PHILADELPHIA — Peter Laviolette was perturbed when one of his hockey players questioned his advice on a new technique during a drill.
“Listen, I know what I’m talking about,” Laviolette told his player. “I’ve coached some games before.”
His 11-year-old son looked at the former Hurricanes coach and told him, “But, Dad, you got fired.”
“I have some credibility back with him now,” a laughing Laviolette said.
Laviolette got a monster promotion from assistant coach for his son’s pee wee hockey team, taking over for an underachieving Flyers team stuck in a Stanley Cup drought that stretches to 1975.
John Stevens got as close as the Eastern Conference finals two seasons ago, but when he couldn’t keep the Flyers (13-11-1) in contention this year, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren fired him Friday after three-plus seasons. That paved the way for Laviolette, who coached the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup title in 2006. Stevens was 120-109-34 with the Flyers.
Selanne out four to six weeks
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Ducks winger Teemu Selanne had surgery to repair a broken bone in his left hand and is expected to miss four to six weeks.
The Associated Press
