TUESDAY QUICK HITS
* Earlier today, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced several front office changes, including the firing of Dave Poulin as vice president of hockey operations (a post he held since 2009) and as general manager of the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies; a Calder Cup semifinalist in 2013-14. Hockey is a tough business and it is never pleasant to hear about someone you like and admire losing his job.
With the recent changes in the Flyers' front office, general manager Ron Hextall's former position as assistant general manager is still vacant. Could there be a good mutual fit between the Flyers and Poulin? He is an experienced and sharp hockey man in addition to having a mind for business. Poulin is also one of the classiest people in all of sports -- not just hockey -- and his character is beyond reproach.
Although Poulin and Hextall were teammates as players, this would not be a case of "recycling another former Flyers player." Poulin has been out of the organization since being traded in 1990. In the last 24 years, he's had a lengthy stint as head coach of Notre Dame, a stretch working in the University's athletic department, did some private sector work and bird dog NHL scouting and, finally, spent five years in hockey operations with the Maple Leafs.
As a player, Poulin was arguably the best captain in Flyers history after Bobby Clarke. There has scarcely been a more
universally respected leader in franchise history. He's bright, articulate and understands the game from all angles. Poulin also has a management and marketing background from his academic and work experience. In fact, if Paul Holmgren had not been moved up to Flyers' club president, I'd have said Poulin would have been the ideal candidate for that post.
I have no idea if the Flyers will target Poulin to become an assistant general manager (and possibly the GM of the newly relocated Lehigh Valley Phantoms). What I do know is that if I were Hextall, I'd be making the call to Poulin to gauge his interest. I also know that whatever next career step he takes, Dave Poulin will be just fine.
* Alumnus Birthday: Defenseman Gord Hynes turns 48. Signed by the Flyers as a free agent in the summer of 1992, Hynes dressed in 37 games for the Flyers during the 1992-93 season. The offensive-minded blueliner chipped in three goals and seven points for Bill Dineen's team. After spending a few years in the defunct International Hockey League, Hynes headed overseas and enjoyed a lengthy and productive stint in Germany's DEL. While with Adler Mannheim, the veteran was sometimes paired with a young Dennis Seidenberg, who was drafted by the Flyers in the sixth round of the 2001 NHL Draft.
* Today in Flyers history: On this date in 1974, the Flyers signed head coach Fred Shero to a three-year contract extension. After the Flyers won their first Stanley Cup in 1974, head coach Shero publicly claimed he was thinking of quitting hockey and going to law school instead. Flyers general manager Keith Allen (who was already used to such things from his brilliant but eccentric coach) knew that Shero had no intention of doing any such thing. Instead, Shero attended a coach's clinic in the USSR and then returned home to sign his new contract.
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