Peter Laviolette Named New Flyers Coach; Longtime Carolina Assistant Kevin McCarthy Leaves Hurricanes To Join Him
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 4, 2009 9:35 PM EST
78 comments
When Glen Wesley hung up his skates after the 2007-08 season, many lamented the end of the bridge he represented from Hartford to Raleigh. But with associate coach Kevin McCarthy leaving Carolina Friday, the final ice-level transitional link to the Whalers era came to an end.
McCarthy, this his 18th straight season with the franchise and 12th as a coach, is joining ex-Carolina bench boss and new Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette in Philadelphia, where the two will look to rekindle the magic that helped lead the 2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup.
McCarthy returns to the city where he began and later finished his NHL career as a defenseman. He played two years with the Flyers starting in 1977 before going to Vancouver, only to later return to the City of Brotherly Love for the 1985-86 season. He played just six games with the Flyers the next two years, spending most of his time with Flyers' AHL affiliate in Hershey.
He played one final season in Hershey in 1987-88, then joined the Bears coaching staff the following season. He served as Hershey's head coach in 1989-90, then spent two years in an executive scouting role before joining the Hartford Whalers as an assistant coach. He served four years as head coach for the Hartford/Carolina AHL affiliate, leading the Springfield Falcons and then New Haven Beast for two seasons each from 1995 to 1999. He joined the Carolina coaching staff for the 1999-2000 season, and has been an NHL assistant/associate coach in Raleigh for the past decade.
But McCarthy's role changed following Laviolette's dismissal as the Hurricanes head coach last season. With Ron Francis — who, like Wesley, is associated with the franchise's days in Hartford, but also did not have as long a tenure as McCarthy — joining fellow assistant Tom Rowe and returning head coach Paul Maurice on the bench, McCarthy was moved upstairs into the press box, serving as the Canes' "eye in the sky" — and voice in the ear of Francis. In joining Laviolette — who replaces John Stevens, himself a longtime member of one organization —McCarthy will return to ice level, replacing Flyers assistant Jack McIlhargey.
"We would like to thank Kevin for his contributions and time with the franchise, and again thank Peter for helping the team to the Stanley Cup," Hurricanes president and general manager Jim Rutherford said in a press release. "I am happy that Kevin has been given an opportunity to rejoin both Peter and his good friend [Flyers GM] Paul Holmgren in Philadelphia."
As for Laviolette, his return to coaching comes one year and one day after he was dismissed by the Hurricanes. Carolina gave Philadelphia permission to speak to Laviolette, who still had more than a year and a half remaining on the five-year contract he received following Carolina's Stanley Cup title in 2006.
Holmgren — who has played with, coached and coached aside McCarthy in Philadelphia and Hartford over the past 30 years — made the move to replace Stevens with the Flyers in a six-losses-in-seven-games skid.
"Peter Laviolette brings experience along with a different approach to the game," Holmgren is quoted as saying on the Flyers' official site. "We look forward to him putting his stamp on the team quickly and getting our team headed in the right direction."
Laviolette, who has been mentioned for nearly every coaching vacancy over the past year, was excited to finally get his chance to return to an NHL bench.
"Obviously this is a great opportunity. I am really excited," Laviolette said in the same article. "The Flyers are an organization that has a lot of tradition and a lot of history. This is just an exciting time for me and my family and we are really looking forward to it."
It is Laviolette's third head coaching stop. Prior to coaching Carolina, he was the Islanders' head coach for two seasons in 2001-02 and 2002-03. He replaced Maurice during the 2003-04 season, then was himself replaced by Maurice last year after Carolina continued their post-Cup mediocrity.
The Canes will host the Flyers Dec. 26 at the RBC Center.
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Good for Peter! And I’m not going to have to dry any tears that Kevin went with him… I greatly dislike the Flyers, but I hope Peter has a good time there. I’m not sure we win the cup without him… Best of luck in the future Lavi!
Good for Peter and Kevin! And sucks to be JR
All above is my personal opinion.
Thanks,
Andy_S
by Andy_S on Dec 4, 2009 11:19 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
They have one less coach. Coaches contracts are not openly disclosed. I assume Laviolette gets the balance of what he is owed (ie, he made, say, $3M/year with Canes, is getting $2M Philly, Canes on the hook for $1M until the end of his contract — all prorated, since it’s the middle of the season)
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 4, 2009 9:53 PM EST up reply actions
I thought once he gets another coaching gig our obligation is over?
A
The Canes are like a box of expired chocolates......
At least for me, I assumed that because it’s the way player trades work. Plus it seems silly to have to pay someone who a) isn’t working for you anymore and b) is now working for someone else.
Players have salary cap rules. Guarantee you the NHLPA is still paying Paul Kelly even tho he took another job.
Also:
Laviolette was given a three-year contract, and terms were not disclosed.
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 4, 2009 10:15 PM EST up reply actions
In my mind it makes no sense to still pay someone who wasn’t competent enough to keep their job for no longer doing their job, let alone doing a new job.
Do you think the organization will release anything if Lavi’s contract comes off our payroll?
No … I doubt it. It will take a slip of the tongue.
What’s the point of a contract if you can just end it whenever you want?
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 4, 2009 10:34 PM EST up reply actions
The contract is a mutual agreement. Meaning if one person doesn’t hold up their end of the bargain, the other person is not forced to cover their end of the bargain. If the coach knows he’ll get paid the duration of his contract no matter how poorly he performs, why bother having a contract in the first place?
If I go out and sign a 5 year contract to do job X and then am so bad at it that they have to fire me, I sincerely doubt they are going to pay me the full amount left on my contract. But I guess I should know by now that sports aren’t the real world. :D
The length of the deal is part of the negotiation. PL would’ve asked for more annually on a shorter deal. It’s how things are. Him signing on in Philly with ease the burden at some level, but it likely doesn’t wipe the slate clean. Part of deciding to fire PL was realizing you’d have to pay him for not working for you. Most really high-paying jobs are like this.
On the flip side, I’d bet Sutter didn’t get diddily from NJ b/c he resigned in a weird fashion. That being said, the Flames still needed to ask permission to speak to him.
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 4, 2009 10:52 PM EST up reply actions
I understand how it is (well now I do anyway-LOL). I just have a hard time deciding whether that’s how it should be. :shrugs:
LOL…. if we could void out contracts because someone didn’t keep their end of the deal…. The ’Canes could up and fire half the team….
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Dec 5, 2009 10:59 AM EST up reply actions
problem is he was doing his job...and based on what MO is doing
he was doing an awesome job…and with less money spent on player contracts!
I felt pretty certain that this does mean pete comes off our books. This is a mutual termination of contract I think. Otherwise why would you let Philly talk to him. Instead you block an eastern conference rival from using an assett you control. But I could b wrong
by wylde4canes on Dec 4, 2009 10:33 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Mo was still getting paid by the Leafs last year, then the Canes paid the Leafs a lesser amount to employee him.
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 4, 2009 10:35 PM EST up reply actions
The old saying in business is that you don’t get what’s fair, you get what you negotiate. So, it is all dependent on what was agreed to and written into the employment contract.
But, at a minimum, it surely secures the services of the coach exclusively for the org. And, termination under a variety of scenarios is also surely covered in the contract.
One path might be the Leafs/Canes one for Mo, in which we paid the Leafs for use of his services at a rate agreed upon with them, so that Mo got the same amount and the Leafs/Canes split that salary. JR may have paid all of the freight or just part of it.
Same deal with the Flyers, perhaps. They pay Canes for Lavi’s services. Rate could be contract amount, or less, or even more, I suppose.
Alternatively, the contract could be terminated by mutual agreement under terms within the contract, I suppose, leaving Lavi free to sign another with the Flyers for the remainder of this year.
We may not ever know the details, but doubt he can double-dip for full salary from us and something from them. No way PK lets them talk to Lavi, if so.
Moving On
I think this marks a nice move forward for the Canes, no more worrying about having two head coaches on payroll. I feel good about this.
cough*MoMustGo*cough
greaticepectations.blogspot.com
by Great Ice-Pectations on Dec 4, 2009 9:47 PM EST reply actions
impact?
How much, if any, does this impact the amount we have been paying him? He still on the Canes payroll now?
Bringing Maurice back was a screw up by Rutherford.
Bringing Paul Maurice back last season was a huge screw up granted it sparked a change and got us deep into the post season but now we are starting to see the true effects of Mr Maurice’s crappy coaching. McCarthy being gone is a loss and really I am not surprised. Maurice is simply not a good coach and why we brought him back I have not clue. We had a Stanley Cup winning coach with Petey at the helm and now we have a guy that basically finished off the Maple Leafs franchise and is trying to do the same to ours. Maurice must go after this season, unless Rutherford has just lost completely all of his good sense which I doubt.
Better yet just let Ronnie Francis run the team and dump Maurice asap and bring up Jeff Daniels to be the associate Head Coach. Also where is Dineen I thought he had a valid interest in coaching with us at some point ?
by Holty_Panthers_Fan on Dec 4, 2009 9:53 PM EST reply actions
to be fair, John Ferguson ruined the Leafs. Look at all the first rounders they traded away.
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 4, 2009 9:58 PM EST up reply actions
While I agree with some of your points, your reasoning is at best… skewed
First off, you negated your own point before you even made it:
“Maurice is simply not a good coach and why we brought him back I have not clue”
When previously you said this:
“granted it sparked a change and got us deep into the post season”
Bringing PaulMo back last season was hardly a screw up, the first playoff appearance since the cup and a run to the conference finals doesn’t exactly sound like a failure does it?
Also I love your ignorant lamenting of his hire “We had a Stanley Cup winning coach with Petey at the helm”
Dude, PL wasn’t fired in 2007, he was fired in 2008, yes, he won a cup, that was great, but then he couldn’t get into the playoffs for two straight seasons and had a stagnating team early in the year.
Bringing Mo back last season sparked the team to the playoffs, I agree with you that now that his system is entirely in place we’re seeing that he’s not the right coach for this team, but firing him and bringing in somebody else has more potential for harm than good. I would support booting him if there was any hope of a playoff run, but there’s not, and anybody that thinks there is needs to reacquaint themselves with reality. So what would firing Mo accomplish for this season?
I would say that bringing Maurice back was a mistake….
But then I remember the good time that was had by all during that playoff run last season….
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Dec 5, 2009 11:01 AM EST up reply actions
FYI, no Tlusty tonight with Albany
But they won 3-1.
I’m going to call Jeff Daniels tomorrow and hopefully get up with him and get his opinion on Tlusty, the McCarthy thing and other items (if he has time for all my questions … lol)
Ask him if he would be so kind as to take Mo’s place here…
;-)
by Andrea's evil twin on Dec 4, 2009 11:46 PM EST up reply actions
+1 (well, I don’t know about the success, but good for him anyways…)
by Andrea's evil twin on Dec 4, 2009 11:50 PM EST up reply actions
-1
It’s not that I dislike Lavi.
It is just that I sat through a game in Philly earlier this season…. and after putting up with their fans… I hope they lose ever game the rest of the season….
And I will be horrible to their fans who come here on the 26th. Karma is a bitch (which is why I’m afraid to leave my house).
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Dec 5, 2009 11:02 AM EST up reply actions
From Maurice's deal with Toronto
From the N&O last year:
Maurice is still under contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs — where he coached the previous two seasons — through June. The Canes compensate the Maple Leafs for Maurice’s services, Rutherford said.
this in the same post, tho it doesn’t give answers:
Maurice isn’t the only head coach on Carolina’s payroll, though. The Canes are also still paying former coach Peter Laviolette, who was let go in December. The five-year deal that Laviolette signed in July 2006 after winning the Stanley Cup, worth at least $1 million annually, was set to run through the 2010-11 season.
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 4, 2009 10:11 PM EST up reply actions
I was just going to post that.
For those asking, like Cory mentioned, no contract information was released yet. While one could assume that the Canes no longer have any financial obligation, you can never be certain unless they confirm that.
But for those of you hoping that this might be the first step in the release of Mo, I really don’t think it will make a difference. Rutherford is committed to Maurice, at least for now.
GM of CanesCountry.com
agreed. a change, if any, would come in the offseason. not now. and even that, imo, is unlikely.
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 4, 2009 10:18 PM EST up reply actions
Bingo!
Mo will not go. He is their boy. He is their special little guy. We are stuck with him. Why do you think JR threw himself under the bus when the season went south? To protect Mo and keep the unwashed hoards from lynching him in effigy.
Mo will be here for the next year or two at least, regardless of performance. We may as well get used to it.
by East of Here on Dec 4, 2009 10:28 PM EST up reply actions
Not a bad idea.
If they cut eyeholes in the tarps, maybe attendance will rise…
by East of Here on Dec 5, 2009 12:07 AM EST up reply actions
Ever notice....
…..how Tripp and John are sure to mention he " Has the most wins in franchise history " every game. I think the org really believes that this negates that he also has the most losses.
it always burns within
the downward spiral never ends
when driven into sin
your salvation's found in a sinner's deed
by Douchebag St John on Dec 5, 2009 5:00 AM EST up reply actions
I try not to notice anything that Tripp Tracy says….
Tripp Tracy negates John Forslund…..
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Dec 5, 2009 11:06 AM EST up reply actions
I always wondered your real name … now I know it: Andy Rooney.
“Did you ever notice …..”
lol
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 5, 2009 1:02 PM EST up reply actions
Very Nice.
it always burns within
the downward spiral never ends
when driven into sin
your salvation's found in a sinner's deed
by Douchebag St John on Dec 6, 2009 2:36 PM EST up reply actions
different take on this
1 thing I specifically remember about Lavi and his style is that teams physically kicked our asses day in and day out due to Lavi refusing to carry an “enforcer” or tough guy. The flyers have more than their share of those kind of guys, Laperriere, Carcillo, Cote, and thats just their 4th line. I wonder how this will affect Flyer hockey. Broad Street “whats?” now?
This season would be really tough if I didn't drink the misery away.
slight word change
I should’ve said we were consistantly/constantly bullied by other teams.
This season would be really tough if I didn't drink the misery away.
I really do not see any difference since Mo took over...
Now we still get pushed around and physically controlled…plus we loose….and loose and loose…did I mention we loose A LOT MORE GAMES
Lose vs Loose and Than vs Then
Freaks me out when I see the above errors. They are very common. Obviously the correct words are listed first.
Maybe we lose because we are too loose….
And we have to accept that there are sometimes exceptions…..
English is lame.
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Dec 5, 2009 11:07 AM EST up reply actions
Mo must go now. Shame. nothing but an opportunity to replace him. How about JD?
All above is my personal opinion.
Thanks,
Andy_S
by Andy_S on Dec 4, 2009 11:30 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Regarding Coach Paulie
For everyone using this as an opportunity to call for Mo’s head, I’m brought back to a game earlier this season when Mo left Cam in a blowout loss and then said afterward something to the effect that they all deserved to be out there since they were playing so horribly.
IMO, Maurice is not the right coach for this team, obviously, but right now he deserves to be behind the bench every single night, we’re all going to have to sit through and watch the rest of this season so why should he get off easy?
Peter Laviolette vs. Paul Maurice
Peter Laviolette is the kind of guy that can rally the troops, and has a highly disiplined style. He is organized and demanding. That works well until the high paid players decide their lives are too hard and stop listening. It is like a hard deep muscle massage. At first it feels uncomfortable but you know it is good for you. Then it starts to feel comfortable and hey you like it(good results)….after a period of time, you start to think…hey I want to have my ego massaged too….then the muscle massage begins to be a pain…..eventually it has to stop and finally, you just want to do whatever it takes to end it. Lavi was the massage that our team needed to get to the cup.
Big heads prevailed in ‘07. It was vacation season time. Players win the “I deserve an easier life” war and Lavi is replaced with Paul Maurice. Mo’s style is a little more laid back and seems more player friendly. Last year, that is what the team needed to rally. Rally they did. The talent and confidence of last years team was enough to get them to the confrence finals. “See Lavi, we can do well without all the disipline”…..Mo was the right guy for the job last season.
This season started out ………..well like it has ….and it is clear that this team now needs an organized, tough coach again. Maurice jumps onto the “we don’t need to work hard” mantra and was clearly not prepared for this season. The first few games don’t turn out the way we like and the team struggles out of the gate. Maurice trys to play bad guy but it is not his most effective style. He cannot and will not rally the troops. It is not his format for success. While he was the guy to spark the team last year, he does not have the ear of the guys this season. Oh sure, they will all say they are listening but the on ice team is just terrible.
Ok, so what can we say about the psychy of our team? They were hungry and won the cup. The year after, they felt they deserved a year off. After missing the playoffs two seasons ago, they got angry and hungry again and used the coaching change to get to the ECFs. You bring Aaron Ward back for this season and we are right back to “we deserve a year off again.”
This team needs a new coach for next season. We are not going to make it to the playoffs so….lets get the best pick we can. Next year needs to be under the thumb of a tactical, finatical, task master that refuses to lose. The most important part of this equation is that JR needs to let everyone know that this guy is the boss. He is staying…so players will be traded if they are not performing. Accountability rules…..no more Club Carolina. The Red Wings have done it for years. We can do it too. The hardest part is who is that coach. The Canadiens did it with Pat Burns….a police officer for Goodness sake. They won the cup. It is less about the x and o’s of coaching and more about motivating.
I am sure the goal of every season in Detroit is to win the cup. That is it. Win the cup. In Carolina, some people in the Canes organization play lip service to that concept. The reality is, the Canes seem to have this goal….“Win the cup while making our players comfortable so other players would like to play here too.” If winning the cup is half of your focus, you will get close to the cup half the time or less. That is the state of our team.
I mean if we get a top 3 pick this season then get that disiplined coach in place for next season and make another run….one can argue that we are the model for small market clubs. Club Carolina for a season….then work your butts off for a season. Are we ok with that? Or do we want to be Detroit South?
While I agree pete was all about accountability , to say mo is a players coach may be a stretch. Anyone remember the bag skates and O wanting to punch Mo’s lights out? Mo does the hardass thing pretty well too, just not this year, for reasons that escape me. A bag skate after the Boston debacle in game 2 may have changed the timbre of this season drastically. If nothing else I would rather us be losing and hating it than losing it and saying oh well
by wylde4canes on Dec 5, 2009 8:31 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Laviolette is da Devil....
I met Laviolette…he was all business. That is his natural state. Maurice seems like a nice guy playing the tough role. Some guys are just bad all the way through. You know they mean business….Maurice is not that. He aspires to it…he is just too nice to pull it off. Some guys wear black……just because. Mo wears grey.
New Jersey or Detroit
I always thought JR wanted us to be New Jersey South. But I don’t think JR’s as tough as Lou. Lou’s done some seriously crazy things. JR needed to start firing people a month ago. Same as Fall 2006, ’07.
by drifterscape on Dec 5, 2009 10:20 AM EST up reply actions
um
isnt ron francis an on ice connection to the whale …………….. im just sayin
Actually, no.
Ronnie was traded to the Pens in 91 and didnt come back to the franchise until after it had moved to the 919 as the hurricanes. He also left and played his last season with the leafs, I dont think he can be considered a solid connection to the whale in my opinion.
by camwardsaysno on Dec 5, 2009 5:47 AM EST up reply actions
He was traded at the deadline. He only played a handful of games as a Leaf.
5 seconds left.
Do you believe in miracles?
YES!!
Ronnie wasn’t here during the move to Carolina. That was my point.
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 5, 2009 10:35 AM EST up reply actions
I don’t know why everyone is calling for Mo’s head. While I’m no fan (I’m pretty neutral on him), this terrible season isn’t all his fault. Injuries have killed us, which contributed to our lax offense, defensive breakdowns have caused horrible third periods (which in my opinion is all mental, the vets need to step up) and Mo has had his own share of idiocy he’s pulled (i.e. riding Cam into a wall, the Brindy-shootout thing). My point is, there is a lot of things other than coaching that has contributed to this s%*tstorm of a season. The whole team needs to put some confidence together, including coach Mo, and that falls upon him and the captains to lead the team out of the darkness (though by now I’m hoping for a no. 1 pick, which also doesn’t mean they can’t win a game or two along the way).
I think everyone that wants Mo gone, feel that way because of two main factors. First, the struggles on the ice you see today, are the same we saw through most of Mo’s first reign. Overworking the number 1, failure to hold Vets accountable, poor PP %, and an MIA Offense despite having good offensive players (then, it was O, Roddy, Francis,Sami, and Batesy)
The second point is Mo’s track record with prospects. I feel he ruined Tanabe, Svoboda, and Vasicek. In TO you had great young guys like Tlusty, Antropov, and Ponikoravski. All of them, IMO, were stunted by Mo’s influence. He was starting to do the same to Sutter until JR came out in the media and dictated his minutes directly.
We have a cash crop of youngsters coming up, do we want this guy harvesting, given his track record?
by wylde4canes on Dec 5, 2009 8:46 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
I am neither a Mo-hater or a Mo-fan. I was shocked when he was re-hired; but thought he did an excellent job last season. I think Mo has made some inscrutable coaching decisions this year; but I don’t lay the failure of the blame for this flop season at his feet entirely.
In the end, the players have to be responsible and accountable for their own play. The scores of wooden-headed penalties, blown defensive assignments, fanned shots on open nets, etc. go to the players not the system. Neither do I blame Mo for giving Brind’Amour the many opportunities to succeed because I think Brind’Amour has earned the right to be given every possible chance. I happen to think Brind’Amour has proven to the world he needs to retire; but there is nothing Mo can do about that situation.
If I were Jim Rutherford, I’d be livid at the veterans and particularly Aaron Ward. I’d feel like I put my own reputation and the entire team’s success on the line for them and that they let everybody down. In my view, Rutherford has been a professional and a gentleman. I’d be chewing nails and I doubt seriously I would be showing the patience and restraint Rutherford has shown. On the other hand, I’d have a very serious conversation at the end of the season with Mo about the things I expected from the team and him next season.
I wonder how much of the “bill” the Hurricanes are still paying to Laviolette….
I remember when Maurice came in last season JR talked about how the Leafs were still paying a good portion of his salary (which meant we got him on the cheap)….. Wonder if it is the same situation here….
I personally don’t really care for Laviolette. I think that he may have been the spark plug for some of the “issues” in the locker room towards the end of his time here….
And (it is worth stating) I guess the same thing can be said about coach MO.
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Dec 5, 2009 9:35 AM EST reply actions
LOL…. I guess I should have read the rest of the comments before I posted this one…..
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Dec 5, 2009 11:11 AM EST up reply actions
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