FLYERS HIRE HAKSTOL AS HEAD COACH
The Philadelphia Flyers have a noon press conference scheduled today at the Wells Fargo Center to announce the hiring of University of North Dakota head coach
Dave Hakstol as the new head coach of the NHL team.
Hakstol, who turns 47 in late July, has been UND's head coach since 2004-05 and was an associate coach with the program for the four previous seasons. He has never coached at the professional level. A former defensive defenseman during his playing days, Hakstol was a rugged and physical player who spent a few minor league seasons in the now-defunct International Hockey League after his collegiate playing career at UND.
Although Flyers general manager
Ron Hextall was tight-lipped throughout the hiring process, sources have indicated that the club was looking for someone who strongly emphasized accountability as well as structure. At least at the collegiate level, that has been Hakstol's reputation: a tough and demanding but fair coach with a sharp mind for preparation and strategy. However, it is always a question mark how one's style and strengths will transfer from even the AHL level to the NHL, much less from junior or collegiate coaching. It is an interesting choice to say the least.
“Dave brings a wealth of head coaching experience and success to the Philadelphia Flyers organization,” Hextall said in a statement issued by the team. “He’s a proven winner and we are pleased to have him become part of the Flyers family.”
“I am extremely excited to be named the Philadelphia Flyers new head coach,” said Hakstol in the statement. “Through the process here with Ron and everybody in the Flyers organization, I have gained even more of an understanding of the history and tradition of this organization and I’m very proud to become part of the Philadelphia Flyers today.”
There is some familiarity because Flyers forward
Chris VandeVelde and Phantoms forward
Brett Hextall (Ron's son) played for Hakstol at UND. Additionally, still unsigned Flyers 2010 draftee
Michael Parks spent the last four seasons playing for UND.
It seems likely that Hakstol will choose a veteran assistant coach with previous NHL head coaching experience. One possibility is
Terry Murray but that remains to be seen.
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IIHF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRAPUP
* Team Canada completed a dominating run to the gold medal at the 2015 IIHF World Championships in the Czech Republic with a 6-1 blowout of defending champion Russia on Sunday.
Claude Giroux had a spectacular assist on a Tyler Seguin goal and later added a power play goal of his own.
Sean Couturier assisted on a Tyler Ennis goal early in the second period as the Canadians took a 2-0 lead.
Canada dominated puck possession throughout the game, outshooting the Russians by a 37-12 margin (including 15-5 in the first period and 14-1 in a middle frame that saw the Canadians score three unanswered goals). Only an otherwise meaningless mid-third period goal by Evgeni Malkin prevented a shutout.
For the tournament, Giroux finished with 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 10 games. He was plus-11 at even strength and also scored two power play goals among his three tallies.
Couturier had seven points (three goals, four assists) in 10 games. He was not out for a single even-strength goal by an opposing team and finished at plus-13 in mostly a fourth-line role. Canada's depth compared to most every other team created mismatches, and Couturier was dominant in his role. He started out the tourney getting very little ice time in his first game or two but Todd McLellan gave him a greatly increased role as the tournament progressed.
On the other hand,
Brayden Schenn didn't get much chance to play. He dressed in only two games -- and was a healthy scratch for the eighth time as Canada won the gold medal -- and barely played (about five and a half minutes of ice time) in the first of two in which he dressed. However, he did score a goal in his second game.
* Team USA shut out the host Czech Republic, 3-0, to capture the bronze medal. The Czechs were shut out in both the semifinals and finals as a lack of depth got exposed.
Jakub Voracek had three shots on goal and an even plus-minus in 17:29 of ice time in the bronze medal game. The Czech team captain finished the tourney with 10 points in 10 games (three goals, seven assists), six penalty minutes, 33 shots on goal and an even plus-minus.
* Team Switzerland captain
Mark Streit had two assists and 16 shots on goal in eight games. He was minus-five at even strength. The Swiss team reached the medal round quarterfinals and held a 1-0 lead on Team USA at the first intermission before the Americans came back to earn a 3-1 win.
* Team Austria's
Michael Raffl had a good tournament, with a late game-tying goal in the opener against Switzerland and three points (one goal, two assists) in seven games for a club with a very thin roster. Raffl's 65.1 percent faceoff performance ranked fifth among all players in the tourney. Nevertheless, the Austrians got relegated to Division I for next year after finishing last in their preliminary round group.
* Soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Lehigh Valley Phantoms defenseman
Oliver Lauridsen was a blueline mainstay in helping Team Denmark avoid relegation and remain in the top level of IIHF international men's play next year. A win over arch-rival Norway was the key for the Danes, and Lauridsen played a good game in that match. Lauridsen concluded the tournament with one assist, four shots on goal, four penalty minutes and a minus-five rating at even strength in seven games.
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QMJHL FINALS
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League President's Cup Finals will go to a seventh and deciding game. On Sunday, the Rimouski Oceanic forced a seventh game with a 5-4 overtime win to knot the series at three games apiece.
Game Seven will take place in Rimouski on Monday night. Game time is 7:00 p.m. EDT. In order to win the championship, the Oceanic will need to break a series-long pattern that has seen the home team lose all six games to date.
Flyers 2013 first-round pick
Samuel Morin was an integral part of forcing a seventh game. He racked up three assists in Game Six and finished with an even plus-minus (plus three, minus three) as Rimouski rallied back from a 4-2 deficit in the third period. Morin had the primary assist on Alexis Loiseau's game-tying goal with just 1:01 left in regulation.
Regardless of the outcome of Monday's game for the QMJHL championship, both Quebec (automatic spot as tournament host) and Rimouski (as either QMJHL champion or by virtue of being the playoff runner-up to the host team) will participate in the Memorial Cup. The other two teams are the OHL champion Oshawa Generals and the WHL titlist Kelowna Rockets. Kelowna is minus injured 2013 Flyers third-round pick
Tyrell Goulbourne (surgically repaired torn calf muscle).
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FLYERS ALUMNI FANTASY HOCKEY CAMP
The Flyers Alumni will host a fantasy hockey camp from August 21-24 in Atlantic City, open to anyone age 21 and older. Instructors and Alumni participants will include
Bernie Parent,
Brian Propp,
Ian Laperriere,
Todd Fedoruk,
Andre "Moose" Dupont,
Dave "the Hammer" Schultz,
Joe Watson and
Bob "the Hound" Kelly.
The registration deadline is June 1. Participation costs $3,000 apiece but it is free to
register a spot online. Over on the Flyers' Alumni website, there is
more information on camp-related activities and on-ice schedules.
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