Flyers name Keith Jones team president, Danny Briere general manager

The Philadelphia Flyers have named long-time television analyst Keith Jones team president of hockey operations and have removed the interim tag from general manager Danny Briere's title.

Jones was a surprise choice Thursday after he spent the last 23 years as an analyst for Flyers telecasts on NBC Sports Philadelphia. He worked on national broadcasts on NBC, and most recently for TNT's coverage of the NHL in each of the last two seasons.

Jones broadcast the NHL Winter Classic, the Stanley Cup Final and other league showcase events. He also spent 21 years on the SportsRadio 94WIP Morning Show.

The Flyers are coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise history under first-year coach John Tortorella and have missed the playoffs for three straight years. They haven't won a Stanley Cup since taking consecutive championships in 1974 and 1975.

Briere was promoted to interim general manager after Chuck Fletcher was fired in early March as the organization started to shuffle the front office ahead of a lengthy rebuild. Dan Hilferty was named chairman later that month of the Flyers' parent company, Comcast Spectacor.

"I've dedicated my life to the sport of hockey and to be given this opportunity with the confidence from Dan Hilferty and the leadership group, in a city that means so much to me, words cannot describe my excitement," Briere said.

"I truly believe this is an exciting time for the Flyers with the steps that we've taken this past season, the way our team has responded to the standard that was set both on and off the ice, and the path that we are on."

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The Flyers hold the No. 7 pick in the NHL draft. They are $9 million