via the Philadelphia Flyers,

The Philadelphia Flyers have appointed Alain Vigneault as the 21st head coach in franchise history, signing him to a multi-year contract, according to Executive Vice President & General Manager Chuck Fletcher.

"We are extremely excited to have Alain join this franchise and lead our team behind the bench for many years to come," said Fletcher. "He brings a tremendous amount of success over an extended period of time that will prove valuable to our team to take the next steps in returning the winning culture to the Philadelphia Flyers organization."

"It is an honor to be selected as the next head coach of the Flyers," said Vigneault. "The history they have established and the passionate fan base has made this a first-class franchise. I am excited to work with Chuck, the talented group of players and prospects coming up through the system, in order to return Philadelphia to the top of the NHL landscape."