The Philadelphia Flyers are turning to Keith Jones to be the team’s new president of hockey operations. Jones will replace former Flyers president and general manager Chuck Fletcher, who was fired by the franchise earlier this year.
Jones, 54, played nine NHL seasons in which he tallied 117 goals and 141 assists in 491 career games as a member of the Flyers, Colorado Avalanche and Washington Capitals. Since retiring in 2000, Jones has spent time as a broadcaster for the Flyers telecasts on NBC Sports Philadelphia, as well as national broadcasts on NBC and TNT.
“Today is one of the most humble and proudest days of my life,” Jones said in a press release. “To be able to lead this team back to the winning tradition that everyone knows it can, and should be, is a true honor and one that I do not take lightly. I consider the Philadelphia Flyers organization the gold standard of the NHL and professional sports. I’ve seen how this city and these fans can rally around their team and there is nothing that compares to that feeling.
“With this leadership group in place, I am beyond excited and fully confident that we are on the right path and the results will come.”
In addition hiring Jones, the Flyers also officially named Daniel Briere as the team’s general manager and removed the interim tag.
During his three seasons in Philadelphia, Jones recorded 27 goals and 47 assists in 131 games with the team. Jones was forced to retire on Nov. 21, 2000 due to a knee injury after playing the final three seasons of his career with the Flyers.
“To say that this has been a dream of mine would be an understatement,” Briere added. “I’ve dedicated my life to the sport of hockey and to be given this opportunity with the confidence from Dan Hilferty and the leadership group, in a city that means so much to me, words cannot describe my excitement.”
The Flyers are coming off of a 2022-23 season in which they accumulated a 31-38-13 record (75 points) and finished in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division.
