Flyers replace arrogance with trust

John Stevens behind the Philadelphia Phantoms bench in AHL
(photo courtesy of: www.comcast-spectator.com)

By now you have read all the stories about Ken Hitchcock's dismissal and Bob Clarke resignation as the Philadelphia Flyers turned their recently crappy world upside down. My last word on Hitch and Clarke is that arrogance never pays in the long run. Hitchcock has been blamed for sticking with the worn-out schemes and strategies, signing dinosaur players long past their primes and inability to get through to the players in almost any other way than raising his voice. As witnessed by Simon Gagne:

"When I had 'Hitch' the first year, it was my fourth year in the league and it felt like my first year, so it was pretty tough. He's very tough, very demanding on you. Sometimes it's very tough to play under that kind of pressure".

While I do not have anything against putting *some* pressure on your players and setting their backsides on fire from time to time, it's been proved scientifically that people you work with (even as well paid as the NHL players) require various stimuli to be most efficient. Fear resulting from coach's arrogance has certainly been administered in large doses in the Flyer locker-room, but I wonder where Hitch would have been now if he had redesigned his attitude towards players in time.

As for Bob Clarke - well, take his comments on the latest "me-against-the world" episode. I'm talking about the Ryan Kesler offer sheet thing. Blaming everybody else for getting on you for your breaking the unwritten (yet observed) rules of conduct in the NHL is an epitome of arrogance.

Enters John Stevens, a former Hitchock's right-hand assistant. And instantly, he brings over trust and belief in his players:

"Stevens already has a natural trust and respect with many of the second- and third-year Flyers from coaching them with the team's American Hockey League affiliate, the Phantoms. Stevens coached the Phantoms to the Calder Cup championship in 2005 with current Flyers center Jeff Carter, goalie Antero Niittymaki and defenseman Freddy Meyer.

"I think there's a fine line between holding people accountable and letting them play," Stevens said".

"Fine line". The mere sound of the phrase, when spoken out loud with a Texan slur, is only a bit different from what the Flyers used to hear from Hitch and Clarke: "Firing line". But it makes a whole world of difference in Philyy these days.

I'm gonna keep my fingers crossed for Stevens' attitude and methods to work in the NHL. Prove Hitch wrong and you're my boy, John!