By Sam Bush
Now we know who Flyers general manager is holding accountable for the team missing the playoffs for the second season in the last three.
The Flyers on Friday fired coach Craig Berube after two seasons.
Berube got the Flyers into the Stanley Cup Playoffs in his first season, but they finished 14 points out of a playoff spot this season.
In meeting with reporters Wednesday, Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said he would take his time in making a decision on whether to retain Berube or not.
“I wanted to make the right decision,” Hextall said Friday. “I put all the facts together, but in the end, you go with your gut.”
The search to find Berube’s replacement will now begin.
“I would like to have a guy in place by the draft. That’s the goal,” Hextall said. “But we’re going to do our due diligence.”
Berube had a record of 75-58-28. He had been promoted from assistant coach to replace Peter Laviolette on Oct. 7, 2013, three games into the 2013-14 season. He guided the Flyers to a third-place finish in the Metropolitan Division, but they lost in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round to the New York Rangers.
This season the Flyers started slowly, winning one of their first six games (1-3-2) and finished sixth in the division. They went on a strong run in January and February and were 15 seconds from pulling within two points of the Boston Bruins for the second wild card from the Eastern Conference on March 7 but lost 3-2 to the Bruins in overtime. They finished the season 5-6-5.
Prior to being named coach, Berube spent six seasons as an assistant coach, working under John Stevens and Laviolette. Berube started his NHL playing career with the Flyers, playing seven of his 17 seasons with them in two stints.
