Flyers GM Clarke quits; coach Hitchcock fired amid 1-6-1 start

PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia Flyers general manager Bob Clarke resigned and coach Ken Hitchcock was fired in a dramatic shakeup Sunday, with Philadelphia off to its worst start in more than 15 years.

COMMENTARY Bench, office shakeup only start of long recovery for Flyers by Wes Goldstein • What's Your Take? Tell Wes your opinion!

Assistant John Stevens was appointed head coach and former Flyers coach Paul Holmgren was promoted from assistant general manager to interim general manager -- the latest combination in an attempt to end a 31-year Stanley Cup drought.

The Flyers are 1-6-1 and have the fewest points in the NHL.

"The decisions that had to be made, I was letting other people make them," said Clarke, acknowledging he was burned out. "I deeply regret not being able to bring a Stanley Cup here. I didn't deliver."

Flyers chairman Ed Snider said he decided to fire Hitchcock after an embarrassing 9-1 loss to Buffalo last week, one of the worst in the franchise's 40-year history.

"We don't expect miracles, but we're hoping for a lot better results," Snider said.

Clarke said the Flyers' record played no role in his resignation. He said he began feeling spent during last year's draft and hoped for a renewed passion once the season started. That never happened, and Clarke said he decided to quit after the third game of the season.

"I just don't have the desire to do what this job requires," Clarke said. "I was tired of doing it."

The Flyers reached the 2004 Eastern Conference finals under Ken Hitchcock. (AP)

Stevens will be behind the bench when the Flyers play at home Thursday against Atlanta.

"I don't think we tuned him out. I think Hitch is a good coach, but sometimes you need a change," Flyers captain Peter Forsberg said.

As general manager, Clarke never matched the success he had as a Hall of Fame player when he led the Flyers to Stanley Cup championships in the 1973-74 and 1974-75 seasons. Clarke was in his 13th season in his second stint as general manager, after handling the GM role in the 1980s.

Hitchcock signed a three-year contract though the 2008-09 season in training camp and was in his fourth season with the Flyers. He led the Flyers to the conference finals in 2004, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning, who later won the Stanley Cup.

Before Hitchcock was hired, the Flyers used five coaches in the previous six seasons.