Everyone knows the Flyers need a new power play coach.
It's a big decision considering the club has sported an NHL-worst 13.7 power play percentage over the last four seasons combined.
But don't forget the Flyers also need to replace a pretty valuable guy in Brad Shaw. That hole shouldn't be overlooked because the 61-year-old did good work coaching the Flyers' penalty kill and defensemen.
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SIGN UP HERE "If teams reach out to us," Danny Briere said, "he's going to get a really positive review from our end."
The Flyers' general manager sat alongside his new head coach Friday as Rick Tocchet was introduced in a press conference at the Wells Fargo Center. Shaw was up for the full-time job after going 5-3-1 in the interim role. The associate coach took over for John Tortorella, who was fired with three weeks left in the season.
"With Brad, you all know, he was in the running, he was strongly considered all the way to the end," Briere said. "It was tough, he did a good job. We had the chance to get Rick Tocchet. It's nothing against Brad Shaw. It was just we felt Rick Tocchet checked all the boxes for us."
Not a ton of assistants survive head coaching changes. The next bench boss typically looks to bring in his own staff. Shaw decided against trying to vie for his previous role on the Flyers' staff, parting ways with the club Thursday.
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A number of the Flyers' defensemen improved with Shaw's guidance, while the team's penalty kill was a top-five unit in 2023-24 and scored an NHL-leading 16 shorthanded goals.
"We're really appreciative of what Brad has done, he has helped a lot of our young guys, on defense especially, and he was considered," Briere said. "He called me yesterday and said he didn't feel like he could fully invest himself going through the process again to see if he would be a part of the staff moving forward. I totally understand and respect that, and we wish him the best."
Three and a half weeks ago, the Flyers moved on from three assistants, including power play coach Rocky Thompson. Briere said hiring a new staff for Tocchet will be a team effort.
"Everything's going to be a collaboration, that's how we've worked, always," the GM said. "It's not going to change. He's the same way. Same approach is going to apply here."
The Flyers' power play operated at a league-worst 14.1 percent in Thompson's three seasons. The issues preceded his arrival as the Flyers owned a league-worst 12.6 mark the season before he was hired. But inevitably, Thompson felt heat for the numbers not changing much under his watch.
"We've got some things we're looking at, I think it's important that we do this properly," Tocchet said of finding a coach. "The power play's a sore point, and I get it, it's something that we're going to have to dive into. I have some thoughts on it and there are some really good people out there that we'll take a look at."
The club's talented rookie Matvei Michkov and its leading scorer Travis Konecny combined for 16 power play goals this season. The rest of the Flyers' roster combined for 16.
"There are some guys I think on this team that we can unleash," Tocchet said. "Because there are some guys here that have offensive minds and we've got to let these guys be creative out there with the power play. Just like anything — a good PK, power play, 5-on-5 — you've got to have all the elements to be a good hockey team. We'll dive into that as the days go on."