Anger, frustration and a healthy (unhealthy?) dose of defensiveness highlighted this morning’s press conference in Philadelphia confirming that head coach Peter Laviolette had been fired and replaced with Craig Berube.
Taking questions from reporters were general manager Paul Holmgren and owner Ed Snider. A few tweets to give you the gist:
"We don't look like a team at all." -- Flyers GM Paul Holmgren, who said he made decision to fire Laviolette last night on the plane.
— Nick Cotsonika (@cotsonika) October 7, 2013
Holmgren called this a "gut feeling" and the Flyers aren't playing well enough to win. Up to Berube to pinpoint problem. Have fun, Craig.
— Nick Cotsonika (@cotsonika) October 7, 2013
Snider: It's Holmgren's job to make these kind of decisions. Holmgren: It's Berube's job to turn the team around.
— Jason Brough 🙁 (@SadClubCommish) October 7, 2013
Berube gets deal from #Flyers for "more than this year," but Holmgren wouldn't say for how long. Not interim coach.
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) October 7, 2013
#Flyers' Holmgren on Berube: "He's a no B.S. kind of guy."
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) October 7, 2013
Snider says this year was "the worst training camp I've seen."
— Dave Isaac (@davegisaac) October 7, 2013
Bottom line, the Flyers need to turn it around. And if you’re Holmgren, they may need to turn it around real soon.
Philadelphia (0-3-0) plays five of its next six at home, starting tomorrow versus Florida against last season’s worst team in the NHL.