Q&A: Dan Hilferty on the Flyers’ rebuild timeline, Matvei Michkov’s impact, free agency, and more
Hilferty, who is in his second full year as the team's governor, is happy with the team's direction but tells The Inquirer there is more work to be done.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/5N27LZON2ZG4LF6RCWSZL2VU6U.jpg)
SEATTLE ― The first year of the Flyers’ self-proclaimed “New Era of Orange” has to be considered a success given the team surprisingly competed for a playoff spot, and more importantly, negotiated top prospect Matvei Michkov’s early arrival to Philadelphia.
As the organization embarks on Year 2 of its rebuild, The Inquirer spoke with Comcast Spectacor CEO and Flyers governor Dan Hilferty, one of the leaders of the team’s makeover, about his thoughts on the organization’s progress and a wide array of other topics. Here are some of the big takeaways:
The Flyers seem to be winning back fans, with the organization reporting a 96% season-ticket renewal, the best in the decade. Last season saw a 17% increase in overall attendance compared to 2022-23.
Hilferty says the priority in Year 2 is to see the development of young players like Michkov and blend them with veterans. Making or missing the playoffs won’t define the season one way or another.
While the Flyers may seem to be ahead of schedule, Hilferty hinted that they are still at least one more summer away from trying to become major players in free agency. He is preaching patience with fans and called it “a slow crescendo.”
» READ MORE: History says John Tortorella’s teams break through in Year 3. Will the Flyers do the same?
SEATTLE — After a four-game road trip through Western Canada and Seattle, the Flyers return to the friendly confines of the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday to play the Vancouver Canucks.
In advance of the home opener, The Inquirer spoke with Comcast Spectacor CEO and Flyers governor Dan Hilferty, one of the leaders of the team’s “New Era of Orange,” about his first year in the job, the team’s progress, and more.
*Questions and answers have been edited for length.
Q: You just wrapped up your first year. Can you reflect on how it went?
Hilferty: I wanted to make sure we built a cohesive group where the business side and the hockey side work closely together, where Danny [Brière] as GM, or Keith Jones in his role as president, [John Tortorella] in his role as coach, that with me, we all meshed in a way that the first year was about building that.
The second thing is I’ve been surprised at how good these two [Brière and Jones] are. They know hockey inside and out. They have Torts‘ trust. They have the fans’ trust — and that was the other thing I wanted to build. I got 100 texts today from fans, from people saying ‘Let’s go Flyers.’ I wanted to be part of building that spirit that we had back in yesteryear, so I’ve been excited about that. Then the third thing is the dedication of the players, young and old, committing to Torts’ brand of hockey, committing to the Philadelphia Flyers, and feeling part of the family.
Q: Brière had never been an NHL GM before. What have you seen from him?
Hilferty: So, I’ve never seen such a focus on detail and a collaborative approach. [Brière and Jones] talk about everything. We go on these walks, when I’m on the road, and I just listen and learn. They’re just committed. They’re courageous, they’re creative — just look at some of the draft picks, look at some of the rabbits they have pulled out of the hat in terms of getting different players here. Jamie Drysdale being one. So I’m very impressed, is what I’ll say about Danny and his role as GM, and how he and Keith Jones, in his role as president, can finish each other’s sentences and challenge each other in a positive and respectful way.
Q: On the business side, with Michkov here ahead of schedule, what differences have you seen?
Hilferty: First and foremost, the way we hyped Matvei coming to Philadelphia was as a member of the team. If you notice any of the billboards they had the captain [Sean Couturier], the two alternate captains [Scott Laughton and Travis Konecny], and then Michkov, and then maybe another player; I think [Owen] Tippett is in one of them. So we’ve always wanted to focus on the team. But the reality is, he’s had an amazing impact on ticket sales, an amazing impact on the excitement of, a Connor Bedard-type personality and player coming to town. … So he’s having a major impact, and Philly will love him because of that hard work, the look in his eyes, and his willingness to do whatever it takes to win.
» READ MORE: Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov is the latest Philly sports savior. Can he match the hype?
Q: Now that you‘re heading into Year 2, what are your expectations?
Hilferty: I want to see development. Sure every game I’d like to see us win. Would I love to see us in the playoffs as a fan and in my role as chairman? Absolutely. But the truth of the matter is, if we feel that these guys, the young guys, are developing, and the old guys are meshing nicely with them, and we’re competitive night in and night out, I feel as though, if the playoffs come, that’s great. If not, we’re building towards a brighter tomorrow.
Q: I don‘t know how much you’re involved in free agency, but is that the focus as you move forward in the rebuild, to build from the outside?
Hilferty: I’m in those discussions. I just don’t want anybody to think that I have more knowledge than I do. Like I said, I’m a businessman, a fan but I give my perspective, and they welcome my perspective. But it’s more about, all right, so when do we get to the point with the cap? Will our young players be at that point where we see a free agent that we have the wherewithal, the financial wherewithal, the cap space to go get them? They’re the conversations I like being part of because I help them think through different contracts, or how we can put this Rubik’s Cube together at the right time. It’s not this year, it’s probably not next summer, but after that.
Q: What’s next for the Flyers?
Hilferty: Year 2 is about, I will be disappointed if I don’t see more fans regularly in the stands. And I think we have the formula now with the emerging players, the new players, the seasoned players, to attract fans regularly. I also want to go to a home game with that team from New York, the Rangers, and I want our arena to be about our fans. … I just want it to be hard to get a ticket.
SEATTLE — After a four-game road trip through Western Canada and Seattle, the Flyers return to the friendly confines of the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday to play the Vancouver Canucks.
There has been increased buzz around the Orange and Black, who came close to a playoff spot last season. But part of the spike in the fan base is due to winger Matvei Michkov. The Russian phenom arrived in Philly two years earlier than expected and has already put stars in many eyes.
» READ MORE: Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov is the latest Philly sports savior. Can he match the hype?
It appears he has also put fans in the seats.
According to the Flyers, the season ticket base is the largest in four years, with a 375% increase in new fans since 2022-23, and a 96% season ticket member renewal, the best in a decade. There was also a 17% jump in attendance last season compared to 2022-23.
In advance of the season, The Inquirer spoke with Comcast Spectacor CEO and Flyers governor Dan Hilferty, one of the leaders of the team’s “New Era of Orange,” about his experiences, the business side, and transitioning from fan to inside man.
*Questions and answers have been edited for length.
Q: You just wrapped up your first year. Can you reflect on how it went?
Hilferty: I wanted to make sure we built a cohesive group where the business side and the hockey side work closely together, where Danny [Brière] or Keith Jones in his role as president, Danny’s role as GM, [John Tortorella] in his role as coach, that with me, we all meshed in a way that the first year was about building that.
I’d say, the second thing is I’ve been surprised at how good these two [Brière and Jones] are. They know hockey inside and out. They have Torts‘ trust. They have the fans’ trust — and that was the other thing I wanted to build. I got 100 texts today from fans, from people saying ‘Let’s go Flyers.’ I wanted to be part of building that spirit that we had back in yesteryear, so I’ve been excited about that. Then the third thing is the dedication of the players, young and old, committing to Torts’ brand of hockey, committing to the Philadelphia Flyers, and feeling part of the family. So those three things were, as I reflect on the first year, moving into the second that I feel really good about.
Q: What’s it been like working with Tortorella?
Hilferty: As a hockey fan, I knew who he was, and I watched his antics, or whatever, sometimes. But I decided to take a slow and steady approach to getting to know him. I didn’t want to be in his space and, just over time, we found opportunities to have one-on-one conversations or small group conversations, where I learned, number one outside of hockey, that he’s an amazing human being. His dedication to his family, his dedication to the causes that he loves — obviously, in terms of animals — and he also cares about human beings. Maybe on the hockey side, he tries to hide that a little bit. So, I’d say we naturally developed, I’ll call it a friendship, and I’m really thrilled about that.
» READ MORE: History says John Tortorella’s teams break through in Year 3. Will the Flyers do the same?
Q: Brière had never been an NHL GM when he came into the role. What have you seen from him?
Hilferty: We’ve known each other since I came into this role, I didn’t know him before that. In fact, I didn’t know Jonesy before that. I have never seen someone, [Brière’s] up there right now — you’ll hear him chuckling — but he has got his spreadsheets out, the things he’s going to be looking for from each player and he’s watching on his phone our minor leaguers play and our draft picks play. And then they’re both watching the Carolina [Hurricanes game]. So, I’ve never seen such a focus on detail and a collaborative approach. They talk about everything. We go on these walks, when I’m on the road, and I just listen and learn. They’re just committed. They’re courageous, they’re creative — just look at some of the draft picks, look at some of the rabbits they have pulled out of the hat in terms of getting different players here. Jamie Drysdale being one. So I’m very impressed is what I’ll say about Danny as GM, and how he and Keith Jones, as president, can finish each other’s sentences and challenge each other in a positive and respectful way.
Q: You were a Flyers fan before moving into management, so what’s it like being on the inside now?
Hilferty: I’m a really good leader. I build teams and try to accentuate the positives that each person, the skill sets, the gifts that each person has, and mesh it together into a team. So from that perspective, I never felt out of my element. But what I’ve had to do is learn, and learn more from a professional’s perspective overseeing a hockey club than a fan’s perspective. And I still find myself falling back into the fan thing. I’ll never lose that, and I’ll never be the experts that they are. So, yeah, it’s been a learning experience and at the same time, I feel that they’ve listened to my leadership and bought into what I’m trying to do with the whole organization.
Q: Now that you‘re heading into Year 2, what are your expectations?
Hilferty: I want to see development. … Sure every game I’d like to see us win. Would I love to see us in the playoffs as a fan and in my role as chairman? Absolutely. But the truth of the matter is, if we feel that these guys, the young guys, are developing, and the old guys, are meshing nicely with them, and we’re competitive night in and night out, I feel as though, if the playoffs come, that’s great. If not, we’re building towards a brighter tomorrow.
Q: On the business side, with Michkov here ahead of schedule, what differences have you seen?
Hilferty: First and foremost, the way we hyped Matvei coming to Philadelphia was as a member of the team. If you notice any of the billboards, the billboards had the captain [Sean Couturier] and the two alternate captains [Scott Laughton and Travis Konecny], and then Michkov, and then maybe another player; I think [Owen] Tippett is in one of them. So we’ve always wanted to focus on the team. But the reality is, he’s had an amazing impact on ticket sales, an amazing impact on the excitement of, a Connor Bedard-type personality and player coming to town. … He is intense, and he is really comfortable fitting in with everybody. He’s not this prima donna type of guy. So he’s having a major impact, and Philly will love him because of that hard work, the look in his eyes, and his willingness to do whatever it takes to win.
Q: You have seen the struggles at the gate at the Wells Fargo Center in recent years. Have you seen a positive effect on ticket sales and revenue this season?
Hilferty: It’s the whole package, and how we’re doing social media, and how we’re trying to engage with professionals like you, writers like you, who we feel we need to have a good relationship with. We’re not always going to agree, so everything we’re doing is purposeful in terms of making sure we put our best foot forward and are serious about what we call this New Era of Orange. And one thing I’ve been excited about is, that everybody wants us to do everything in our power to be a culture that accepts nothing short of excellence, and nothing short of — you look at the practice facilities, you’re looking at the arena, the locker room — first rate, because we want these players to feel like there’s no place like Philadelphia to play.
Q: I don‘t know how much you’re involved in free agency, but is that the next step?
Hilferty: I’m in those discussions. I just don’t want anybody to think that I have more knowledge than I do. I’m a businessman, a fan, but I give my perspective, and they welcome my perspective. But it’s more about, all right, so when do we get to the point with the cap? Will our young players be at that point where we see a free agent that we have the wherewithal, the financial wherewithal, the cap space to go get them? They’re the conversations I like being part of because I help them think through different contracts, or how we can put this Rubik’s Cube together at the right time. It’s not this year, it’s probably not next summer, but after that.
Q: Does the buzz around the team right now compare to any player or era you can remember?
Hilferty: I don’t remember 1967, 1968; I was a grade schooler playing basketball. I would watch them on the cable stations. But as the Bullies really emerged — and there’s been nothing like that since, as it relates to the players — there were times during the Eric Lindros era. There was a time in 2010 when we played the [Chicago] Blackhawks in the Final; Danny was a key player on that team and there was excitement. But I will say this, in my old business as a health insurance executive, nobody stopped me on the street. Now, people stop me on the street regularly, and they’re like, thanks for what you’re doing. And my thing is, thanks for sticking with us. Be patient with us. But it’s building. It’s a slow crescendo.
» READ MORE: Opinion: The Flyers will be fascinating this season. They probably won’t be good for a while.
Q: You make it a point to say hello and talk to fans. How important is that connection going forward?
Hilferty: Absolutely. Because I‘m working. I love engaging them. … I want to set an example for everybody in the organization that we have a role. These people are paying hard-earned money to come watch our hockey team play, and I want them to know we appreciate it. So, that, for me, is kind of my goal in doing it. But I actually like it.
Q: What’s next for the Flyers?
Hilferty: I will be disappointed if I don’t see more fans regularly in the stands. And I think we have the formula now with the emerging players, the new players, the seasoned players, to attract fans on a regular basis. I also want to go to a home game with that team from New York, the Rangers, and I want our arena to be about our fans. … I just want it to be hard to get a ticket.