Chuck Fletcher, according to Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer, will be named the next general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Fletcher replaces Ron Hextall, who was fired in a shocking move last week.
Flyers Hire Chuck Fletcher As General Manager
The 51-year-old Fletcher was working for the New Jersey Devils as an adviser this season after being fired as general manager of the Minnesota Wild earlier this year.
The team got permission to speak with Fletcher Wednesday and held a formal interview Thursday. He is expected to be formally introduced as the next GM in a press conference Wednesday.
Fletcher’s time with the Wild
Prior to his tenure there, the Wild had finished higher than third place in the division only twice in the franchise’s first eight seasons. Once Fletcher got them back to the playoffs (which took three years to do) they have stayed ever since.
Fletcher may be best known for signing Ryan Suter and Zack Parise to matching 13-year, $98 million deals in free agency back in 2012. Flyers president Paul Holmgren, who was the driving force behind hiring Fletcher, was certainly in line with that decision. He reportedly offered both of them 12-year pacts when he was general manager of the Flyers that same July.
Analysis
The Flyers wanted to change and they made a big move towards that notion by firing Ron Hextall last week. What this new regime change will encompass is yet to be determined.
There was talk that Hextall and the Flyers’ brass had differing opinions and that led to his firing. At this point, no one’s job is safe in Philly. Fans might want to keep an eye on how the team along with Fletcher handle the coaching situation.
Main photo:
