To be fair, the problem has always been more ex-Flyers in the front office, not behind the bench. And they've all been pretty successful. As this article points out Tocchet is only the second one to be hired directly, versus promoted after another guy got fired or left (Stevens, Berube, Barber, Holmgren). Terry Murray was the other. It's been five coaches before now and all of them had success (Barber the worst but even he won a Calder Cup).
At the end of the day Recchi and Richardson have both spent years in other organizations, including as players, and are not really getting hired because they wore orange and black. Recchi and Tocchet's connection is their success in Pittsburgh and most people in hockey would still think of Richardson as a Leaf and Oiler. He is also someone who will probably leave for another head coaching job in a year or two, though his tenure in Chicago was Tortorella-like.
I would certainly take any of the ex-Flyers players or assistants currently serving as HC of another team (Berube, Montgomery, Brind'Amour, Knoblauch).
At least the days of only hiring from the Shero era are finally over, even if that's as much actuarial as philosophical by now.
