Former Flyers Member Emerging as Possible Fit for Canadiens Organization
Photo credit: Habsfanatics/NHL
Another very interesting name is available if ever Martin St-Louis and the Montreal Canadiens finally want to replace Alex Burrows.
Let's recall that since the latter's departure (as an assistant coach to St-Louis), no other assistant has been hired.
Well, let's talk about one of the names that suddenly became available.
Several people saw the new appointment of Ian Laperrière as Special Advisor for Hockey Operations with the Philadelphia Flyers as a promotion within the organization.
From what we now understand from the former NHL player, that title was more for appearances than anything else.
On the air of 98.5FM, the man himself, who is no longer with the Flyers, did not hesitate to openly express his frustration on the matter.
"I live two hours away from the Flyers' practice arena.
So I drove a nice two hours for a three-minute meeting..
It didn't take long.
I didn't feel like being there.
I didn't expect it.
I got up, grabbed my stuff, and went back home."
"It's certainly hard to digest, but it's Daniel's decision.
And I have to be honest.
The Flyers have taken care of me and my family for 15 years.
I only played one year with the Flyers. Bobby Clarke, Billy Barber..
They really took good care of me.
I'll never say anything bad about the Flyers, because they've always taken care of me."
- Ian Laperrière
So I drove a nice two hours for a three-minute meeting..
It didn't take long.
I didn't feel like being there.
I didn't expect it.
I got up, grabbed my stuff, and went back home."
"It's certainly hard to digest, but it's Daniel's decision.
And I have to be honest.
The Flyers have taken care of me and my family for 15 years.
I only played one year with the Flyers. Bobby Clarke, Billy Barber..
They really took good care of me.
I'll never say anything bad about the Flyers, because they've always taken care of me."
- Ian Laperrière
That was all it took for the friendship that had united the two men for so long to break.
On this topic, the former head coach of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms had few words to say.
"Time will tell"
- Ian Laperrière
- Ian Laperrière
WOW!
Ian Laperrière: The Next Coach of the Laval Rocket?
We've talked about the assistant coach position in Montreal, but here's another interesting possibility in case of a departure (to the NHL) for Pascal Vincent!
It has been confirmed recently that the man nicknamed 'Lappy' will now be working with the New York Islanders.
The new professional scout of Mathieu Darche, however, admitted that this is only a temporary position while waiting to get back behind a team's bench.
"I want to keep working as a coach." - Ian Laperrière
Thinking about it, it's quite possible that this next opportunity could happen in Quebec with the Laval Rocket.
Throughout last season, and especially during the AHL playoffs, numerous rumors and speculations linked the head coach of the Canadiens' farm club to an NHL bench.
However, that didn't happen, and Pascal Vincent will return to his position in the coming weeks.
But for how long?
Interest from NHL teams will certainly remain strong - if not even stronger - by the end of next season.
Especially if he manages once again to lead his team to the top of the AHL.
At that point, if he hasn't yet found a position that suits him, Laperrière would be the ideal candidate to replace Vincent.
In four seasons behind the Phantoms' bench, Lappy recorded a 100-120-38 record. He had also spent nine seasons before his AHL appointment behind the Flyers' bench as an assistant.
With this dismissal, the Philadelphia Flyers may very well have given the Montreal Canadiens a great gift - offering them an incredible hockey mind like Ian Laperrière on a silver platter!
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 4 | 602 ANSWERS Former Flyers Member Emerging as Possible Fit for Canadiens Organization Would you like to see Ian Laperrière succeed Pascal Vincent behind the Laval Rocket bench? | ||
| Yes, if he leaves | 433 | 71.9 % |
| No | 169 | 28.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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