Flyers, goalie coach Jeff Reese mutually part ways

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Updated: 2:58 p.m.

VOORHEES, N.J. — Flyers goalie coach Jeff Reese and the club have abruptly parted ways Friday by mutual consent.

The announcement with 17 games left in the regular season is highly unusual and it comes before what is arguably the team and Steve Mason’s biggest game of the season: Saturday at Boston where the Flyers find themselves four points behind the Bruins for the second wild-card playoff berth.

“It was a mutual agreement between both parties,” Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said in a statement. “Jeff was an integral part of our coaching staff for the past six seasons and we wish him well.”

Reese, who replaced Reggie Lemelin, joined the Flyers on June 25, 2009, after a decade with the Tampa Bay Lightning coaching staff, including the Lightning’s 2003-04 Stanley Cup championship season.

Reese also had a statement: “I’d like to thank the Flyers' organization for the opportunity to help coach the Flyers for the past six seasons.

“I’ve enjoyed my time here and I wish the Flyers all the success in the world. Having said that, I would appreciate it if the media would respect my privacy as I will not be making any further comment.”

Flyers coach Craig Berube was equally tight-lipped.

“It’s a mutual agreement — you read the release, no further comment,” Berube said.

Berube would not respond as to whether there were any issues with the handling of any of the goaltenders this season.

“Reeser is a great coach,” he said.

Reese was instrumental in helping Mason restart his career once he arrived here from Columbus late in 2012-13.

Mason won the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year in 2008-09 with 33 victories, a 2.29 goals-against average and .916 save percentage.

It would be his last full season in which his GAA was under 3.00 and he later said he was too immature to handle the success of that year. It was here as a Flyer, working under Reese, that Mason was able to resurrect his career and even earn a three-year, $12.3 million extension in January of 2014.

Reese even advised then-general manager Paul Holmgren on the acquisition of Mason from the Blue Jackets in April 2013 for Michael Leighton.

“This is something that has come out of left field,” Mason said. “I don’t want to comment on it too much. I will say that with Reeser, he was a huge part of getting me to the point where I am in my career now.

“I owe a ton to him. Sometimes, things happen that are hard to understand in the game of hockey. I think like Hexy said, it was a mutual thing from the organization’s standpoint and Reeser’s standpoint. I don’t want to [delve] too much into it. If it wasn’t for Reeser, I wouldn’t be in the position I am right now.”

Reese was not at Thursday's game against St. Louis. The irony there is Mason finally reached the .500 mark (13-13-8) on Thursday, while also recording his 50th career win as a Flyer.

Whereas Lemelin was old school, hard-nosed and could sometimes be unbending in dealing with his goalies, the younger Reese seemed opened to ideas from players, regardless of age or experience.

“He was very receptive to my input,” Mason said. “He always told me I was easy to work with. [He was] somebody that I felt I could confide my feelings into away from the game. I consider him a friend.

“He was somebody that right from the start was a large factor in bringing me here for the trade. Right from the start of working with him, he expressed a ton of confidence in my abilities to get back to the point where he knew I could play at.”

Mason came here, admittedly, as a goalie whose confidence had been rocked, and despite injuries and some tough breaks because of the club in front of him, at times, sees himself as an asset who has earned the No. 1 job and is confident he can retain it.

Mason admitted he had difficulty focusing on Thursday’s game against the Blues knowing Reese had already departed. The Flyers won, 3-1, and Mason had 28 saves.

“It’s been a tough couple days here,” Mason said. “[Thursday's] game was a real hard game to focus on just because of the circumstances. What was going on. Like I said, he is somebody I owe my career to. I wish him the best.”

Several team sources told CSNPhilly.com they had not seen Reese around the dressing room for a few days prior to Friday. Some had no idea he had parted ways.

It was unclear whether this was a contract matter that had not been resolved or something of a personal nature.

It’s hard to believe it was contractual. No coach quits over a contract this late in the season.

“It happened out of the blue for me,” Mason said. “I found out a couple of days ago where he was at. It was a mutual feeling from the organization and Reeser’s standpoint.”

Ray Emery said he knew in advance something was going on.

“A couple days he hasn’t been here,” Emery said. “I don’t want to comment on circumstances because I don’t know what happened.

“I knew I really enjoyed working with him. He’s a really good goalie coach. A great guy, besides that.”

Emery said Reese’s best attribute was his love for the game of hockey.

“His passion for the game,” Emery said. “He’s a student of the game. He came to work every day. He approached it different ways. Whether it was constructive criticism or repetitions in there or scouting teams. Any way he could help, he did.”

So who is the goalie coach?

“Guess it’s me and Razor talking to each other,” Mason said as he left the dressing room.

Comcast SportsNet Flyers analyst and former goalie Brian Boucher has not been contacted about the position and Flyers scout Neil Little could not be reached for comment.

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