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Glens Falls, NY - The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that Adirondack Phantoms head coach Greg Gilbert has been relieved of his duties, according to general manager Paul Holmgren. Flyers assistant general manager John Paddock has been named interim head coach of the team, and will also retain his assistant GM title and duties.
“I met with Greg Gilbert earlier this evening and relieved him of his duties as head coach of the Adirondack Phantoms,” Holmgren said. “The lack of success for the team of late is not acceptable and I believe this move became necessary under the circumstances. I think Greg is a good coach, but something needed to be done. We want to thank Greg for his service to our organization and we wish him well. John Paddock will take over as head coach immediately.”
“This is not an easy day with having to replace someone that I got to know very well over the last year and a half, but with Paul believing we need to move forward like this, I look forward to the challenge,” Paddock said. “We need to do all we can to get the team playing at a higher level.”
Gilbert, 48, was named the head coach of the Phantoms on July 28, 2009. He led the team to a 32-41-3-4 record during the 2009-10 season, and a 2-10-1-0 record through the first 13 games of the 2010-11 season. Prior to coaching the Phantoms, Gilbert spent three seasons as the head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, compiling a 123-89-10-18 record.
Paddock, 56, returns to the Phantoms bench after leading the team to a 43-30-2-5 record and a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs during the 2008-09 campaign, the team’s last in Philadelphia. He was promoted to his current position as assistant GM of the Flyers following that season.
Paddock has won five Calder Cups – two as a player (Maine, 1978 and 1979) and three as a coach (Maine, 1984; Hershey, 1988; Hartford, 2000). Three of those championships – the two as a player in Maine and the one in Hershey – came when his team was the primary affiliate of the Flyers.
Paddock is the only coach in American Hockey League history to coach three different franchises to a Calder Cup. He has a career record of 585-424-98 over 15 seasons as a head coach in the AHL, with the 585 wins and 1,107 total games coached both ranking third in AHL history. Paddock was inducted into the American Hockey League Hall of Fame on January 19, 2010.
Paddock has also coached 346 NHL games for the Winnipeg Jets (1991-92 to 1994-95) and the Ottawa Senators (2007-08), compiling a total record of 142-161-43.
Adirondack's next home games are Thursday, November
11 through Saturday, November 13 against Toronto,
Norfolk and Abbotsford.
Thursday, November 11th all veterans and their
families can get tickets for only $5. Fans bringing
a non-perishable food item as part of the team's
Salvation Army Thanksgiving Basket Drive will receive
a free kids ticket. All season ticket holders bringing
a food item receive an entry into an exclusive raffle
for an autographed Phantoms item.
The Friday, November 12th game is Faith and Family
Night with the Phantoms and a large crowd is expected.
The Saturday, November 13th game will feature Phantoms
Mini-Sticks for the first 1,000 kids (age 14 and
younger) courtesy of Hometown Chevrolet and also
the 2nd Annual 9/11 Memorial Guns and Hoses game
with local public safety representatives taking
on the NYPD hockey team at 3pm.
Don't be left out! Tickets for all Phantoms games
are on sale now. Discount rates are available for
groups of 15 or more. Save off the individual ticket
price by asking the Phantoms about their great group
rate packages.
The AHL is celebrating their 75th anniversary season
and is the top development league for the NHL. More
than 85 percent of today's NHL players are American
Hockey League graduates and more than 6 million
fans attend AHL games every year.
Come watch future NHL stars and up-and-coming Flyers
prospects with exciting Adirondack Phantoms hockey!
A variety of ticket packages for all the fast-paced
action are on sale now. The Phantoms selection of
discount ticket packages includes 3-packs, 6-packs,
12 and 22 Select Plans, full season plans and Flex
Packs. Choose the plan that works best for you!
Get your tickets at the Phantoms office inside the
Glens Falls Civic Center, online at ticketmaster.com,
or by calling the Phantoms at 518-480-3355.
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