Flyers President Keith Jones Finishing His TNT Gig? Bravo!

I was taken aback at first when I heard Flyers president of hockey operations Keith Jones was going to finish his broadcasting role in the playoffs. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one.

Wait, what? The Flyers’ new president was going to work in the TNT booth for the Carolina-Florida Eastern Conference finals? Shouldn’t he be poring over scouting reports? Watching film? Going on WIP?

The guy has been on the job less than a week. Was this a good look?

I wanted to think this through. Was this cool? Was this smart? It probably was unprecedented.

Does it even matter?

That’s where Jones should be

The more I thought about it, I was on-board. If I’m the Flyers, I’d rather have Jones in the middle of the action than sitting in a Voorhees office working the phones. Jones said he planned to finish out the season with Turner Sports as long as his bosses approved.

Keith Jones will be part of TNT crew for Game 1 of Panthers-Hurricanes. He said after he was named Flyers president of hockey operations that he had planned on finishing out the season with Turner Sports, as long as his bosses signed off on it. pic.twitter.com/ylteZZSgZN

— Adam Kimelman (@NHLAdamK) May 16, 2023

Expect Jones to spend his spare time at the conference finals networking and schmoozing with team officials and league officials on TNT’s dime.

Such gatherings can be the perfect environment to conduct team business. And for Jones, who is part of the management team charged with rebuilding the Flyers, what an opportunity to bounce around trade scenarios, gather information and strengthen friendships and trust with his colleagues.

When you get this far in the playoffs — and especially the Stanley Cup Final, which TNT also will broadcast — these games are like hockey conventions. Two hours before opening faceoff and the arena dining room is teeming with team decision-makers.

Friends and colleagues eat dinner together, grab a drink after the game. Prime opportunities for friendly and serious chats exist on off-days. Jones likely would have attended anyway, without the TNT job.

Some business is best conducted in person. Jones is a world-class communicator, so in-person conversations should be his strength. “Hey, want talk trade for [pick a name]?”

TNT has the rights to broadcast the Stanley Cup Final, so Jones could be on the air well into June. Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final is Saturday, June 3.

Interestingly, Jones will be back in the booth starting Thursday night with fellow analyst Eddie Olczyk. The president’s job reportedly came down to either Jones or Olczyk. The TNT crew also includes play-by-play man Kenny Albert and Jackie Redmond in the arena.

Hiring scenario

Jones was in Raleigh, N.C., when the news broke about his new Flyers’ job.

On Wednesday, May 10, Jones was preparing for the following night’s broadcast of Game 5 between Carolina and New Jersey.

The Flyers announced Jones’ hire and the promotion of Daniel Briere to general manager early the next morning. On Friday, the Flyers held a news conference to introduce their new management team at the Wells Fargo Center.

At the news conference, Jones was asked: What kind of tools and what kind of knowledge have you gained from broadcasting that can help you succeed in this role?

“In that role, I was able to meet everyone,” Jones answered. “Everyone in the game – from general managers, to head coaches, to presidents – and have conversations with them, kind of continuing to learn as I went.”

This strikes me as time well spent.