Paul Holmgren

Let's start with this: If Paul Holmgren truly hasn't thought about changing head coaches, he should be fired for dereliction of duty. The Flyers are an underachieving mess, sliding ever further from a playoff spot in the NHL's Eastern Conference. Any general manager with a pulse would consider all of his options, including firing his head coach. Holmgren has a pulse, as far as we know. So we can deduce that Holmgren has considered the merits of firing head coach Peter Laviolette.

IF THE FLYERS are going to avoid watching the Stanley Cup playoffs go on without them for only the second time since 1995, they will do so with Peter Laviolette coaching mostly the same crop of players. Despite swirling rumors and speculation, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said Thursday he has not given any consideration toward firing Laviolette. "I haven't even thought about it," Holmgren said. "It hasn't even entered my mind. Right now, I think our team needs to play better.

As the Chicago Blackhawks try to surpass a record unbeaten streak set by the 1979-80 Flyers, Bob Clarke wishes them no ill will. "Not at all," Clarke, the onetime Flyers star who is now the organization's senior vice president, said the other day. "The way I feel, I hope the young people do more than what the athletes in my generation did. " Clarke, then 30 and in his first year as a playing assistant coach, was one of the leaders as the Flyers...

As their reeling team tried to regroup from its latest clunker, Flyers coach Peter Laviolette and general manager Paul Holmgren were given a vote of confidence Sunday. Asked whether the Flyers' dismal start had put the jobs of the head coach and the general manager in jeopardy, Peter Luukko didn't hesitate. "Absolutely not," said Luukko, president of the Flyers' parent company, Comcast-Spectacor. "We just need to be patient, and to even think the general manager or coach are in trouble [is false]

NEWARK, N.J. - Scott Hartnell skated Friday, but there is no change to the timetable for the injured left winger. Hartnell suffered a broken bone in his left foot Jan. 22 and was expected to miss four to eight weeks. Three weeks have passed since Hartnell underwent surgery. He met with a doctor Friday. Hartnell led the Flyers with a career-high 37 goals last season, and his absence has been felt this month as scoring has become an issue for the team. "He's a big part of our locker room.

BARRED FROM speaking to his players during the lockout, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren had a twinge of nerves every time he read an update about Kimmo Timonen in the newspaper. Not only was Timonen struggling for motivation to stay in shape during the 113-day ordeal, but he was also becoming accustomed to being an everyday dad. "I was reading his quotes throughout the lockout," Holmgren said. "When he was liking this, being able to watch his kids play, I was a little nervous about that.

VETERAN Kimmo Timonen may be close to signing a 1-year contract extension with the Flyers, but no deal has been completed, according to general manager Paul Holmgren. "We have had talks, but no deal is in place," Holmgren said in a text message, confirming the discussions with Chicago-based agent Bill Zito. Multiple reports pegged Timonen's extension at $6 million, which would make him the 16th-highest paid defenseman in the NHL at age 38. That's an interesting figure, since Timonen has been slowed by injuries over the years and the salary cap will shrink by $5.9 million to $64.3 million.

SCOTT HARTNELL sat out Thursday night with an injury for the first time since joining the Flyers six seasons ago. It was just the fourth game he has missed overall - two due to suspension and one due to illness. Turns out, there's a good reason: Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren revealed Hartnell fractured a left metatarsal bone in his foot, which may end up needing surgery. He suffered the injury with 6:53 to play in Tuesday's loss to New Jersey. The Flyers' leading goal scorer from last season could miss anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks, depending on a possible surgery.

Flyers winger Scott Hartnell will miss four to eight weeks because of a broken bone in his left foot, general manager Paul Holmgren announced in a grim tone before Thursday's game against the New York Rangers. About an hour later, he was more upbeat, saying that the Flyers were bringing back 40-year-old winger Mike Knuble, an unrestricted free agent, to fill Hartnell's roster spot. Hartnell, who led the Flyers with a career-high 37 goals last season, suffered the injury Tuesday when he was hit by a shot taken by teammate Kimmo Timonen in New Jersey.