Jones, Flyers TV analyst, hired as president of hockey operations

Keith Jones was hired as president of hockey operations for the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.

Jones had been a hockey analyst for the past 23 years on Flyers television broadcasts and worked NHL games for Turner Sports since last season.

The 54-year-old played the final three of his nine NHL seasons (1998-2001) as a forward for Philadelphia. It will be his first time working in an NHL front office.

"I would like to thank (Flyers governor) Dan Hilferty for this opportunity and confidence in me," Jones said. "Today is one of the most humble and proudest days of my life. 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."

The Flyers also made Daniel Briere the general manager, removing the interim tag. Briere had been interim GM since March 10, when Chuck Fletcher was fired as GM and president of hockey operations.

Briere will be responsible for all hockey decisions. Jones will lead the strategic direction for the hockey operations department while collaborating on business goals.

"To say that this has been a dream of mine would be an understatement," Briere said. "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. I truly believe this is an exciting time for the Flyers with the steps that we've taken this past season, the way our team has responded to the standard that was set both on and off the ice, and the path that we are on. There is a lot of work to be done, but these last few months have only strengthened my resolve and made me even more eager to rebuild this team and deliver this city a Stanley Cup."

The Flyers had said when Fletcher was fired that a new structure of the front office would include separate roles for the president of hockey operations and GM.

Hilferty said Jones, Briere and coach John Tortorella give the Flyers a winning management team.

"After an extensive process conducted by Valerie Camillo, president and CEO of Spectacor Sports & Entertainment, talented advisors including Modern Executive Solutions and me, our search for a new president of hockey operations ended with Keith Jones," Hilferty said in a statement. "It was critical to find someone who would complement coach Tortorella and Danny in their roles while overseeing the strategic direction of the team. As a former player whose career concluded in Philadelphia, 'Jonesy' understands the value of creating chemistry and enabling leadership within a team. He has extensive experience analyzing and evaluating talent, and knows firsthand how important collaboration is on and off ice, a key factor for us moving forward.

"I have full confidence that both Keith and Danny, together with coach Tortorella, Valerie and me, are the right leadership team to guide the Philadelphia Flyers. We are unanimously committed to rebuilding and sustaining a winning culture, and doing it the right way."

The Flyers (31-38-13) missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third straight season, finishing 17 points behind the Florida Panthers for the second wild card from the Eastern Conference.

Philadelphia could have as many as nine picks in the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft on June 28 and 29 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, starting with No. 7 in the first round.

There also could be significant changes to the roster after the Flyers moved younger players like forwards Morgan Frost, 23, Owen Tippett, 24, and Noah Cates, 24, into more prominent roles last season, ahead of veterans James van Riemsdyk, 34, and Kevin Hayes, 31.

Van Riemsdyk, who can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, said April 14 that he hadn't had any conversations with the Flyers about a new contract. Hayes, who has three seasons remaining on a seven-year, $49.98 million contract ($7.14 million average annual value), said that he's "picked up the message" about the need for changes.

"Younger guys are playing, [and] I don't know if they want a guy that's making the money that I'm making playing nine, 10 minutes a night," he said. "I don't make those decisions, they do."

Decisions also have to be made regarding forward Brendan Lemieux, 27, who can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, as well as pending restricted free agents Cates, Frost, and defenseman Cam York, 22.