Asham will have leadership role with Flyers: coach
Most — if not all — players in the Newfoundland and Labrador Senior A Hockey League have a career off the ice.
Gander Flyers bench boss, and Corner Brook resident, Ben Fitzgerald is hoping former National Hockey Leaguer Arron Asham will be a salesman — of his systems.
Coaching someone who first started playing professional hockey in 1997-98, Fitzgerald isn’t about to walk in and have his word stand as the be-all, end-all. He wants to work with Asham and established veterans of the Flyers to figure out what style of play will work best, offensively and defensively, then he’ll need that core of players to help him get the rest of the locker room to buy in.
“You don’t bring in a guy like that and exclude him from that (leadership) group,” Fitzgerald said. “I would be an idiot not to sit down and pick his brain.”
The five-foot-11, 205-pound Asham played 789 NHL games, amassing 208 points (94G-114A) and 1,004 penalty minutes. In 72 playoff contests, he had 19 points (11-8) and 56 PIM.
The 37-year-old suited up with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and New York Rangers throughout his career.
He was a high scorer in major junior, posting two 40-plus goal seasons with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League.
Fitzgerald said he was beaming once the signing was official and believes Asham is genuine in his desire to come in, be a team player and try his hardest to help the Flyers win a Herder Memorial title.