Flyers Announce 15 Changes To Hockey Operations Staff

The Philadelphia Flyers announced a series of changes to their NHL and AHL hockey operations departments ahead of the 2026-27 season, including six staff promotions and nine new hires.

The Flyers first addressed their training department, promoting Alex Ambrose to head athletic trainer and Melissa Rucker to head massage therapist. Zach Casinelli has been hired as an assistant athletic trainer after three seasons with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Ryan Adkins was also hired as director of athlete rehabilitation after three seasons with the MLB’s Seattle Mariners. Joe Hurley will support the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in a promotion to head athletic trainer.

Abe Edson will join the team as head of athlete performance. Edson brings a lengthy hockey career that includes two seasons with the Minnesota Wild and four years with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds. Supporting Edson will be Lorne Goldenberg as a newly-hired performance development coach and Chris Gratton as a performance coach. Goldenberg has worked in professional hockey for more than 40 years, including stints with six NHL teams. Gratton interned under Edson with the Thunderbirds.

The Flyers also overhauled their equipment-management staff. Jake Rogers has been hired as an NHL equipment manager, while Jon Evans has been promoted to the head equipment manager of the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Replacing Evans in his assistant role is Liam Singer, who joins Philadelphia after two years as the equipment manager for Dartmouth College’s Division-1 hockey teams. Philadelphia also promoted Kevin Braeunle to manager of team services.

The Flyers are also adding Evan Hanberry as the Phantoms’ head strength and conditioning coach, supported by Gavin Bastarche as an assistant. Hanberry spent two seasons working with Pennsylvania State University’s lacrosse and tennis programs, while Bastarche has worked two seasons with Boston College’s Olympic Sports program.

Rounding out the long list of hires is amateur scout Dave Morrison, who joins the Flyers after 22 seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs in various scouting, director, and advisory roles. Morrison also appeared in four NHL seasons, split between the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks. He is the son of former NHL player, coach, and scout Jim Morrison.

Together, the changes give the Flyers a refreshed hockey operations staff at both the NHL and AHL levels as the organization looks to build on last season’s progress.