Keith Jones and Daniel Briére continue to change the makeup of the front office, as they have just announced that the Philadelphia Flyers are hiring John LeClair as Special Advisor to Hockey Operations.
The move comes a few days after the Flyers hired Patrick Sharp to the very same position.
Keith Jones on the hire:
“Adding in John LeClair to work in conjunction with Patrick Sharp and the rest of our hockey operations group will be a powerful combination with their vast hockey knowledge and a ‘team-first’ mentality. John has been around the NHL and the game for a long time and knows what it takes to bring the core ethics of our foundation to the Philadelphia Flyers.”
Daniel Brière:
“We have another great addition to our hockey operations team in John LeClair. John’s hockey resume speaks for itself. His passion for the city of Philadelphia along with his strong leadership skills will be a key component to building our team back into its winning ways.”
John LeClair:
“I’m extremely excited and honored to be named a Special Advisor to Hockey Operations. I’m most looking forward to being a part of this group and ensuring our number one priority is to bring the Stanley Cup to Philadelphia.”
LeClair’s role is identical to that of Patrick Sharp as the two will work side by side to enhance player development. The Flyers say that he will be “involved in all aspects of the club’s hockey operations department with a strong focus on player development with Flyers prospects.”
As a player, LeClair came over to Philadelphia after being originally drafted by Montreal and played 5 seasons with the Francophone club. He skated in 224 games, scored 49 goals, and 118 points in parts of 5 seasons. He was traded in February of 1995 alongside Eric Desjardins and Gilbert Dionne for Mark Recchi – who returned to Philadelphia in 1998-99 – and a 3rd round pick.
LeClair formed instant chemistry with Eric Lindros and Mikael Renberg as they formed the infamous “Legion of Doom”. In Philadelphia, LeClair flexed his muscles and became one of the league’s best power forwards and goal scorers. In totality he scored 333 goals and 643 points in 649 games across 10 seasons, however between mid-season in 1994-95 to 1999-2000, LeClair scored 260 goals and 497 points in 441 games, including 3 straight 50 goal seasons and 3 seasons with 90+ points.
Across 116 postseason games, LeClair scored 35 goals and 74 points, which included 3 Conference Finals runs and a trip to the 1997 Stanley Cup Final. He never hoisted the Cup in Philadelphia, but he did win one in his final season with Montreal. Coming out of the lockout, the Flyers were forced to buyout his contract – alongside Tony Amonte – to create cap space in the new NHL. He signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2005-06 and scored 52 points, before being released midseason the following year and eventually retiring.
The Flyers inducted LeClair into their Hall of Fame in 2014, while he has been enshrined elsewhere, including the University of Vermont Athletic Hall of Fame, the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, and the Vermont Sports Hall of Fame.
Jeff Marek tweeted out shortly after the news became official that Sharp will be more focused on the player development aspect, while LeClair will be more focused on the management side of things.
It seems like the Flyers are dipping their toes back into the alumnus waters, but the silver lining this time around is that they’re bringing back former players who played in some of the more recent eras.
Modernism was something Jones and Brière reiterated and LeClair, alongside Sharp, will have a prominent role in the development of the prospects and subsequently the future of the Flyers.
2024 Stadium Series Trip
Flyers Nation and Philly Sports Trips have teamed up to bring you on an amazing bus trip to the 2024 NHL Stadium Series between the Flyers and Devils. Place an early deposit to reserve your spot at the ultimate tailgate experience at MetLife Stadium before the game. The package includes a game ticket, round-trip charter bus, an all-inclusive tailgate party with unlimited cold beverages, “Philly Style” catered food, live entertainment, and more.
