Flyers Notes: New coaching staff expects new attitude
After Peter Laviolette was fired Monday, new Flyers coach Craig Berube held a 20-minute meeting with his players at the Wells Fargo Center, demanding that they make changes.
After Peter Laviolette was fired Monday, new Flyers coach Craig Berube held a 20-minute meeting with his players at the Wells Fargo Center, demanding that they make changes.
Berube's message, according to forward Kris Newbury, who had an assist Sunday in his Flyers debut in Carolina: Play for one another. Work harder. Play more of a team game.
"Guys need to be accountable," said Ian Laperriere, who was named one of Berube's assistants. "You know, Lavy lost his job because some guys didn't do their job. That's going to change; that's going to need to change.
"He talked about the attitude that needs to be changed and everybody going to look forward. [Tuesday's] going to be a different step forward."
The Flyers host Florida on Tuesday.
Most of the players declined to comment Monday, saying they preferred to wait until Tuesday.
Newbury, 31, said the players should take responsibility for Laviolette's firing.
"We weren't good enough, and he took the blame for it," he said. "We have to find a way to be better. How we do that starts" Tuesday.
The Flyers have been outworked and outhustled in their last two losses.
"The one thing they can do is play better," Laperriere said. "As a coaching staff, we're going to make sure they do."
Added Laperriere: "Lavy was a great coach in his own way. I don't know if Craig is more strict, but [the climate] is going to change, that's for sure."
Veteran defenseman Hal Gill, who is in his first season with the Flyers, said Berube - an intimidating winger during his playing days - commands respect when he walks into a room. Berube is known as a straight talker who doesn't mince words.
"He's a hard-nosed, tough guy," Gill said. "You know what you're going to get."
Berube becomes the fifth former Flyers player to become their head coach. The others: Paul Holmgren, Terry Murray, Bill Barber and John Stevens.
Vote of confidence
Ed Snider, chairman of the Flyers' parent company, Comcast-Spectacor, said he still believes in Holmgren, his general manager.
"I think Paul did an excellent job over the summer with the three players he brought in," Snider said, referring to Vinny Lecavalier, Mark Streit and Ray Emery. "We had extremely high hopes for those three players and we still do. It remains to be seen if we were right or wrong."
Breakaways
The 0-3 Flyers have a total of three goals - one at even strength - and several players are still searching for their first point, including Claude Giroux, Jake Voracek, Scott Hartnell, Matt Read, Wayne Simmonds, Sean Couturier, and Max Talbot. . . . Florida is 1-1, and its new goalie, Tim Thomas, has a 4.20 goals-against average and a .873 save percentage in two games. . . . Flyers goalie Steve Mason (2.54 GAA, .915 save percentage) is coming off a solid performance in Sunday's 2-1 loss in Carolina.