caution and preparation to a point, but JFC let the kids that have been groomed for the last 3-4 years (frank)ing play.
- hammarby31

agree.

when they hired Hakstol one thing I thought was that he would be a good coach for all of the kids coming up. I was a supporter but man he is losing me. as far as Hextall I get being cautious but JFC at what point do the kid dmen play? Morin absolutely needs to be in the lineup. this lineup looked terrible against the Isles. the Flyers just looked better with the young dmen in the lineup.
- nastyflyergirl

Sitting Morin looks like a mistake but let's not act like there isn't kids in the line up.

Half their skaters are 25 or younger.

Maybe Hexy and Hak are going Hinkie this year....

One more high draft pick to complete the tank/process?

I can't think of another logical reason to throw the same thing out there and expect a different result this year...

Again, I'm not saying that this is the group of six or the combos that I personally hoped to see or that I'm wild about the D pairs that were selected. Just saying that Hakstol clearly still has more trust in the older guys at least for opening night.
- bmeltzer

My ish with Hak's process here is that the guys he trusts didn't get it done last year. What's the risk of playing rookies? The team might lose the game. What happened last year with the vets? The team lost games. Doing the same thing you did last time, which didn't work, and expecting a better result is nuts.

Not trying to kill the messenger here, Bill. Thanks for being the lifeline to the team!

I get it. Hak needs to worry about his job. With rookies comes mistakes. But frankly, no one is expecting anything out of this year. They can’t learn if they don’t play. We know Brandon Manning, I’m sure there is a team out there he could play defense for in this league. But there are more talented players here on this team and he has no business being in the top 6.
- Flyers1218

Another career hanging in the balance.

Don't really mind who get the rotating "A's" but would have liked to see Couts or Voracek.. But MACD is the most experience dman on the team so it makes sense.

Not sure what kind of start Weise will get off to. But people keep forgetting that Filppula, for whatever the shot-attempt differential stats say, had 35 even strength points last year between Tampa and the Flyers. He is good at distributing the puck and there's a chance he and Konecny could develop some chemistry especially if they get some easier matchups with other teams focused on the top two lines. If not, Simmonds liked playing with Filppula and Weal last year. If Patrick gets off to a slow start, he could switch linemates with Filppula.
- bmeltzer

I don't doubt that Filppula will produce. I should have elaborated more on my original point. My main issue with him is that he bleeds scoring chances against, which matches with my eye test at least. Its not just shot-attempts but similar. This isn't a good match for Konecny IMO.

I would also wager on Filppula moving to wing at some point this year.

Again, I'm not saying that this is the group of six or the combos that I personally hoped to see or that I'm wild about the D pairs that were selected. Just saying that Hakstol clearly still has more trust in the older guys at least for opening night.
- bmeltzer

I don't like this either, but you are probably right about the trust. Hakstol wants to start the season off strong and in his mind that means trusting the vets. He has more faith in them. I don't agree, but that is clearly it.

Again, I'm not saying that this is the group of six or the combos that I personally hoped to see or that I'm wild about the D pairs that were selected. Just saying that Hakstol clearly still has more trust in the older guys at least for opening night.
- bmeltzer

Bill, is it older guys or safer?

What i mean is he knows what he is going to get from Manning and AMac, regardless of what that is. He doesnt know what he will get from Morin and Sanheim. With the kids there will be mistakes and risk, especially with Sanheim's offensive game.

The more i look at how Hakstol coaches and the line-ups he chooses, the more i see he perfers safe and boring over skill and perhaps some risk taking.

That just makes it worse in my eyes. I thought one of the reasons Hak was hired was his supposed ability to work with and develop youth. Yet, as time goes on, he just seems more and more like an old school NHL coach. Very disappointing to say the least.
- BiggE

Sharks....

4 forwards 190-200lbs
2 forwards 200-210
6 forwards 210+

5 D at 200+

Yet somehow he sits our only hammer on D. Brilliant!!!

Morin and Sanheim are NHL ready. They changed the complexion of this team in pre-season. Manning is a borderline NHL player with no future whose positive traits end at "good teammate." He is not good, has never been good, and has no place being the starter over both Morin and Sanheim. He was terrible in pre-season to boot, while the rookies were degrees of fantastic. He's not even a reliable veteran -- he's a tire fire most of the time with his coverage and pinches and inability to make plays.

It's inexcusable. No one is offended by patience with kids, but this isn't patience. It's clinging to veteran security blankets because you're afraid to make the next step. I ask what is the point of this? It doesn't help the present, doesn't help the future. The entire point of this rebuild was for this moment, and the veterans aren't getting any younger. From on ice to off ice, the name of the game here is: "safe." Well, guess what? We have the best prospect pool in the NHL, and the kids coming in aren't stopping here. Get over it.

Worst case scenario, we win with this line up tonight.

Per Dave Isaac, Ghost w/ Hägg in morning skate, Manning w/ Gudas plus expected Provorov-MacD pair. If these pairings hold, Sanheim & Morin are the scratches.
- bmeltzer

whew! It was dicey there for awhile I thought they'd put two rookies in on the back end!

Sharks....

4 forwards 190-200lbs
2 forwards 200-210
6 forwards 210+

5 D at 200+

Yet somehow he sits our only hammer on D. Brilliant!!!
- juiced

Sorry, no offense Gudy...you too but in a different way...you aren't the heaviest for pushing out of the crease without being a cross check risk..

Worst case scenario, we win with this line up tonight.
- Buzzo

lol! That would be fantastic.

[some here at hb]I'm glad they won and all, but the coach and GM are still idiots.[/some here at hb]

Morin and Sanheim are NHL ready. They changed the complexion of this team in pre-season. Manning is a borderline NHL player with no future whose positive traits end at "good teammate." He is not good, has never been good, and has no place being the starter over both Morin and Sanheim. He was terrible in pre-season to boot, while the rookies were degrees of fantastic. He's not even a reliable veteran -- he's a tire fire most of the time with his coverage and pinches and inability to make plays.

It's inexcusable. No one is offended by patience with kids, but this isn't patience. It's clinging to veteran security blankets because you're afraid to make the next step. I ask what is the point of this? It doesn't help the present, doesn't help the future. The entire point of this rebuild was for this moment, and the veterans aren't getting any younger. Well, guess what? We have the best prospect pool in the NHL, and the kids coming in aren't stopping here. Get over it.
- Mononoke

It is frustrating. We as fans excepted the slop of the Hextall era up until this point understanding that when the prospect pool got to the point it is at today that they, the kids, would be integrated into the team.

What i can not understand is what the coach, and the GM, see. The eye test as well as the fancy stat test dont hold up for supporting AMac and Manning over Sanheim and Morin...

Sigh.

Again, I'm not saying that this is the group of six or the combos that I personally hoped to see or that I'm wild about the D pairs that were selected. Just saying that Hakstol clearly still has more trust in the older guys at least for opening night.
- bmeltzer

What you're skirting around is that he's coaching scared.

We deserve BOLD not this milk toast fear of rookies.

If he's this terrified of the roster he should just resign and find something else to do with his time rather than hanging around wasting ours.

There's no justifying this.

Again, I'm not saying that this is the group of six or the combos that I personally hoped to see or that I'm wild about the D pairs that were selected. Just saying that Hakstol clearly still has more trust in the older guys at least for opening night.
- bmeltzer

same coach that played VDV every night until game 82....a year when they didn't sniff the playoffs.

whew! It was dicey there for awhile I thought they'd put two rookies in on the back end!
- Just5

Morin and Sanheim are NHL ready. They changed the complexion of this team in pre-season. Manning is a borderline NHL player with no future whose positive traits end at "good teammate." He is not good, has never been good, and has no place being the starter over both Morin and Sanheim. He was terrible in pre-season to boot, while the rookies were degrees of fantastic. He's not even a reliable veteran -- he's a tire fire most of the time with his coverage and pinches and inability to make plays.

It's inexcusable. No one is offended by patience with kids, but this isn't patience. It's clinging to veteran security blankets because you're afraid to make the next step. I ask what is the point of this? It doesn't help the present, doesn't help the future. The entire point of this rebuild was for this moment, and the veterans aren't getting any younger. From on ice to off ice, the name of the game here is: "safe." Well, guess what? We have the best prospect pool in the NHL, and the kids coming in aren't stopping here. Get over it.
- Mononoke

This

Again, I'm not saying that this is the group of six or the combos that I personally hoped to see or that I'm wild about the D pairs that were selected. Just saying that Hakstol clearly still has more trust in the older guys at least for opening night.
- bmeltzer

Understood and I am not saying your statement is dumb I have great respect for you. i am just saying I think Hakstol's decision is dumb. if this was a 20 year old right out of juniors then sure I get it. Morin has 2 year in the AHL under his belt. How else is the kid going to get experience. so what are we going to see, one rookie in every game? how is that good for the kids? meh

Morin and Sanheim are NHL ready. They changed the complexion of this team in pre-season. Manning is a borderline NHL player with no future whose positive traits end at "good teammate." He is not good, has never been good, and has no place being the starter over both Morin and Sanheim. He was terrible in pre-season to boot, while the rookies were degrees of fantastic. He's not even a reliable veteran -- he's a tire fire most of the time with his coverage and pinches and inability to make plays.

It's inexcusable. No one is offended by patience with kids, but this isn't patience. It's clinging to veteran security blankets because you're afraid to make the next step. I ask what is the point of this? It doesn't help the present, doesn't help the future. The entire point of this rebuild was for this moment, and the veterans aren't getting any younger. From on ice to off ice, the name of the game here is: "safe." Well, guess what? We have the best prospect pool in the NHL, and the kids coming in aren't stopping here. Get over it.
- Mononoke

Thanks for typing this. I was too busy having an aneurysm.

Morin and Sanheim are NHL ready. They changed the complexion of this team in pre-season. Manning is a borderline NHL player with no future whose positive traits end at "good teammate." He is not good, has never been good, and has no place being the starter over both Morin and Sanheim. He was terrible in pre-season to boot, while the rookies were degrees of fantastic. He's not even a reliable veteran -- he's a tire fire most of the time with his coverage and pinches and inability to make plays.

It's inexcusable. No one is offended by patience with kids, but this isn't patience. It's clinging to veteran security blankets because you're afraid to make the next step. I ask what is the point of this? It doesn't help the present, doesn't help the future. The entire point of this rebuild was for this moment, and the veterans aren't getting any younger. From on ice to off ice, the name of the game here is: "safe." Well, guess what? We have the best prospect pool in the NHL, and the kids coming in aren't stopping here. Get over it.
- Mononoke

Clearly you missed that one time Morin was slightly out of position in that one preseason game.

Hakstol taking a page right out of the Craig Berube and old fossil philosophy NHL playbook. Play it straight and safe with vets and you'll always be regarded as a competent, employable coach. It paid dividends for Chief as he was welcomed back into the NHL this year as an assistant coach.

No one will remember playing veterans over rookies. The old guard mentality prevails. Intangibles! Leadership! Locker room presence! There is always a BS rationale for it and those that do the hiring drink it up like kool-aid.

Morin and Sanheim are NHL ready. They changed the complexion of this team in pre-season. Manning is a borderline NHL player with no future whose positive traits end at "good teammate." He is not good, has never been good, and has no place being the starter over both Morin and Sanheim. He was terrible in pre-season to boot, while the rookies were degrees of fantastic. He's not even a reliable veteran -- he's a tire fire most of the time with his coverage and pinches and inability to make plays.

It's inexcusable. No one is offended by patience with kids, but this isn't patience. It's clinging to veteran security blankets because you're afraid to make the next step. I ask what is the point of this? It doesn't help the present, doesn't help the future. The entire point of this rebuild was for this moment, and the veterans aren't getting any younger. From on ice to off ice, the name of the game here is: "safe." Well, guess what? We have the best prospect pool in the NHL, and the kids coming in aren't stopping here. Get over it.
- Mononoke

maybe he's just not that good of a coach.