Flyers hire Keith Jones as president, make Briere full-time GM
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia Flyers have rounded out their front office. The Flyers on Thursday named former player and TV analyst Keith Jones as their president of hockey operations.
The Flyers also removed the interim tag from Danny Briere, making him their full-time general manager.
"Today marks a new era for the Philadelphia Flyers. This is a storied franchise with the most passionate fans in the National Hockey League," Comcast Spectacor CEO and Flyers governor Dan Hilferty said in a statement. "Our ultimate goal is to deliver them a championship. Achieving that goal will take time. We intend to honor the incredible history of the Orange and Black while paving a fresh path forward. That starts by creating a winning culture throughout the organization."
The Flyers said Jones will lead the strategic direction for the departments and collaborate on business goals, while Briere will be in charge of all hockey personnel decisions such as trades, signing and the draft.
Jones is a familiar face in Philadelphia.
The 54-year-old played for the Flyers from 1998 to 2001 and served as the color commentator and analyst for the local TV broadcast for the past two-plus decades. He also was a co-host on 94 WIP's Morning Show from 2002 to 2023.
"I would like to thank Dan Hilferty for this opportunity and confidence in me. Today is one of the most humble and proudest days of my life," Jones said in a statement. "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."
Shortly before announcing the hires, the Flyers posted on social media a new slogan: "Welcome to a new era of orange."
"The Philadelphia Flyers organization was built on relentless ambition and loyalty to this city. When you're playing for Philadelphia, you're playing to win and you're giving it your all," a statement posted on Twitter said, in part. "That's the bottom line, because when you represent this city, nothing less is acceptable. That extends beyond the ice, too. It's about character, sacrifice, integrity, and most importantly, resilience in every single thing we do."
Briere has served as the interim GM since the Flyers fired Chuck Fletcher on March 10.
When the Flyers fired Fletcher, then-chairman Dave Scott said the organization was restructuring its hockey operations department by separating the president and GM positions. Scott has since retired.
Hilferty took over as the team's governor.
The Flyers are in the middle of a rebuild and claim they realize they know it'll be a multi-year process.
Philadelphia has nine picks in June's NHL draft. The Flyers will select seventh overall in the first round.
The Flyers will introduce Jones and Briere during a press conference at 11:30 a.m. Friday.
