2 weeks Ago
It’s been more than a decade, but former Philadelphia Flyers forward Mike Knuble can still picture it: Pat Ferschweiler squeezing into a Toyota Prius to make the 56-mile journey on Route 131 from Kalamazoo, Mich., to fulfill his duties as an assistant coach for the Grand Rapids Griffins. It was a title Ferschweiler shared with Knuble during the 2014-15 American Hockey League season.
Advertisement “He’s not the smallest guy, and he’s jamming himself into a Prius,” Knuble recalled Monday. “And that’s a tough stretch in the wintertime.” Transportation adventures aside, Knuble has a unique perspective on Ferschweiler, who led Western Michigan to its first-ever NCAA championship at the Frozen Four in St.
Louis last weekend. Not only did Knuble once coach alongside Ferschweiler, but Knuble’s son, Cam, was a part of that Broncos squad for the past four years — three of which were directly under Ferschweiler, who took over as the coach in the 2022-23 season. Considering Ferschweiler’s success, it should come as no surprise that Knuble is a supporter.
“The culture he created there in Kalamazoo, Cam really bought into it and understood where he was coming from,” Knuble said. “(He) kind of looks like a gruff exterior and a mean guy, but he loves the guys. And he’s hard on them.
If you’re going to mess up, you may get an arm around your shoulder maybe once or twice before he’d start to get a little more firm. “He’s driving the train, and the players either get on it or not. If you get on his train, he believes he’s going to get great things out of the team — which, obviously, he did this year.
” Ferschweiler’s name has surfaced as a potential candidate for the Flyers’ head-coaching vacancy . The primary reason is his connection to president of hockey operations Keith Jones. Not only did the two of them play together for two years at Western Michigan (1990-91 and 1991-92) but also they often were linemates.
Jones led the Broncos in scoring in 1991-92 with 56 points, and Ferschweiler was second with 40 points. Speculation about Ferschweiler’s future ramped up in St. Louis, as Jones was in attendance for the Broncos’ 3-2 double-overtime semifinal win over Denver.
Though that was as much of a reunion for Jones with some of his former teammates as it was a work trip — and Jones was also there to see up-and-coming Flyers prospect Alex Bump , who signed his entry-level deal Tuesday — perhaps he wanted to see Ferschweiler in action behind the bench, too. Advertisement So far, though, that’s all it’s been, is speculation. There haven’t been any indications that Ferschweiler is looking to leave Western Michigan or that the Flyers are even interested, and Knuble is skeptical that Ferschweiler would want the job anyway.
“I’d be shocked if he left it now, mostly because of his NHL experience — he knows the vibe, and how it goes,” Knuble said. He does. Ferschweiler spent four seasons with the Detroit Red Wings as an assistant coach under Jeff Blashill from 2015-16 to 2018-19, before returning to Western Michigan, where he was an associate coach for two years before replacing Andy Murray.
(Before joining Grand Rapids in 2014-15, Ferschweiler was an assistant at Western Michigan for four years.) But, at age 55, perhaps he wants to give the NHL a shot again, especially if his old buddy Jones came calling. According to MLive.
com , Ferschweiler has a $320,000 base salary, although he made a bundle in bonuses this season, too. If Ferschweiler is interested in the Flyers job, his former boss believes he’d be prepared for it. “He can be demanding and hard, but be in the fight with guys,” said Blashill, who worked with Ferschweiler for one season at Western Michigan in 2010-11, before bringing him along to Grand Rapids and the Red Wings as an assistant.
“I think that’s why he’s had success with those players. If you look at what those players said after they won a championship, they spoke about their care level for Pat and how much they knew he cared about them as people, and getting better as (players).” Blashill is correct about Ferschweiler’s players seemingly having a genuine affection for him.
Bump, Western Michigan’s leading scorer, was downright gushing after the 6-2 championship game win over Boston University on Saturday. “(Ferschweiler) is The Man,” Bump told ESPN ( via Yahoo ). “I can’t say enough good things about him.
He’s a world-class person, a world-class coach. He built this program to what it is today. .
.. I love that guy, and I’d do anything for him.
” Advertisement NHL players are different from college-age players, of course. And the Flyers have tried something similar in their recent history, when previous general manager Ron Hextall hired North Dakota’s Dave Hakstol to coach the team. That marriage lasted 3 1/2 years and never saw the club get out of the first round of the playoffs, although Hakstol, unlike Ferschweiler, did not have prior NHL experience.
The challenge the Flyers face is finding a coach who can relate to early-20s players while commanding the respect of those pushing 30 and beyond. The Flyers are still a young club, and general manager Daniel Briere has spoken about the importance of the next coach being able to teach, but there are still several veterans sprinkled in — with perhaps more on the way, depending on how aggressive Briere gets in the offseason to try to make the team better. Knuble, though, believes Ferschweiler is the type of guy who could handle the different personalities and career paths.
“Absolutely,” he said. “He wouldn’t be intimidated, because he’s been around. Pro players are different than college players.
You’ve got stars, and you’ve got guys with different thoughts on where they are in their career, and they’re the best of the best. ..
. For him, being around pro hockey at the AHL level and NHL level, he’d jump in and know how to handle himself immediately.” And Ferschweiler’s preferred style could mirror what the Flyers have been trying to do for the past two seasons: push the pace and take chances offensively.
That was something that previous coach John Tortorella was constantly preaching and, since the coaching change, the Flyers have found a new gear offensively under interim Brad Shaw, averaging 4.43 goals per game since he took the helm (headed into Tuesday’s game with the Columbus Blue Jackets). Western Michigan, in fact, tied for the NCAA lead in goals per game with Denver (4.
0). “He likes scoring goals. He’s very adamant,” Knuble said, adding he didn’t think players felt a lot of pressure but that they should give Ferschweiler their best.
“You have to be responsible; it’s not a free-for-all, by any means. He’ll call you out if you’re not responsible. You can’t be stupid out there.
But when you get inside the blue line, figure out a way to score goals. He lets them loose in that respect.” Advertisement The soonest there is likely to be any further news on the Flyers’ coaching search will be Saturday, when Briere addresses the media for the final time this season.
There will inevitably be some recognizable names that come through for interviews, and probably some less recognizable ones, too, as Briere, Jones and governor Dan Hilferty go through the process of hiring a head coach for the first time. The Vancouver Canucks’ Rick Tocchet could still be a target , Shaw has said he is interested in the full-time job, and AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms coach Ian Laperriere would welcome the opportunity , too. If they end up bringing in Ferschweiler, too, and there is mutual interest, there will be no shortage of glowing references.
“He’s got a lot of great attributes that great coaches have, and that’s why he’s had success,” Blashill said. “There’s not a fake bone to Pat’s body. He’s a real person, and they know that he’s truly caring about their development as individuals to maximize their abilities as a group.
” (Top photo: Richard T Gagnon / Getty Images).
