The Philadelphia Flyers and Comcast SportsNet today announced their local television and radio broadcast schedules, along with changes to their radio and television broadcast teams.

The Flyers will have 70 games televised locally in the Philadelphia market, with 61 airing on Comcast SportsNet and nine airing on The Comcast Network. The remaining 12 games will be exclusive national telecasts either on the NBC Sports Network (8) or NBC (4). Four of the Flyers’ eight preseason games will also be televised, with three appearing on The Comcast Network and one on CSN.

On the radio side, the Flyers are partnering with Greater Media for the third consecutive season to bring all preseason, regular season and playoff games to the Philadelphia market via FM radio. 97.5 FM The Fanatic will serve as the Flyers flagship again this season and will carry seven preseason games and 60 regular-season games. The remaining 22 games will air on 93.3 WMMR to avoid conflicts with Philadelphia 76ers radio broadcasts.

The Flyers and CSN also announced a change to their broadcast teams. Former Flyers defenseman Chris Therien will move from the radio broadcast to the Comcast SportsNet television broadcast crew and will serve as the inside-the-glass ice-level reporter for Flyers game broadcasts, joining the team of Jim Jackson, Keith Jones and Bill Clement. Steve Coates, a 32-year veteran of Flyers TV and radio broadcasts, will return to the radio booth to handle color commentary alongside play-by-play voice Tim Saunders on the Flyers Radio Network.

“Chris and Steve have both been a vital part of the Flyers broadcast team for many years,” said Flyers COO Shawn Tilger. “Our fans greatly enjoy their personalities and their insight on the game. We’re confident that both of them will excel in their new roles and enhance both our radio and television broadcasts.”

“In the history of the Flyers, no one has played more games on defense for the Flyers than Chris Therien. His experience and knowledge of the game, coupled with his broadcasting portfolio make him a terrific addition to Jim, Keith and Bill,” said Shawn Oleksiak, Comcast SportsNet VP of Live Events. “Coatesy has been an integral member of our broadcast and we thank him for his contributions and are thrilled he will bring his enthusiasm to Flyers radio broadcasts.”

Therien moves to the television side after spending six seasons as the color analyst for Flyers radio. Prior to that, he served as an analyst on Comcast SportsNet’s postgame live show, which follows Flyers games. In addition, Therien was a part-time member of various shows on 94 WIP.

“I’m extremely honored to be joining the CSN television crew,” Therien said. “I’m very grateful to the Flyers and CSN for this opportunity. I know I have some very big shoes to fill and will do my best to bring the little details of the game home to the fans.”

Therien played 11 seasons for the Flyers during two different stints (1994-95 to 2003-04 & 2005-06), recording 29 goals and 130 assists for 159 points and adding 583 penalty minutes in 753 regular season games. He also played 11 games for the Dallas Stars during the 2003-04 season.

Therien’s 753 regular season games as a Flyer are the most for a Flyers defenseman and are fourth overall on the team’s All-Time List. He was a member of the Canadian Olympic Team that won the Silver Medal at the 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway. Prior to turning professional, he attended Providence College for three years before joining the Canadian National Team after his junior year at Providence. Therien was drafted by the Flyers in the third round (47th overall) of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft.

Coates returns to radio after spending the previous 16 seasons as a member of the Flyers’ television crew on Comcast SportsNet. He held the radio color commentary role for six seasons before moving to the TV side in 1997. A former right wing who appeared in five games with the Detroit Red Wings during the 1976-77 season, Coates has filled several roles with the Flyers since retiring as a player in 1980, when he joined Gene Hart on Flyers radio broadcasts. In addition to his recent duties, he served as studio host on Flyers telecasts on both WTAF-TV (Channel 29, 1984 through 1986) and WGBS-TV (Channel 57, 1987 through 1991). Coates has won two Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards (2000 & 2004) for Best Live Sports Coverage Series and has also served as the television color commentator for Philadelphia Phantoms and Flyers Cup telecasts during his career.

“I’m very excited to be working with Tim Saunders again and to be continuing my career with the Flyers,” Coates said. “We’re going to have a lot of fun together and hopefully bring a very entertaining broadcast to Flyers fans every night.”

Coates played professional hockey for eight different clubs from 1973 through 1980, including his time with the Red Wings in 1976-77. He has also played for the Des Moines Capitals (IHL, 1973-74); Richmond Robins (AHL, 1974-76); Springfield Indians (AHL, 1976-77); Kansas City Red Wings (CHL, 1977-78); Maine Mariners (AHL, 1978); and the Philadelphia/Syracuse Firebirds (AHL, 1978-80). He is a 1973 graduate of Michigan Tech University with a degree in Business Administration.

Flyers partial season tickets are on sale now and include the biggest home games of the season, including recently announced Flyers Hall of Fame Nights honoring Eric Lindros and John LeClair (November 20, 7 p.m.) and Eric Desjardins (February 19, 7 p.m.). Call 215-218-PUCK or visit PhiladelphiaFlyers.com for ticket package information.