Flyers Coaching Candidate: Peter DeBoer

The Flyers head coaching search continues and, as far as we know, there have not been an interviews with any candidates. Nobody has been announced as having any meetings with team personnel. Now, it could be that there might be someone on a Stanley Cup contending team that the Orange and Black have their sights on.

But just recently, a new potential candidate has emerged. The Vegas Golden Knights have fired head coach Peter DeBoer after parts of three seasons and after the first season in franchise history that the team failed to make the playoffs. Is he the right man for the job or should he be avoided?

The 53 year old DeBoer got his first NHL gig as head coach of the Florida Panthers in 2008-09. He lasted three years as head coach as Florida failed to make the playoffs in each season he helmed the club.

He wouldn’t stay unemployed long as he was immediately tagged by the New Jersey Devils. In his first season, he took the Devils to the Stanley Cup finals in what would be Martin Brodeur’s last playoff run with the club. Jersey would be bested in six games and would not return to the playoffs under DeBoer. He would be fired in the middle of fourth season.

That offseason, he would be picked up by San Jose. In a case of déjà vu, the Sharks made a Stanley Cup finals run in his first year, before falling to the Penguins in six games. The Sharks would make the playoffs in each of the next three seasons, but would fall short of expectations. After 33 games of his fifth season, he was dismissed by the Sharks.

And immediately he was named head coach of the Golden Knights later that week. He would take Vegas to the conference semifinals in both of his first two years there. Then, as stated above, as the Golden Knights failed to make the playoffs, he would fail to retain his job.

Why He Should Be The Flyers Next Coach 

He has this amazing ability to turn a team around really quickly and take them to the Stanley Cup or Conference Finals in his first season (except Florida). In San Jose and in Vegas, his teams were powerhouses and always considered strong contenders. He was able to take solid veterans and mix them with young players and create a good winning teams.

Why He Shouldn’t Be The Flyers Next Coach 

And yet, despite all of this, he doesn’t last long in the NHL at one spot. To be fair, a lot of teams pull the trigger way too soon when the club is on the verge of success. I have a feeling that something else happened in Vegas.

It would appear, from the outside at least, that he lost the locker room. I would venture a guess that the same thing happened in San Jose. Unless the team just wanted a change of direction, it is rare for a club, let alone multiple clubs, to fire someone who was that close to winning.

Final Verdict

If the Flyers were to do their due diligence on him, they would find out the truth of what happened in San Jose and in Vegas. DeBoer is an accomplished coach and if the Flyers would sign him on as coach, that would be a good move.

And the well documented rivalry between DeBoer and Coach Gerard Gallant of the Rangers (from DeBoer’s days in San Jose), would make that rivalry between Broad Street and Broadway that much more fun.

"However, his career smells a lot like Alain Vigneault. The accolades may be there, but I’d be very cautious. There is a reason teams sour on him rather quickly. That sends up a LOT of red flags. We don’t need a rehash of what we’ve been through.  It would probably be a better move to pass on this one."