Three Out of the Box Candidates to be the Next Flyers Head Coach

TOLEDO, OH - MARCH 29: Boston University Terriers head coach Jay Pandolfo speaks during the post-game press conference following the DI Men's Ice Hockey Championship Toledo Regional championship game between the Cornell Big Red and the Boston University Terriers on March 29, 2025 at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire)

With the season ending on Thursday, finding the next Flyers head coach will become the organization’s primary story.

There are the obvious candidates, like Brad Shaw and Rick Tocchet, and the hopeful interviews, like David Carle. However, the Flyers will likely do their due diligence and interview more than just those three guys.

That said, it’s time to look at some of the “out-of-the-box” candidates to become the next head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Pat Ferschweiler, Western Michigan

The first “out-of-the-box” candidate for the Flyers’ head coaching vacancy may just be the most likely of the three names. Pat Ferschweiler, a national champion, and the current head coach of the Western Michigan Broncos, could and should seriously be considered to be the next Flyers head coach.

First of all, the primary reason it makes sense to me is the relationship between Ferschweiler and Flyers President of Hockey Operations Keith Jones. The two were teammates and linemates at Western Michigan back in the early ’90s. They have maintained a good relationship since. While relationships aren’t everything that matters when determining a coach, it will certainly help get him an interview.

Now, if Ferschweiler were to get an interview, he could boast his 104-50-26 record as a head coach. What is most impressive about that is the lack of “elite” talent on his roster. Western Michigan historically is unable to recruit the same amount of “NHL talent” as Denver, or Boston University, the two teams Ferschweiler and the Broncos beat in the NCAA tournament. Instead, Ferschweiler outcoaches the opposition and helps his team win, along with developing the talent at WMU. It’s honestly impressive.

In his coaching career, he began as an assistant at WMU in 2010. He then became an assistant for the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2014. A year later, Ferschweiler became an assistant for the Detroit Red Wings for four years. He returned to the Brocnos in 2019 as the associate coach. Ferschweiler was named the head coach just two years later, in 2021.

He is set to earn a base salary of $420,000 at WMU next season. The Flyers can easily outbid that.

Ferschweiler’s experience, skill, and relationships make him a candidate for the Flyers’ head coaching position.

Todd Nelson, Hershey Bears

Todd Nelson is the next “out-of-the-box” candidate I would consider for the Flyers’ head coach position. He is currently the head coach of the Hershey Bears in the AHL.

Most of Nelson’s head coaching experience comes in the AHL. He was the head coach of the Oklahoma City Barons for four years. He was then an assistant for the Oilers, where he earned the opportunity to be the Oilers’ interim head coach during the 2014/15 season, but was replaced the following season.

Nelson then returned to the AHL and became the head coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins, where he was for three years, until he returned to the NHL as an assistant for the Dallas Stars.

Since then, Nelson has returned to the AHL and is the head coach for the Hershey Bears. He won the Calder Cup in his first two years as the Bears’ head coach and is going for his third-straight this season. He has won three Calder Cups in his last four seasons as an AHL head coach.

In fact, Nelson has never missed the postseason as an AHL head coach, with a record of 406-222-77. Nelson has been nothing shy of a phenomenal coach in the AHL. His 51 games as an interim head coach in the NHL did not go as well, earning a record of 17-25-9.

However, Nelson’s AHL success has earned him another chance in the NHL.

Nelson would certainly be a risk, but hey, that’s why he is an “out-of-the-box” candidate.

Jay Pandolfo, Boston University

My final “out-of-the-box” candidate to be the next Flyers head coach is Jay Pandolfo. He is currently the head coach of the Boston University Terriers, the team that Ferschweiler and the Broncos beat in the National Championship.

Of the three, I see Pandolfo as the least likely, but he could be an intriguing option. He is, in my opinion, the high-risk, high-reward route. Pandolfo does not have the most extensive coaching history.

He joined the Boston Bruins organization shortly after his playing career ended as a player development assistant. After two seasons, he became an assistant coach for the Bruins (2016-2021) before leaving to become the associate head coach at Boston University, his alma mater.

It only took one season at BU before Pandolfo was named the head coach ahead of the 2022 season. In his first season as the Terriers’ head coach, Pandolfo brought them to their first Frozen Four since 2015. Pandolfo has never missed the Frozen Four in his coaching career. While they have never won the whole thing, it is still noteworthy that he has never missed the Frozen Four in his NCAA head coaching career.

Overall, Pandolfo has an 81-35-4 record as a head coach.

What intrigues me most about Pandolf is how good the Terriers’ power play has been while he is at the helm. While his first season may have been an outlier, his second season, BU had the third-best power play in the NCAA, and had the fourth-best power play this past season.

The Flyers have obviously had their struggles on the man-advantage. A head coach is not typically in charge of it, but he can certainly change how things are run. Pandolfo oversees the man-advantage at BU. If bringing in Pandolfo can help the Flyers’ power play like it did at Boston University, he should absolutely be considered to be the next Flyers head coach.