As the Flyers search for a new head coach, we’re looking at potential candidates to fill the vacancy.
“Communication and teaching are probably two things that will be at the forefront of our next coach,” general manager Danny Briere said April 19 at his end-of-the-season press conference. “When you have a young team in place, I really think those two attributes are extremely important.”
We’ve profiled Mike Sullivan (hired by the Rangers), Rick Tocchet and Pat Ferschweiler. Next up in our series is Brad Shaw, who went 5-3-1 as the Flyers’ interim head coach.
Why Shaw would be a fit
The 61-year-old already has great continuity with the Flyers’ roster. Players have spoken highly of Shaw and he has done good work in his three seasons on the team’s staff.
Under former head coach John Tortorella, Shaw was in charge of the back end and penalty kill. A number of the Flyers’ defensemen have grown through Shaw’s time here, while the team’s penalty kill was a top-five unit in 2023-24 and scored a league-leading 16 shorthanded goals.
“He has meant so much to my game personally,” Travis Sanheim said a little over two weeks ago. “I think a lot of guys on the D core could probably say the same thing. We don’t know what’s going to happen, time will tell. In saying that, I’m just super thankful for where he has taken my game and I really enjoyed my time working with him, so it would obviously be a disappointment if I didn’t get to continue that.
“I think we built a really good relationship, us two. I feel like we can talk to each other about anything and kind of go over certain things — how I see it, how he sees it, have disagreements. I might see something differently than he sees it and that’s kind of what makes him a better coach and me a better player.”
In Shaw’s nine games as the interim head coach, the Flyers definitely played freer. Part of that could have been because of the standings, but the Flyers scored 3.89 goals per game under Shaw. They scored six or more three times with Shaw. In the 73 games prior, the Flyers had scored six or more four times.
Shaw has over 20 seasons of NHL experience as an assistant coach. He checks off the box of teacher and it doesn’t hurt that he knows what it’s like to coach in Philadelphia.
“It has only been three years, but I love my time here,” Shaw said last month. “It’s a unique city. I love the inherent pressure the fans put on you. I’ve never been booed more in three years in my life, but I think it’s good. I think it’s an extra indicator of what the fans think.”
Why Shaw would not be a fit
The obvious knock on Shaw’s candidacy is that he has never been a full-time head coach at the NHL level. His other interim role was with the Islanders for 40 games in 2005-06.
He’s such a good players’ coach, but will he have enough of that demanding style? It’s often the biggest question for assistants trying to make the transition to a head coaching job.
While the Flyers put up goals under Shaw, they did allow them, too. They surrendered 3.56 per game and were outshot five times. With the circumstances, it was a tough spot for Shaw to implement any significant changes.
Shaw was Tortorella’s right-hand man for five seasons with the Blue Jackets and three in Philadelphia. Making their first head coaching hire, it’s possible Briere and president of hockey operations Keith Jones will want to put an imprint on things by bringing in their own guy.
If Shaw doesn’t get the job, he said he’d be interested in returning with his assistant role. The interest could be mutual from the Flyers’ side, but that ultimately might be up to the next head coach.
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