The Flyers have fired longtime Swedish scout Inge Hammarström, according to several
reports in the Swedish press.
Hammarström, best known for being the scout who pushed for the Flyers to select Peter Forsberg sixth overall in the 1991 draft, had been a Flyers scout for the last 20 years.
"They wanted to have a new voice," Hammarström told the Gävle Nyhetsbyrå. "I got the news the day before the draft began in Ottawa. We had discussed an extension but it came out that they wanted to have a new voice and therefore we've agreed to go our separate ways. ...You have to accept that they wanted someone new and younger."
Hammarström, who turned 60 in January, says that he does not yet intend to retire. He has received a couple inquiries from other NHL teams.
During Hammarström's NHL playing career, he broke in with the Toronto Maple Leafs along with Hall of Fame defenseman Börje Salming. After four-plus seasons in Toronto, he finished up his NHL career with St. Louis Blues before returning to Sweden.
In 1991, most draft projections had Forsberg going late in the first round or early in the second. The Hockey News ranked Forsberg 23rd overall, one spot behind the "legendary" Mike Pomichter. Hammarström, who rarely got fixated on any one player, advocated strongly for Forsberg to then-GM Russ Farwell.
Among others, Hammarström did much of the scouting work that eventually led to the Flyers' selection of Mikael Renberg (40th overall in 1990) and Janne Niinimaa (36th overall in 1993).
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There's an unconfirmed report that enforcer Riley Cote and the Flyers have agreed to a three-year contract worth about $566,000 per season against the cap ($1.7 million in all). He earned $500,000 last season.
I am trying to get official confirmation or denial.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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