Would Simmonds alone get you from #12 to #3 in the draft to draft Viliardi or Mittelstadt? If it can I'm seriously contemplating that
- Just5

For Pete's sake

I don't know who these guys are, but I wonder what their opinion of the flyers was before the season started and where they thought they'd end up.

There's been enough international competition over the last few years involving flyer players to get an idea of their level of play under different coaching. Its not like any of them excel in these formats to base an opinion that Hakstol is holding their talent back.

I just don't see the coach as being the big issue here. No I don't like TK on the 4th line. No I understand why Mark Friedman cant get into a game in Lehigh Valley. There are things I don't agree with that I think they can be criticized for. But on the whole, the players here aren't good enough to get it done consistently.
- Just5

Charlie O'Connor covers the Flyers for Broad Street Hockey and has spoken directly about the same low-to-high strategy that Mono has.

The others don't cover the team directly but the NHL in general. After Jack Capuano was fired, I believe Dimitri Filipovic tweeted that Hakstol was the 2nd worst/most puzzling decision making coach in the league.

The general consensus seems to be that this roster should not have missed the playoffs. Flyers play their poop players way too much leading to them missing. Most think this team will be good/great once that is changed.

Jeff Marek has talked about the Flyers being an attractive destination for potential new coaches if they do fire Hak. He really likes the talent we have on the roster right now, loves Provorov, and he likes our prospect pool. IIRC, he brought it up when Julien was fired and questioned whether it was the right move to go right to Montreal when Hak's job could be up for grabs.

I believe sub-par goaltending has been the biggest culprit to them missing, but Hak's decisions in aggregate is #2.

you would
- YuenglingJagr

I'm just going to post it again because it deserves its own page.

It has been obvious for a while now that Charlie O'Connor is Mono's gentile pen name

You could also say "no offense" before commenting. That always seems to work for me.
- mickel25

I always begin my critiques with slurs against women, the gays, Canadians, the elderly, and the homeless before delving into specifics.

I'm just going to post it again because it deserves its own page.
- Mononoke

They always struck me as the type of band that only listens to their own music

If I served you 2 heapings of crap on a plate next to a filet mignon, would that improve the quality of the meal for you?

For the same reason Voracek on that line last year for extended stretches was a waste of his minutes, placing a young skilled player --your best 5v5 scorer-- with 2 of the worst in the NHL, and giving him team low minutes, does not make a better 4th line. I don't understand why that's a difficult concept. It just worsens and blunts the impact of the best 5v5 scorer on the team on a team that can't score 5v5. A lot of people want to see a skilled 4th line, but throwing a dynamic talent with 2 plugs isn't the recipe for it. At this point in the season, when I'd almost prefer to see them get a better pick, I don't care that much, but in the grand scheme of things, it's annoying and I don't want to see anything like it next year.
- Mononoke

What is the recipe then?

What is the recipe then?
- johndewar

3 skill players (divided)

Hakstol isn't getting fired. I think it's fine to give him another year anyway, and Hextall will because he gambled on him and it'd make him look bad too. This team isn't going anywhere in the short-term anyway, so it's not really any big loss if he's back again and they struggle. Hey, maybe he changes things and actually learns from his failures. But how often is that said about a coach? Hextall has to force the issue too. Bring in new assistants, some fresh blood who is actually competent and can help and edify him. But he needs to change, and that's obvious as day.

I don't get how there is rampant team wide regression, throughout the entire lineup, and the coach bears no blame, and it's just players just all sucking together and not trying hard enough.

This team generates chances at a horrible rate driven by a system geared to take endless unscreened point shots, with no team shooting from a further average distance. That's not on the system? In the last couple weeks, Simmonds and Schenn have themselves called it out saying it's not how you score in this league. But that's perfect and needs no criticism or change? It doesn't mean Hakstol can't be the one to change it, although coaches are notoriously stubborn creatures and it smells of something rooted in the style of college hockey.....but he's as responsible for this year as the players. Criticizing the coach AND the players is a no-no, but criticizing just the players is a-ok? Because we have zero proof league-wide that coaches and coaching changes can vastly affect how a team plays.
- Mononoke

Its quite mind boggling when you consider all of the recent evidence suggesting how much a change of coaches can swing things for a team.

3 skill players (divided)
- YuenglingJagr

Awesome, thanks.

It has been obvious for a while now that Charlie O'Connor is Mono's gentile pen name
- YuenglingJagr

German RubSoft is my gentile and gentle pen name

I'm just going to post it again because it deserves its own page.

- Mononoke

While I do think they're very bland and bad at playing music, they're the direct inspiration for Coldplay, my least favorite band in the world, who Radiohead pales in comparison of awfulness to. At least Chad Kroger of Nickleback uses inflection in his voice and the band plays more than one note every 10 seconds.

Both of those bands are good for committing suicide, but not much else.

There's no reason to....just demote him. We won't need the cap space we aren't contending anytime in his contract
- Just5

The new and improved:
ROBIDAS ISLAND

What is the recipe then?
- johndewar

3 skilled players, part of 4 skilled lines, who can outscore the opposition and have a positive impact against who they are matched with. Doesn't mean flash and dash players, just quality ones. If we had a 4th line of Laughton-Cousins-Weise or something, you're telling me that wouldn't potentially have a big net positive facing off against other 4th lines?

Charelie O'Connor covers the Flyers for Broad Street Hockey and has spoken directly about the same low-to-high strategy that Mono has.

The others don't cover the team directly but the NHL in general. After Jack Capuano was fired, I believe Dimitri Filipovic tweeted that Hakstol was the 2nd worst/most puzzling decision making coach in the league.

The general consensus seems to be that this roster should not have missed the playoffs. Flyers play their poop players way too much leading to them missing. Most think this team will be good/great once that is changed.

Jeff Marek has talked about the Flyers being an attractive destination for potential new coaches if they do fire Hak. He really likes the talent we have on the roster right now, loves Provorov, and he likes our prospect pool. IIRC, he brought it up when Julien was fired and questioned whether it was the right move to go right to Montreal when Hak's job could be up for grabs.

I believe sub-par goaltending has been the biggest culprit to them missing, but Hak's decisions in aggregate is #2.
- JFlyers00

This team absolutely should miss the playoffs with the regression in goaltending and Giroux. That's pretty much been the difference. Again I go back to the international competition. G has always looked like crap internationally. Jake looks ok from time to time but still does his superman stuff. Coots is seen as a 4C. I don't know what else to say

3 skilled players, part of 4 skilled lines, who can outscore the opposition and have a positive impact against who they are matched with. Doesn't mean flash and dash players, just quality ones. If we had a 4th line of Laughton-Cousins-Weise or something, you're telling me that wouldn't potentially have a big net positive facing off against other 4th lines?
- Mononoke

But... Who will kill penalties?

Its crazy to think Weal spent half a season buried in the Minors, but not really that crazy

While I do think they're very bland and bad at playing music, they're the direct inspiration for Coldplay, my least favorite band in the world, who Radiohead pales in comparison of awfulness to. At least Chad Kroger of Nickleback uses inflection in his voice and the band plays more than one note every 10 seconds.

Both of those bands are good for committing suicide, but not much else.
- jmatchett383

Caution. You're dangerously close to hipster territory.

This team absolutely should miss the playoffs with the regression in goaltending and Giroux. That's pretty much been the difference. Again I go back to the international competition. G has always looked like crap internationally. Jake looks ok from time to time but still does his superman stuff. Coots is seen as a 4C. I don't know what else to say
- Just5

International != NHL

I don't agree. Beyond popular belief here, there's more talent on the roster than people think.

Coots was the 4C for team NA above Trocheck who some want to trade for to be our new 1C.

Caution. You're dangerously close to hipster territory.
- Mononoke

As long as he doesnt say that he liked old school Nickelback, in the days before they sold out, went mainstream and became hugely popular... I'll allow it.

I'll allow my boy, Thom, to handle this question:


- Mononoke

Wow, I do not know what is worse, the video of some dude walking through doors or the whiny voice singing lyrics I can barely hear.

But... Who will kill penalties?
- JFlyers00

Let me think.......

Couturier, Simmonds, Filppula, Raffl, Read, Laughton, Giroux, Leier, probably Lindblom can.......honestly I would love to see it experimented on just using your best players on the PK in some of the most high leverage situations of the game. I'm convinced almost everyone on the team could kill penalties as well as or better than the twosome if actually tried there. Obviously it's OK or even better if you have depth players that can do it just as well, but therein lies the Rubtsov. People act so surprised to see Simmonds can PK well, when it really just seems intuitive. Good player, good skater can kill penalties and be a dangerous SH threat too.

Dreams are for sissies. When I go to sleep I just stare into the cold dark vacuum of reality.
- Mononoke

Reality is a vacuum. Check.

It's cold. Check

and dark. Check.

This looks a lot like my wife's reality too...

International != NHL
- JFlyers00

I don't see Hak holding them back much. I'm sorry. Plays are available to be made and they're consistently not. I saw Berube holding them back, the breakouts, the usage, etc. I'm no expert, I get the point shot debate and yea they're heavy there. I think that will rectify itself when the kids filter in on the blueline

Hakstol isn't getting fired. I think it's fine to give him another year anyway, and Hextall will because he gambled on him and it'd make him look bad too. This team isn't going anywhere in the short-term anyway, so it's not really any big loss if he's back again and they struggle. Hey, maybe he changes things and actually learns from his failures. But how often is that said about a coach? Hextall has to force the issue too. Bring in new assistants, some fresh blood who is actually competent and can help and edify him. But he needs to change, and that's obvious as day.
- Mononoke

But think about how much better they'd be with the playoff experience they aren't getting.