Didn't see this one coming: Riley Cote retires, becomes Phantoms assistant coach
by Travis Hughes on Aug 9, 2010 2:10 PM EDT
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PrintTough guy Riley Cote has retired from professional hockey and will take a job as an assistant coach with the Adirondack Phantoms, the team announced on Monday afternoon. Cote only played a handful of minutes in all of 2009-10, and he spent most of the season in a suit and tie instead of hockey equipment.
When it comes to the salary cap, Cote's contract immediately comes off of the books. His cap hit only sat at $550,000, but any little bit can help the Flyers' tight money situation. It was expected that Cote would've either played in Adirondack next year anyway -- or perhaps he would've spent some more time in the Flyers press box -- where he wouldn't have counted against the salary cap.
Now, he'll be heading to Glens Falls anyway, but there won't be any playing involved in his move. His hockey career is over and his coaching career has begun. Who saw this one coming? A trade or perhaps a year with the Phantoms and a chance with another club? Cote is only 28 years old.
I think I can speak for all Flyers fans when I wish Cote the best in his new career as a coach. Personally, this move makes me happy as a fan because it frees up that roster spot that went completely to waste a year ago, but Cote never once complained about his role on this team last season. When he played, he went out and did his job admirably, even if he wasn't always successful at it.
Off the ice, Cote has devoted much of his life to charitable causes. A few years ago, his sister was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and Cote worked hard through the minor league ranks to try to help that cause. When he became an NHL player, Cote used that fame -- however limited it may have been -- to bring even more awareness to the fight against the disease.
In 2009, the Cote Carnival raised almost $30,000 to benefit the fight against MS. Here's hoping that Riley can instill that same kind of determination and work ethic in young Flyers prospects at the AHL level.
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Besides Homer nobody saw this one coming. Nice of the Organization to keep good team guys in the system. Flyers always try to take care of their players regardless of how productive they were.
Except for Gagne…
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on Aug 9, 2010 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Depends how you view it. We traded him for practically nothing to a place he was willing to go. We could have waived him and not picked up Walker’s salary and he could have landed anywhere like Edmonton or someplace that he didn’t want or forced a trade elsewhere threatening to waive him if he didn’t agree. I know Gagne’s situtation was not ideal but it could have been worse.
Oh Chris, ever the optimist. They really didn’t treat Gagne with much respect through the process, at least it seemed from following it, so for an organization that takes care of its players, they really crapped all over Gagne.
But sure it could be worse, the Flyers could have also kicked Gagne in the nuts before he left for Tampa.
Is this the right room for an argument?
Are you serious? If Homer waived Gagne, he would have been run out of town. There was no necessity to move our only genuine proven top line winger at all. Essentially, Homer began the offseason with 10 million dollars to get a third pairing, a starting goalie in a buyer’s market and a genuine 6th winger.
The 10 million has disappeared. And he got a third pairing. And a fourth pairing.
Briere, Betts and Pronger; Briere, Betts and Pronger; Briere, Betts and Pronger;
Our team is so much stronger
We've got Briere, Betts and Pronger...
by PursuitOfLappyness on Aug 10, 2010 5:04 AM EDT up reply actions
Ah yes, but remember…in the words of Stevie ‘Guitar’ Miller…“You have to go through Hell before you get to Heaven”
I say this because, maybe it’s just me, but we seem to use Tampa(Hell) as a waystation of sorts. We ship a player there, a year or two later they come back to Philadelphia(Heaven).
Here’s to Gagne being back with the team by 2011-12 where he will finish his career, retire as a Flyer, and join the front office!!!
Cheers,
Fezzy
http://fezzysworld.blogspot.com
Jesus Saves...He Passes, He Shoots...HE SCORES!
Not really fair
Simon has no interest in retiring. Do you think if the Flyers had offered him retirement he would have taken it? Given the situation the Flyers were painted into a corner, and ultimately Simon went to a place where he’s happy with his role.
Apologies because I was not clear…
I never meant retire right away, what I meant was to come back and play until he decides to retire, as a FLYER.
PS…Dude…Life ain’t fair…
Cheers,
Fezzy
http://fezzysworld.blogspot.com
Jesus Saves...He Passes, He Shoots...HE SCORES!
I think he was responding to Geoff and Vansteel, and saying the Gagne situation was not a fair comparison to the Cote situation.
And in life, there are fair comparisons. :P
by SteelBirdFlyer on Aug 9, 2010 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Flyers always try to take care of their players regardless of how productive they were.
That statement has nothing to do with retiring. The Flyers didn’t take care of Gagne. The Flyers forced him out and Gagne took care of himself (only waiving his NTC to Tampa).
Not to get into a Gagne situation again, but how can people say the Flyers organization is “always” treating their players like family, when all you have to do is look at Gags and Lindros. It’s the “always” that bothers me, because it’s just not accurate.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on Aug 9, 2010 5:42 PM EDT up reply actions
Gagne did not need to go. As has been said many times, even after dealing Gagne, we’re going to be in the exact same position next year. We could have gotten a lot more in return for Carter now, and I’m pretty sure Gagne would have taken a decent pay cut to stay in Philly next year. Now, Carter most likely will go at deadline this year, or surely in the off-season, because I just can’t see how we afford him next year….
Well if there were continued concerns about the Phantoms being lazy or not caring… “Coach Cote Lesson #1” (or is it Gilbert who needs the lesson?). Always seemed like a nice guy. Hopefully he’ll stay in the organization for a while.
Contributor at The Brotherly Game, SBN's Philadelphia Union blog
I guess Riley saw this one coming considering his average time-on-ice last year was 3:02.
Previous years: 4:30, 4:17, 4:10. So He averaged over 4 minutes a night under Stevens, and less than 3 under Laviolette. Source.
Combine that with the signing of Jody Shelley, Dan Carcillo, and Darroll Powe – one of whom will be out of the lineup on any given night – and Riley saw this coming a mile away.
He did the right thing. Gotta give the guy credit for trying his ass off to make the NHL, and being a good sport about the whole ordeal. We all make fun of Riles, but he’s played exactly 156 more NHL games than any of us have, or will.
Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?
Good for Riles. He’ll be a great assistant coach if he can show the youngsters how to play with his heart, attitude and work ethic…
My question now is...
Now that we are at the 23 man roster, are we really going to carry 8 dmen all season? Or does Oskars end up going down and we bring up someone at forward?
"Chris Pronger sneaked in the back door...banged it home."
Flyers Television Play-by-Play Man: Jim Jackson
Contrats
To us for keeping his lovely wife around (is Glen Falls around here though) and
To Riley for your service, sweat, blood and facial contusions. Now go help turn that team around up there.
"Call me dumb, call me stupid, whatever. I block shots."
Honestly, when I saw this on Twitter I thought it was a joke. I am still chuckling about the thought of Riley Cote being a Professional hockey coach.
@Mitchman88 on Twitter
Yeah totally…I mean Berube only played in 1,054 regular season gamesand 89 playoff games in the NHL; Cote was right behind him with 156 regular season games and 3 playoff games in the NHL. Totally the same, totally.
Is this the right room for an argument?
Indeed there was much difference in their on-ice experience. But both played the same game. Neither was very gifted offensively (I mean they were both offensive in their own way – LOL), both were grinders and fighters…Berube has done well as a coach, I believe Cote will do well also.
Cheers,
Fezzy
http://fezzysworld.blogspot.com
Jesus Saves...He Passes, He Shoots...HE SCORES!
That’s fine, but don’t insult Berube with the comparison. Berube had a ton of experience in the game, and played in 3 different decades. It’s silly to not think that gave Berube an advantage in coaching.
I played the same game as both of them, but I don’t fancy myself an NHL coach. This doesn’t mean Cote couldn’t be an effective coach, look at Ken Hitchcock who never played, but it’s silly to compare him to Berube b/c outside of dropping the gloves, how much do you know they have in common as far as thinking the game.
Is this the right room for an argument?
twas never intended as an insult. I have met The Chief on more than one occasion and he has always presented himself an engaging personality, an intelligent hockey mind, and a true gentleman…
I was merely comparing the similarities, one could also do so with Berube & Dave Brown, similar playing style (enforcer/grinder), came back to be Asst. Coach, then to Kings as a Scout, then back to Flyers as Director of Player Personel.
My point in the comparison is that just because a guy wasn’t the greatest offensive player there is no reason he cannot be successful behind the bench or in the front office…
Cheers,
Fezzy
http://fezzysworld.blogspot.com
Jesus Saves...He Passes, He Shoots...HE SCORES!
That’s fine, again, my point is, the comparison that you and Chris are making has nothing to do with coaching. Chris made the obvious comparison of enforcers, so I simply pointed to the fact that the two, outside of the fact that they dropped the gloves, don’t have much in common career wise. This says nothing about how the two think the game or the type of system they would ever want to run as a head coach. The fact that they both played in the NHL has nothing to do with how they will coach. Cote could be successful, he could be terrible, but you can’t imply he’ll do well just b/c another guy who didn’t score at the NHL level, and made his career with his fists has done okay coaching, especially when that guy has played almost 7 times the amount of NHL games as the other.
A player’s skill set as a player has nothing to do with his success as a coach, nor does it dictate his coaching style. If it did, Gretzky would have taken the Coyotes to 5 cups by now and still be behind the bench. So comparing guys with little offensive production and a lot of fights during their careers means nothing in terms of coaching. Besides, I was just making a joke to state this fact that I thought was pretty darn obvious.
Is this the right room for an argument?
As a Phantoms fan this is pretty exciting. All year we were forced to watch some pretty lazy and uninspiring hockey. The worst was seeing our skill guys being pushed around and the “tough guys” not being able to do anything. I’m hoping that Cote will bring some toughness and attitude to our Phantoms. He’ll be the biggest star in Glens Falls in a long time :P
title says it all. didn’t see this coming but its very welcome news. Best part is that its a win-win situation for the Flyers and Cote. He still is employed and we get his contract off our books to open up some much needed cap space.
Tho, do you think this has anything to do with Homer wanting to make another move and needing any extra space he can get?
Philadelphia Flyers/Columbus Blue Jackets...don't ask me how.
Congratulations to the only ex-Memphis RiverKing to play for the Philadelphia Flyers. Good luck in your new career!
Best possible outcome, really. Even more important than the half mil we’ll get in cap space, we open up a spot on the 50-man contract limit! If we’d sent him to Adirondack, it would still be one less player we could sign to an NHL two-way or one-way contract. We now have 3 openings (and one more contract that could “slide”, meaning we can have 4 openings if Homer refuses to call Hostetter up this year), and we pretty much need to keep at least 1 opening at all times during the season, so this roster spot helps quite a bit. Time to sign Riopel now, Homer…
Good like to Riles in Adirondack though. While he was of no use on our current playing roster, that didn’t mean he couldn’t fit somewhere else in the organization.
That should have said:
Goodlikeluck to Riles in Adirondack
I’m not typing too well today, apparently.
by DragonGirl0583 on Aug 9, 2010 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Nice guy. Nothing but good luck for his new career. Hopefully all the goons we draft are not taught ‘The Cote’
Briere, Betts and Pronger; Briere, Betts and Pronger; Briere, Betts and Pronger;
Our team is so much stronger
We've got Briere, Betts and Pronger...
by PursuitOfLappyness on Aug 10, 2010 5:07 AM EDT reply actions
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