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Snider: Flyers camp ‘was one of the worst training camps I had ever seen’

Flyers Practice Hockey

Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider talks during a news conference as the NHL hockey team practiced in Voorhees, N.J., on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013. The Flyers open their season at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. (AP Photo/Philadelphia Daily News, David Maialetti) THE EVENING BULLETIN OUT TV OUT MAGS OUT NO SALES

AP

Hours after Peter Laviolette was fired as Philadelphia’s head coach, owner Ed Snider said the dismissal wasn’t just about the club’s winless start to the season.

“I thought our training camp, quite frankly, was one of the worst training camps I had ever seen,” Snider told CSN Philadelphia.

“Not talking about wins or losses. There was nothing exciting. Nobody shined. Nobody looked good. I couldn’t point to one thing as a positive and I was personally worried. Unfortunately, my worries were realized in the first three games.”

The Flyers went 1-5-1 during the preseason, scoring just 16 goals. That offensive ineptitude carried over to the regular season, as Philly has just three goals over its first three games and went a staggering 143:01 without an even-strength tally.

How much of this has to do with Laviolette remains to be seen. Much of the blame for the team’s lack of cohesion is being placed at the feet of GM Paul Holmgren, who has overturned the roster significantly since Laviolette took the Flyers to the 2010 Stanley Cup final.

That said, Laviolette did reportedly lose the room. Here’s more, from ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun:

I do know [new head coach Craig] Berube is beloved by the players and I think that’s where it has to start, re-establishing a trusting relationship between the players and the coach.

A source told me Monday morning that Laviolette and the players were no longer on the same page, and that’s not shocking when you saw how they played in the opening three games.

The players seemed to be waiting for the coach to be fired. It makes you wonder why the Flyers didn’t make this change last spring, after the Flyers missed the playoffs.

Snider also added the team looked “disorganized” under Laviolette.