The Flyers have fired head coach Dave Hakstol, it was announced by general manager Chuck Fletcher Monday.
"After meeting this morning with Dave Hakstol and thoughtful consideration, I have decided to relieve him of his duties as head coach," Fletcher said in a statement. "As I continue to assess the team, I feel that this is the best course of action for our group moving forward. I'd like to thank Dave for his service to the team and the organization."
Lehigh Valley Phantoms head coach Scott Gordon will serve as interim head coach. Joel Quenneville, still unemployed after being fired by the Blackhawks on Nov. 6, appears to be the leading candidate for the job.
The Flyers rank last in the Eastern Conference with a 12-15-4 record. They've lost five of their last six games, including a 5-1 loss in Vancouver Saturday night.
Hakstol was hired as head coach in May 2015 after spending 15 years at the University of North Dakota. Hakstol was midway through his fourth season with the team, making him the third-longest tenured head coach in Flyers history. The Flyers posted a record of 134-101-42 during Hakstol's tenure.
The Flyers previously fired general manager Ron Hextall on Nov. 27 and hired Chuck Fletcher as his replacement on Dec. 3. In Fletcher's first press conference, he said he hoped to work with Hakstol to turn the team in the right direction.
“I’m a big believer in trying to get to know a situation before making a reaction,” said Fletcher. “I’d like to think we can solve a lot of the issues that have plagued the team this year and find a way to get better. I certainly have no intention of making a coaching change tomorrow, if that’s your question. I’m going to meet with Dave and we’re going to try to work together and push. Our goal is to try to make the playoffs this year, it’s that simple. We have work to do, and it’ll be a challenge. But there’s no reason why we can’t get better, and we can’t push to make the playoffs and find a way to get in.”
The Flyers' next game is Tuesday at home against Detroit. They'll next play the Penguins in Philadelphia on Feb. 11, then again on Feb. 23. for the Stadium Series at Lincoln Financial Field. The Penguins will host the Flyers one more time this season, on March 17.