella. Even the forwards began to get a taste of Shaw as a coach.

If the Flyers were to ever give a coach a shot, now is the time. The Flyers have the talent and money to turn things around. Obviously, the roster is not complete, but it’s getting closer and closer, and the right coach could get them back in the playoffs.

The vision with Shaw? He has one season to prove that he can be an NHL head coach. If the team continues to play well under Shaw, then it becomes clear that he is an NHL head coach. On the other hand, if the team bottoms out under Shaw, then the Flyers will likely get one last lottery pick in a draft expected to have many blue-chip prospects, which is not the end of the world.

Clearly, Brad Shaw is not the Flyers’ top choice. If he were, the interim tag would have been removed already.

However, if the Flyers miss out on their top guy, Brad Shaw should, and likely will, get the chance to be the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers.

1. Pat Ferschweiler

To me, Pat Ferschweiler is exactly what the Flyers should be looking for. When NCAA coaches were first mentioned, all eyes looked to David Carle at the University of Denver, where Carle recently announced he will be staying and signed an extension.