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UPDATE 11:30 a.m. EDT
The Flyers will retain all three current assistant coaches next season, per a release from the team. The organization still needs to hire a new goaltending coach and may add an additional assistant, either on the bench or as the eye in the sky.
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MELTZER'S MUSINGS: JUNE 19, 2015
1) When all was said and done, the Philadelphia Flyers did not offer an assistant coaching position to Terry Murray to serve under new head coach Dave Hakstol. On Thursday, the former Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms coach accepted an assistant coach job with the Buffalo Sabres, where his nephew, Tim Murray, is the general manager and Dan Bylsma, formerly of the Pittsburgh Penguins, is the new head coach.
Murray, 64, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he had a recent five-hour meeting with Hakstol. Although Murray characterized the meeting as highly enjoyable and productive, no job offer was forthcoming from the Flyers nor were there any follow-up meetings. While Murray is understandably excited about the opportunity to be part of the Sabres' rebuild around young talent, he also said he would have stayed put if offered the job in Philadelphia.
It is unknown -- and a moot point now -- whether Hakstol and Flyers general manager Ron Hextall ultimately decided that Murray would not be the right fit or simply wanted to wait to inform each individual candidate until all staffing decisions had been made on the incumbent assistants and new hires (outside of a new goaltending coach, which also has to be officially announced and will be almost exclusively Hextall's decision).
On the surface, at least, Murray would have seemed to be the ideal bench assistant for Hakstol. Not only did he have a wealth of professional head and assistant coaching experience to offer and a reputation for being one of the sport's best teachers of structure, but he also had a firm grasp on the current player personnel at both the NHL and AHL levels.
During a previous assistant coaching tenure with the Flyers, Murray earned rave reviews for the skilled and personal agenda-free support he offered to then-inexperienced Flyers head coach John Stevens at practice, in chalk-talk sessions and also behind the scenes. That is not always the case with assistants, especially former NHL head coaches who accept assistant coaching roles. Murray's professionalism and integrity are beyond reproach. He would not have used the post as a surreptitious way to campaign for the head coach's job.
With Murray, what you see is what you get. He is soft-spoken and gentlemanly but very direct. Ask him a question and he will give an honest answer. He is not one given to fiery motivational speeches but holds players to a high standard of expectations both in performance and professionalism. He also does not accept excuses and alibis.
One of the knocks on Murray over the years has been that he can be a bit aloof in individual communications with players and, accordingly, may not have his finger on the pulse of the team.
However, this criticism has always seemed a bit unfair. The greatest coach in Flyers' history, Fred Shero, barely spoke to most of his players on a one-to-one basis. The bottom line is that if a player is honest with himself, he can usually figure out why he is or isn't getting the playing time and role he craves.
Secondly, Murray does know how and when to initiate communications without being obtrusive. He asks questions when pertinent, expects a straight answer and makes decisions accordingly. This where players have a role in building mutual trust.
For instance, Phantoms' starting goaltender Rob Zepp recently said that Murray checked in with him at various junctures of the season on topics such as how he was holding up with his workload and the schedule after coming back to North American pro hockey after many years of playing in Europe. Murray was satisfied with the answers he got, and that's part of the reason why Zepp made a lot of back-to-back starts and even three-in-threes.
Murray's knowledge and teaching acumen should be a solid asset to Bylsma as the Sabres build around a very young and inexperienced roster. Meanwhile, there are many other good coaches out there for the Flyers to fill the "experienced NHL coaching advisor" assistant role for Hakstol; just none who could have brought instant familiarity with the current Flyers organization that Murray would have.
2) Hextall is slated to have a previously scheduled media availability session on Friday at the Skate Zone. The primary topic is supposed to be about the upcoming NHL Draft but the floor will be open for a variety of other questions.
In issuing a statement wishing Murray all the best in Buffalo and expressing gratitude for his service both the Phantoms and Flyers, Hextall said he would also address the topic of searching for a new Phantoms' head coach. No doubt, the topic of Flyers' assistants will also arise.
It has now been a month since the Flyers announced the hiring of Hakstol as the new head coach. As promised, Hakstol and Hextall have taken their time about assembling an assistant coaching staff.
The process undoubtedly included meetings with Ian Laperriere, Joe Mullen and Gord Murphy before any possible outside candidates were contacted. There needed to be internal discussions about the exact number of assistants to carry and whether the team should have an additional assistant on the bench or as an "eye in the sky." There probably was also talk about what the work flow might look like for Hakstol and his assistants. For instance, part of the job in today's game is working in conjunction with video guru Adam Patterson and analytics director Ian Anderson.
These things take time to discuss properly and thoroughly. However, things have reached the point where the current assistants -- if not already contacted about decisions that have not yet been publicly announced -- deserve to know whether they will be retained for next season, let go entirely or offered another position in the organization.
3) If Murray was not considered the right fit for whatever reason, I do not know if the Flyers would have interest in bringing back either Craig Ramsay or Keith Acton. Both were both let go recently as Edmonton Oilers assistants.
The gentler Ramsay has long been considered one of the game's top assistant coaches -- some say he's better suited to that role than a head coach spot -- but may not be considered a good fit in the direction Hextall wants to go. The more fiery Acton has been an NHL assistant coach for the last 21 years, including a four-season stint with the Flyers in the mid-1990s after his retirement as a player.
4) Along with being thrilled for Kimmo Timonen to win a Stanley Cup before he retired as a player, it is equally gratifying to see former Flyers captain and current Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach Kevin Dineen at long last get his name on the trophy after never winning it as a player or coach. Similar to the Howe family, the Dineens have always been fierce on-ice competitiors and tremendous human beings away from the ice.
Dineen would only leave Chicago for a head coaching opportunity and not a parallel position in another organization. The Hawks' championship will be a resumé booster for Dineen but the only short-term downside -- a trade-off Dineen no doubt made with glee -- was that the Stanley Cup playoffs ended too late for him to potentially interview for open head coaching slots. Eventually, the former Florida Panthers bench boss will get another head coaching gig in the NHL. It's just a matter of time.