Paterson takes over at Adirondack

Joe Paterson will try to revivive the Flyers' top minor-league affiliate.

Paterson was named the head coach of the AHL Adirondack Phantoms, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren announced on Monday.

John Paddock, who had been serving as the interim head coach of the Phantoms since Nov. 8, will return full-time to his duties as assistant general manager of the Flyers.

Paterson inherits a struggling team that has the AHL's worst record (6-23-2) and has been outscored, 116-67.

Paterson, 50, was named an assistant coach with the Phantoms the same day Paddock was named the interim head coach of the club. He had been serving as a scout for the Atlanta Thrashers organization when he joined the Phantoms.

"We believe this is the right time for Joe to take over the head coaching reins," Holmgren said in a statement. "Joe's wealth of experience in the American Hockey League and his strength as a teacher of young hockey players will be very beneficial to the continued development of our prospects in Glens Falls."

Paterson said he was "honored" to get the job.

"It's a place where I first came to play in the AHL as a player, and it's also the place where I got my first coaching job as an assistant," he said. "We still have some things to do to improve upon as a team, but the building blocks are in place and we're going to continue to build."

Paterson was the head coach of the AHL Louisville Panthers, at the time the primary affiliate of the Florida Panthers, for two seasons from 1999-2001. He posted a 63-81-12-4 record and led the team to a 42-win season and the Calder Cup playoffs in 1999-2000.

A former Flyer, Paterson was initially drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the fifth round (87th overall) of the 1979 NHL draft. Paterson played parts of two seasons in the Flyers organization. He was acquired from Detroit along with Murray Craven for Darryl Sittler on Oct. 10, 1984. He played in 11 regular-season games for the Flyers, accumulating 43 penalty minutes. He was also part of the Flyers' run to the Stanley Cup Final in 1985, contributing three goals and four assists along with 70 penalty minutes in 17 games. He spent most of the two seasons with the Flyers' AHL affiliate in Hershey.

Over parts of nine seasons in the NHL with the Flyers, Detroit, Los Angeles and the New York Rangers, Paterson recorded 19 goals and 37 assists for 56 points and collected 829 penalty minutes in 291 games.

The Phantoms don't play until Sunday, when they visit Binghamton.