Imagine three great nations under three great queens. The first queen writes a great book of law and her rule is just. The second queen builds a high tower and her people climb it to see the stars. The third queen raises an army and conquers everything.

The future belongs to one of these queens. Her rule is harshest and her people are unhappy. But she rules.

This explains everything, understand? This is why the universe is the way it is, and not some other way. Existence is a game that everything plays, and some strategies are winners: the ability to exist, to shape existence, to remake it so that your descendants - molecules or stars or people or ideas - will flourish, and others will find no ground to grow.

And as the universe ticks on towards the close, the great players will face each other. In the next round there will be three queens and all of them will have armies, and now it will be a battle of swords - until one discovers the cannon, or the plague, or the killing word.
- Mordecai

if there was a movie where three queens battled it out with "swords" I would totally watch it

My point is the criticism of Ghost by Hakstol is valid. He's paid to play defense. If we had a defenseman who could cover all the gaffes as his partner then fine go ahead and free wheel and make other teams have nightmares. But with the current roster we can't have him doing that.

It's not that he needs to stop taking those chances it's he needs to pick his spots better.
- dragonoffrost

I kind of disagree though

I kind of disagree though
- YuenglingJagr

Gostisbehere has been an absolute joy to watch this season.

The Ghost thing to me is a second year player, not even a full first year, is now struggling a bit.

I dont know that it needs to be overthought anymore than that..

LMAO. The author is an idiot.
- MJL

I think my favorite part is when he says it's no coincidence Ghost's point totals have declined since Haks scratched him

if there was a movie where three queens battled it out with "swords" I would totally watch it
- YuenglingJagr

I drive myself to the edge of madness trying to explain the truth.

It's so simple. Elegant like a knife point. It explains - this is not hyperbole, this is the farthest thing from exaggeration - EVERYTHING.

But you lay it out and they stare at you like you've just been exhaling dust. Maybe they're missing some underlying scaffold of truth. Maybe they are all propped on a bed of lies that must be burned away.

Why does anything exist?

No no no no no don't reach for that word. There's no 'reason'. That's teleology and teleology will stitch your eyelids shut.

Why do we have atoms? Because atomic matter is more stable than the primordial broth. Atoms defeated the broth. That was the first war. There were two ways to be and one of them won. And everything that came next was made of atoms.

Atoms made stars. Stars made galaxies. Worlds simmered down to rock and acid and in those smoking primal seas the first living molecule learned to copy itself. All of this happened by the one law, the blind law, which exists without mind or meaning. It's the simplest law but it has no worshippers here (out there, though, out there - !)

HOW DO I EXPLAIN IT it's so simple WHY DON'T YOU SEE

I think my favorite part is when he says it's no coincidence Ghost's point totals have declined since Haks scratched him
- arichardson22

lol that was great

Gostisbehere has been an absolute joy to watch this season.
- mayorofangrytown

Nobody can turn a 3 on 2 into a 2 on 1 quicker

I think my favorite part is when he says it's no coincidence Ghost's point totals have declined since Haks scratched him
- arichardson22

No wonder there is no goal in the press box

http://broadstreetbuzz.com/2017/01/19/philadelphia-flyers-hakstol-ruining-gostisbehere/

#FireDaveHakstol
- arichardson22

I'm not calling for his job. I certainly like Hakstol more than Berube. I just want to see improvement, not just in overall wins but the favoritism, it's glaring. I'm sure any real fan here could list who is safe to play every night and who isn't. Some of the scratches lead to line combinations that you wish he didn't change. He's in his second season. If we see more of the same as we transition from old to new. Yes, I will want him fired.

If he needs time, he has it. So far, I'm not a big fan. In my opinion, if Ghost didn't play the way he did last season, last year would have been equally as dull.

I'm not calling for his job. I certainly like Hakstol more than Berube. I just want to see improvement, not just in overall wins but the favoritism, it's glaring. I'm sure any real fan here could list who is safe to play every night and who isn't. Some of the scratches lead to line combinations that you wish he didn't change. He's in his second season. If we see more of the same as we transition from old to new. Yes, I will want him fired.

If he needs time, he has it. So far, I'm not a big fan. In my opinion, if Ghost didn't play the way he did last season, last year would have been equally as dull.
- SuperSchennBros

What is he doing that another coach wouldn't?

This isn't a complete team yet. I think you'll see a big difference from this year to next one more talent is added.

What they are doing is not a overnight fix like they tried the year after selecting 2nd overall. this is a more thought out approach to not just be a playoff team but to be a consistent playoff contender.

if there was a movie where three queens battled it out with "swords" I would totally watch it
- YuenglingJagr

If you really want to see queens battle it out with "swords" just come to Key West and head down to Duval Street any time after 10pm or so.

The Ghost thing to me is a second year player, not even a full first year, is now struggling a bit.

I dont know that it needs to be overthought anymore than that..
- opeth_pa

How dare you come in here and post something reasonable and logical like this???

ALL IS TERRIBLE!!!!

Get it through your head!!

I drive myself to the edge of madness trying to explain the truth.

It's so simple. Elegant like a knife point. It explains - this is not hyperbole, this is the farthest thing from exaggeration - EVERYTHING.

But you lay it out and they stare at you like you've just been exhaling dust. Maybe they're missing some underlying scaffold of truth. Maybe they are all propped on a bed of lies that must be burned away.

Why does anything exist?

No no no no no don't reach for that word. There's no 'reason'. That's teleology and teleology will stitch your eyelids shut.

Why do we have atoms? Because atomic matter is more stable than the primordial broth. Atoms defeated the broth. That was the first war. There were two ways to be and one of them won. And everything that came next was made of atoms.

Atoms made stars. Stars made galaxies. Worlds simmered down to rock and acid and in those smoking primal seas the first living molecule learned to copy itself. All of this happened by the one law, the blind law, which exists without mind or meaning. It's the simplest law but it has no worshippers here (out there, though, out there - !)

HOW DO I EXPLAIN IT it's so simple WHY DON'T YOU SEE
- Mordecai

I'm afraid if I read this, I may learn something.

I'm afraid if I read this, I may learn something.
- BiggE

Short and sweet: The more enemies you kill, the stronger you become. The more things your sword cuts the sharper it gets.

Even deeper: By defeating your foe, you are proving your existence over theirs. You are claiming your right to the universe by ending their claim. The one who is the last to exist when the universe is at its end can claim existence as their own and remake reality in their own image.

If you really want to see queens battle it out with "swords" just come to Key West and head down to Duval Street any time after 10pm or so.

- BiggE

Oh Dear!

Short and sweet: The more enemies you kill, the stronger you become. The more things your sword cuts the sharper it gets.

Even deeper: By defeating your foe, you are proving your existence over theirs. You are claiming your right to the universe by ending their claim. The one who is the last to exist when the universe is at its end can claim existence as their own and remake reality in their own image.
- Mordecai

If the Flyers score more goals then they surrender they will win more games......BOOM.

If the Flyers score more goals then they surrender they will win more games......BOOM.
- J35Bacher

This is a little too complex for me. Might need a graph or something

Short and sweet: The more enemies you kill, the stronger you become. The more things your sword cuts the sharper it gets.

Even deeper: By defeating your foe, you are proving your existence over theirs. You are claiming your right to the universe by ending their claim. The one who is the last to exist when the universe is at its end can claim existence as their own and remake reality in their own image.
- Mordecai

Oh, yeah I guess. I usually just challenge my enemies to keep up with me, drink for drink. None of those (frank)ers have yet to succeed!

This is a little too complex for me. Might need a graph or something
- Mordecai

If the Flyers score more goals then they surrender they will win more games......BOOM.
- J35Bacher

Pure hyperbole. Where are the advanced metrics to back this up??

If the Flyers score more goals then they surrender they will win more games......BOOM.
- J35Bacher

So your saying

- Streit2ThePoint

Now THIS is very exciting

Oh, yeah I guess. I usually just challenge my enemies to keep up with me, drink for drink. None of those (frank)ers have yet to succeed!
- BiggE

All else fails, play dead

Works every time

What is he doing that another coach wouldn't?

This isn't a complete team yet. I think you'll see a big difference from this year to next one more talent is added.

What they are doing is not a overnight fix like they tried the year after selecting 2nd overall. this is a more thought out approach to not just be a playoff team but to be a consistent playoff contender.
- J35Bacher

They're being pretty consistent right now. Three consecutive years of being a bubble team.

Where's all this talent coming from next year? Lindblom, Morin, maybe Sanheim?

I thought this season we'd see them take a step forward. No one can tell me that they see any type of improvement over last season. Players have regressed this year. The ten game winning streak was fun. Pretty sure we're going to be the first team to have one and miss the playoffs in the same season.

Patience is one thing. It takes time to acquire talent. That's a given. An ability to play consistently sound hockey can be taught. IMO the concept of team play has also regressed.

It's wholly disappointing.