Flyers hire former coach Hitchcock as pro scout

PHILADELPHIA -- Ken Hitchcock was hired as a pro scout by the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday, less than two weeks after they fired him as their head coach.

Hitchcock was let go when the Flyers had the fewest points in the NHL. They have gone 2-1 since then under former Hitchcock assistant John Stevens, and are 3-7-1 heading into Thursday's game against Tampa Bay.

Flyers interim general manager Paul Holmgren said Hitchcock's knowledge of the game made him a valuable asset as a scout. Hitchcock was fired more than a month after signing an extension and on the same day that general manager Bob Clarke resigned as part of a dramatic shakeup.

"I don't make any secret of the fact that I want to be a head coach again in the National Hockey League, but this is an opportunity for me to help in any way possible way by watching other teams play, watching other players perform and helping Paul in the evaluation of other players and other teams," Hitchcock said.

Hitchcock had a 131-83-40 regular-season record in his four seasons as head coach of the Flyers. His 131 wins are fourth on the Flyers' career coaching list.

"I know that his intention is to coach again somewhere down the road and until the time comes, I feel that Ken is an asset for us to use as long as he is OK with it," Holmgren said. "During my conversations with him over the last few days, I believe he is."

Also, the Flyers said that Holmgren will keep his interim GM role at least for a little longer after Colin Campbell, the league's director of hockey operations, told the team he was not interested in the job.

"When Bob Clarke announced his resignation on October 22, I contacted Colin and we had a discussion about the general manager position," Flyers chairman Ed Snider said. "Colin recently contacted me to inform me that he appreciated our conversation, but at this time he did not want to be a candidate for the position. Paul Holmgren will continue to be the interim general manager."