The Flyers sign coach John Stevens to an extension keeping him under contract for the next three seasons. Flyers had also signed Ken Hitchcock to a three year contract back in 2006 only to fire him about a month later. But I don’t see that happening this time, at least not this season. That’s not to say Stevens won’t be on the hot seat this season, he will be, at least with the fans.

Praised is heaped on Stevens for taking the last place Flyers of 2006 to the Conference Finals in 2007. While I agree that is nothing to sneeze at, we should also remember that 42 of the 48 losses the Flyers suffered in 2006 came while Stevens was behind the bench. Firing of Hitchcock didn’t do any good, for that season. The horrible decisions made at the GM position put the team in a pickle for the 2006 season. Later some great moves at the GM position put the Flyers in the position to make a run for it in 2007.

It was the player’s dislike of Hitchcock that most likely ended his coaching career in Philly. I suspect we won’t see that happen this time around with Stevens’s style of coaching. The players like him, but there are some fans that are not convinced. That nice little 10 game losing streak last season didn’t help.

For me, the jury is still out on Stevens.