PHILADELPHIA — The Flyers have named longtime television analyst Keith Jones their team president of hockey operations and removed the interim tag from general manager Danny Briere’s title.
Jones was a surprise choice Thursday after he spent the past 23 years as an analyst for Flyers telecasts on NBC Sports Philadelphia. He worked on national broadcasts on NBC and most recently for TNT’s coverage of the NHL in each of the past two seasons.
He broadcast the NHL Winter Classic, the Stanley Cup Final and other league showcase events and spent 21 years on the SportsRadio 94WIP Morning Show.
“To be able to lead this team back to the winning tradition that everyone knows it can, and should, be is a true honor and one that I do not take lightly,” Jones said. “I consider the Philadelphia Flyers organization the gold standard of the NHL and professional sports. I’ve seen how this city and these fans can rally around their team, and there is nothing that compares to that feeling.”
The Flyers are coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise history under first-year coach John Tortorella and have missed the playoffs for three straight years. They haven’t won a Stanley Cup since taking consecutive championships in 1974 and 1975.
Briere was promoted to interim general manager after Chuck Fletcher was fired in early March as the organization started to shuffle the front office ahead of a lengthy rebuild. Dan Hilferty was named chairman of the Flyers’ parent company, Comcast Spectacor.
“I’ve dedicated my life to the sport of hockey, and to be given this opportunity with the confidence from Dan Hilferty and the leadership group, in a city that means so much to me, words cannot describe my excitement,” Briere said. “I truly believe this is an exciting time for the Flyers with the steps that we’ve taken this past season, the way our team has responded to the standard that was set both on and off the ice, and the path that we are on.”
The Flyers hold the No. 7 pick in the NHL draft. They are $9 million under the salary cap for next season, with several young players expected to compete to make the leap to the NHL. The Flyers have scores of veterans such as Cam Atkinson, Kevin Hayes, Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov on the hook for hefty salaries for multiple seasons, and moving them could be a challenge.
Briere has said that although some younger players such as Noah Cates, Owen Tippett and Cam York could be foundational team members, no Flyer is untouchable in trade talks this summer.
Briere was one of the most productive postseason players in Flyers history and led the franchise to its last Stanley Cup Final in 2010. Jones played nine years in the NHL and scored 258 points (117 goals) in 491 career regular-season games with Washington, Colorado and Philadelphia.
“This is a storied franchise with the most passionate fans in the National Hockey League,” Hilferty said. “Our ultimate goal is to deliver them a championship. Achieving that goal will take time.”
Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.
MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Brewers centerfielder Jackson Chourio‘s status for Game 2 of the NLDS against the Chicago Cubs on Monday is uncertain after an MRI on his right hamstring came back inconclusive, according to manager Pat Murphy.
Chourio, 21, left Game 1 on Saturday after legging out an infield hit in the bottom of the second inning. It’s the same hamstring he injured in July — also while playing against the Cubs — putting his immediate playing future in doubt.
“I can’t give you a definitive, but I know that we’re going to test some things today,” Murphy said on Sunday afternoon. “He’s going to be out there today. I don’t know that he’ll do much, but the MRI came back and it’s inconclusive and it’s not a serious hamstring strain, but it’s not necessarily something that won’t limit him.”
Chourio was 3 for 3 in the game before leaving. Murphy indicated rookie Isaac Collins would likely take Chourio’s place in the lineup if the latter player can’t go.
The Brewers manager also announced lefty Aaron Ashby will start Game 2 for his team, though he probably won’t last long after throwing 1⅓ innings on Saturday. He’s likely opening the game to help neutralize Cubs leadoff man Michael Busch — also a lefty — who homered to start Game 1.
“He could go as long as we want him to,” Murphy said of Ashby.
Righty Quinn Priester is likely the bulk innings guy for the Brewers after Ashby, but Murphy stopped short of declaring his plans. The Cubs are countering with lefty Shota Imanaga, who pitched in Game 2 of the wild-card round against the San Diego Padres.
“He’s a competitor,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “And I think he’s a thinking-man’s competitor, and he also pitches with a lot of joy on the mound, while competing at a really high level.”
Imanaga has a 5.73 ERA in four career games against the Brewers, including three starts this season.
“I think all the hitters, they understand what they need to do, and I think that’s the Brewers’ offense,” Imanaga said of his struggles against Milwaukee. “Even yesterday, just the next guy was up, the next guy was ready. So I think, for me, it’s just making sure, take it one out at a time, and then thinking about that one out.”
Murphy was asked about facing the second-year Cub who features a rising fastball and a sinking splitter.
“His heater plays way up,” Murphy said. “If it says 91, the hitter sees it as 95 to 96.”
What does it all mean for the AP Top 25? Let’s break down the rankings.
Stats courtesy of ESPN Research.
All times Eastern.
Previous ranking: 1
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Defeated Minnesota 42-3
Stat to know: Ohio State has allowed 25 total points this season. That is the fewest points allowed through five games by a Big Ten team since 1985 Michigan.
What’s next: Saturday at Illinois, noon, Fox
Previous ranking: 3
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Defeated Florida State 28-22
Stat to know: Miami has three straight wins against AP-ranked opponents within a season for the first time since 2004.
What’s next: Oct. 17 vs. Louisville, 7 p.m.
Previous ranking: 2
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Indiana, 3:30 p.m., CBS
Previous ranking: 4
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Washington State, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 6
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Defeated Mississippi State 31-9
Stat to know: This is Texas A&M’s first 5-0 start since 2016.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Florida, 7 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: 5
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Defeated Kent State 44-0
Stat to know: This was Oklahoma’s first shutout since its 2023 win over Arkansas State.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Texas (in Dallas), 3:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 8
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday at Oregon, 3:30 p.m., CBS
Previous ranking: 10
2025 record: 4-1
Week 6 result: Defeated Vanderbilt 30-14
Stat to know: Kalen DeBoer is now 13-2 in matchups between two ranked teams.
What’s next: Saturday at Missouri, noon, ABC
Previous ranking: 11
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Defeated Houston 35-11
Stat to know: Texas Tech has now won five straight games by 20-plus points for first time since 1953-54.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Kansas, 7:30 p.m., Fox
Previous ranking: 12
2025 record: 4-1
Week 6 result: Defeated Kentucky 35-14
Stat to know: Georgia has a 16-game win streak against Kentucky.
What’s next: Saturday at Auburn, 7:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 13
2025 record: 4-1
Week 6 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. South Carolina, 7:45 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 15
2025 record: 4-1
Week 6 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Arkansas, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 17
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Virginia Tech, 3:30 p.m., ACC Network
Previous ranking: 19
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Alabama, noon, ABC
Previous ranking: 20
2025 record: 4-1
Week 6 result: Defeated Wisconsin 24-10
Stat to know: Michigan has now won consecutive games against Wisconsin for the first time since 2002.
What’s next: Saturday at USC, 7:30 p.m., NBC
Previous ranking: 21
2025 record: 3-2
Week 6 result: Defeated Boise State 28-7
Stat to know: Against Boise State, Notre Dame had four interceptions in a game for the first time since 2023.
What’s next: Saturday vs. NC State, 3:30 p.m., Peacock
Previous ranking: 22
2025 record: 5-1
Week 6 result: Defeated Purdue 42-27
Stat to know: Illinois has now won consecutive games against Purdue for the first time since 2001-02.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Ohio State, noon, Fox
Previous ranking: 23
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Defeated West Virginia 38-24
Stat to know: BYU has started 5-0 for the sixth time in program history.
What’s next: Saturday at Arizona, 8 p.m., ESPN2
Previous ranking: 24
2025 record: 5-1
Week 6 result: Defeated Louisville 30-27 (OT)
Stat to know: The win over Louisville is Virginia’s second straight overtime win. Virginia had never won multiple overtime games in a season prior to 2025.
What’s next: Oct. 18 vs. Washington State, 6:30 p.m., The CW
Previous ranking: 16
2025 record: 5-1
Week 6 result: Lost to Alabama 30-14
Stat to know: The loss to Alabama was Vanderbilt’s first game with two red zone turnovers since 2015.
What’s next: Oct. 18 vs. LSU
Previous ranking: 25
2025 record: 4-1
Week 6 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday at Utah, 10:15 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: 14
2025 record: 4-1
Week 6 result: Lost to Cincinnati 38-30
Stat to know: The loss to Cincinnati snaps a five-game conference play win streak dating back to last season.
What’s next: Saturday at Colorado, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 6-0
Week 6 result: Defeated Tulsa 45-7
Stat to know: Memphis is on a 10-game win streak, the longest active streak in FBS.
What’s next: October 18 at UAB
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 4-1
Week 6 result: Defeated Charlotte 54-26
Stat to know: South Florida has won four of its first five games for the first time since 2018.
What’s next: Friday at North Texas, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
Previous ranking: 18
2025 record: 3-2
Week 6 result: Lost to Miami 28-22
Stat to know: Florida State outscored Miami 19-0 in the fourth quarter