Fans are entitled to no explanation as to player decisions. None. If a team wants to offer explanations that's on them, and nice of them to do, but they're under no obligation to do so.

Imho, of course.
- Scoob

I don't personally care if a coach/player/GM never speak to the media/fans. I care about the product they put on the ice.

Ghost can go to LV. Would it help him? Sure probably would, but then you got a log jam in LV. Unless of course they call up Brennan, Alt or O'Neill to ride the press box.

Konecny can't, and if they send him back to the CHL he's not back until next year.
- dragonoffrost

who cares if there is a log jam in LV. so O'Neill sits a few games. he isn't in their long term plans.

And you think that a week stay in the Cote suite is the best way to improve their games? I feel that playing the games while undergoing some 1-on-1 practice/video time with the coach would be more beneficial.
- jmatchett383

What makes you think they haven't done some of that already? I want all the experts here to explain something to me. If a young player is repeatedly making the same mistakes game after game and isn't correcting what the coaching staff has shown him, and coached him on what are the options? They've let both play through it for a significant amount of time. They've tried scratching them for single games. Now it's still continuing. So what should a coaching staff do then? let them know that there are no consequences moving forward, and just let continue to play with the same poor habits and put the investment and development time you've made in the player at risk?

This team is frightfully boring.

Frightfully.

Players come and players go. The Flyers are always here. I root for the Flyers.

I agree with the bold.
- Scoob

Do you are about the type of game that they play while you spend days of your life watching them each year, or do you only care about the results?

If Ghost remains out of the line up, Hakstol should be questioned on strengths of the team he's clearly making weaker by choosing to play guys like Schultz and Manning instead of him. The team is a mess 5 on 5 so I would not be looking at Ghost being a major factor with or without him in the line up. However, he does have a big impact on 3 other keys to this team's moderate success this season.

-The Power Play
-3 on 3 over time
-Offense from the blue line.

Konecny is a tougher situation. There is 3 guys who Hakstol will realistically scratch for him(Weise, Cousins, Lyuby) and I'd take him in the line up over all 3 but none of those guys really deserve to be scratched. I'd say the trade off that makes the most sense would be Konecny in for Cousins.

let them play and make their mistakes and learn from them. Benching them all the time will kill their confidence and make them think to much on the ice because they don't want to sit again. But hey, as long as we got vdv doing absolutely nothing and belle turning the puck over non stop on a pk its all good according to this crap coach we have.
- jmdodgeser4

They've already done that. Neither has learned from their mistakes and progressed. There has to be consequences for young players.

This. There is a difference between a snowflake and a human being. No one is saying these guys will be crushed emotionally and ruined by a benching. But there is a chance it could make them a bit more timid for fear of being benched again, which is not what you want with them. I don't want Ghost to always make the "safe" play because that is not what got him here.
- jmatchett383

There's that, and I don't see how continually benching better players in favor of others will have a positive impact team wide. Like you said, these are professionals, but they're still human. I would think at some point you would get fed up with bs lineup decisions. Its not just the young guys either, Michael Raffl was scratched this year too. At what point do the plays just say (frank) Hak as much of the fan is doing right now?

This team is frightfully boring.

Frightfully.
- countreeman28

sometimes I find myself staring at the wall during a game. Maybe I get confused on whats more exciting.

What makes you think they haven't done some of that already? I want all the experts here to explain something to me. If a young player is repeatedly making the same mistakes game after game and isn't correcting what the coaching staff has shown him, and coached him on what are the options? They've let both play through it for a significant amount of time. They've tried scratching them for single games. Now it's still continuing. So what should a coaching staff do then? let them know that there are no consequences moving forward, and just let continue to play with the same poor habits and put the investment and development time you've made in the player at risk?
- MJL

Well said

What makes you think they haven't done some of that already? I want all the experts here to explain something to me. If a young player is repeatedly making the same mistakes game after game and isn't correcting what the coaching staff has shown him, and coached him on what are the options? They've let both play through it for a significant amount of time. They've tried scratching them for single games. Now it's still continuing. So what should a coaching staff do then? let them know that there are no consequences moving forward, and just let continue to play with the same poor habits and put the investment and development time you've made in the player at risk?
- MJL

If they've sat them and the results aren't getting better, I guess it's time to move on from them. If they're costing you games and not getting any better, why even keep them if they're just going to going back to the same old habits?

I get that the coach's bottom line is he is hired to win and will be fired eventually for losing. I get the coach will do what he thinks is best and considering the lack of overall skill and speed defense first is probably the only way they are going to win. that said, there is an organizational responsibility to also make sure players are developed properly and to the best of their ability. its in the best interest of the team to see to it. Sitting Ghost and Konecny this long makes me question the latter a bit esp in Ghost's case where he can be demoted. Sit the kid down and say we believe in you, you are part of the future of this team but we need you to work on this.....we are sending you to the Phantoms for a bit to work on it. that is what I would do if I were Hextall
- nastyflyergirl

I'd argue that doing what Hakstol is doing is meeting the responsibility that you reference.

If they've sat them and the results aren't getting better, I guess it's time to move on from them. If they're costing you games and not getting any better, why even keep them if they're just going to going back to the same old habits?
- jmatchett383

Discussed that already.

Discussed that already.
- MJL

It was rhetrorical.

This team is frightfully boring.

Frightfully.
- countreeman28

1995-2003 Devils were boring. Just wait til the Cups start arriving in droves. Business will pick up.

Players come and players go. The Flyers are always here. I root for the Flyers.

I agree with the bold.
- Scoob

Also these players are just mercenaries. I cheer for the Flyers.

Nevermind.

I'm just a fan, I clearly don't know anything. Dave Hakstol is a great hockey coach and obviously is smarter than everyone on here. Sitting the young players will turn them into much better players in the long run which will 100% definitely lead to more success for the team in the future. Sitting them for long stretches is the best move he could have made.

Let's move along.

I'd argue that doing what Hakstol is doing is meeting the responsibility that you reference.
- MJL

I don't agree having Ghost sit is developing him properly. if he isn't good enough to be in the NHL lineup right now then send him to the Phantoms to work on his shortcomings while its still an option. Once he is no longer waiver exempt its too late.

This one I don't get. Feels like Konecny will have a much tougher time replacing what Read brings to the line up rather than the immediate value Ghost would add in place of Schultz or Manning. Can't see a line of Cousins-Couturier-Konecny going over well. Must be some line juggling happening.

I don't agree having Ghost sit is developing him properly. if he isn't good enough to be in the NHL lineup right now then send him to the Phantoms to work on his shortcomings while its still an option. Once he is no longer waiver exempt its too late.
- nastyflyergirl

Dave Hakstol knows more than you. He knows what he's doing because he's an NHL head coach. Don't question him.

Do you are about the type of game that they play while you spend days of your life watching them each year, or do you only care about the results?
- jmatchett383

Isn't the NHL a results oriented business?

Does it matter if they win a cup in the most boring way possible or lose in the most exciting fashion?

I get that the coach's bottom line is he is hired to win and will be fired eventually for losing. I get the coach will do what he thinks is best and considering the lack of overall skill and speed defense first is probably the only way they are going to win. that said, there is an organizational responsibility to also make sure players are developed properly and to the best of their ability. its in the best interest of the team to see to it. Sitting Ghost and Konecny this long makes me question the latter a bit esp in Ghost's case where he can be demoted. Sit the kid down and say we believe in you, you are part of the future of this team but we need you to work on this.....we are sending you to the Phantoms for a bit to work on it. that is what I would do if I were Hextall
- nastyflyergirl

I believe this is what Hextall did with Provorov after his melt down against the Hawks in the beginning of the year. From what I heard, Hexy met with him 1v1 and told him not to worry, he's not going anywhere, and that he was here for the long haul.

So Konecny in for Read? Read has been playing well. I don't get this.

Ghost still out

Dave Isaac ‏@davegisaac 1m1 minute ago
Shayne Gostisbehere still out. I think his sitting is starting to grow old with some of the other players.

Isn't the NHL a results oriented business?

Does it matter if they win a cup in the most boring way possible or lose in the most exciting fashion?
- J35Bacher

If they were a Cup contender right now, it wouldn't matter.

But it doesn't matter, because Dave Hakstol has definitely made the right decisions all season long.