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Alain Vigneault can take Philadelphia Flyers to next level

By Alex Hoegler

MONTREAL, QC - APRIL 12: Head coach of the New York Rangers Alain Vigneault speaks to the media prior to Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round between the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre on April 12, 2017 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - APRIL 12: Head coach of the New York Rangers Alain Vigneault speaks to the media prior to Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round between the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre on April 12, 2017 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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In hiring Alain Vigneault as their new head coach, the Philadelphia Flyers are primed to become a true Stanley Cup contender again.

In one of his first big moves as general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers, general manager Chuck Fletcher hired Alain Vigneault as his new head coach on Monday.

The Flyers decided not to retain interim head coach Scott Gordon, who took over for Dave Hakstol (fired in December), for the final 51 games of the 2018-19 season. Instead, Fletcher couldn’t pass up on the chance to hire one of the most accomplished and respected head coaches of the past decade.

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Vigneault coached the Montreal Canadiens for four seasons (1997-98 to 2000-01). His next gig came with the Vancouver Canucks, which started up in 2006-07. Vigneault was behind the bench for seven seasons there, leading his team to six playoff appearances, two Presidents’ Trophies and a berth in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final.

After being let go by the Canucks, Vigneault was hired by the New York Rangers. He spent five years on Broadway and compiled a 226-147-37 record. That included four playoff berths and a trip to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.

The resume of Vigneault speaks for itself, and the Flyers are receiving one of the most brilliant hockey minds to come around over the past two decades. There will finally be some coaching stability in Philly and Vigneault should make the most of a talented but consistently underachieving roster.

The Flyers have been one of the NHL’s worst defensive teams for several years now. Fortunately, Vigneault-coached teams have consistently been among the league’s stingiest units.

Under Vigneault, the Canucks finished in the top 10 fewest goals allowed five times. In his first year with the Rangers, Vigneault saw his team allow the fourth-fewest goals (193). They finished third in that category in 2014-15. And this is a coach who has never had a Norris Trophy-caliber defenceman to work with.

Vigneault should be able to implement a system that will help out young goalie Carter Hart, who went 16-13-1 with a .917 save percentage in his first season. Hart had to stand on his head every game, but the Flyers will be more structured under Vigneault. He simply won’t have to play out of his mind every night to give this team a chance.

When Vigneault joined the Canucks and Rangers in 2006-07 and 2013-14, respectively, he was joining two extremely talented teams that just weren’t reaching their full potentials. It’s a similar case here in Philly.

Perennial All-Star Claude Giroux led the team with 85 points in 2018-19, followed by Sean Couturier (33 goals, 76 points), Jakub Voracek (20 goals, 66 points), Travis Konecny (24 goals, 49 points), and James van Riemsdyk (27 goals, 48 points).

Young center Nolan Patrick and stud blueliner Ivan Provorov should be ready for bigger roles and more responsibilities under Vigneault, too. In short, the new Philly head coach has so much young and veteran talent to work with. And he’ll certainly make the most of it.

Dave Hakstol and Craig Berube, the two previous coaches to Gordon, were never held bench boss jobs in the NHL before Philly hired them. And yet, both Hakstol and Berube took their the Flyers to the playoffs.

Well, just imagine what Vigneault can do with an insanely talented team now. You can make a case that this Flyers core is better than the ones he inherited in Vancouver and New York some years ago.

The Flyers haven’t won a playoff series since 2012, and they haven’t gotten past the second round since 2010. But with Vigneault leading the way, everything is in place for this team to compete for Stanley Cups on an annual basis.

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Vigneault will bring the necessary system and structural changes in Philly. He’ll clean up their problems on defense, all while maximizing the production of his top veterans and youngsters. That, ladies and gentlemen, is why the Flyers hit a home run in hiring the 2007 Jack Adams winner.

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