- Giroux_Is_God

Love the ref watching this whole thing and not raising his hand.

I guess Brendan Gallagher had to cut someone?

I don't think firing Hakstol will magically make this team better.

They are in flux; they are top heavy with some talent and too young in places where successful teams have more proven talent.

Firing Dave Hakstol isn't going to magically make Konecny figure out what kind of player he is or Patrick to get over his concussion (I'm convinced he has been set back because of it).

As much as we all want Travis Sanheim to be a Norris Trophy winner, he's not that player, despite his skillset. Not yet.

I guess what I'm saying is that you don't get to put together this many young players on a team and reductively blame the coach like a new coach would fix things. He would not.

At least not this year. This time next year, I might feel differently if they are acting and playing the same way.
- johndewar

I disagree. I think a good coach could squeeze a lot more out of this roster.

It's not like anyone expected this team to be a contender. If you're asking me if there are coaches that could take this current roster to the playoffs, I would say yes.

I agree that the talent on this team feels like a lesser version of the Johntson-led Penguins. It is in large part being suppressed by this coach, even if they're nowhere close to a contender. But they're better than this, by record and stats. He's a malignant growth.

Of course we run into the issue of Hakstol not being canned because he is perhaps part and parcel of Hextall's own vision of the team and how he wants them to play. The lines between the two are being blurred to me. There is an unmistakable obsession on an organizational front with safe players, safe schemes, conservative development, unprogressive philosophies......safe, safe, safe, safe, safe.

Regarding development, I won't get crazy about TK/Patrick being benched in a must-win game while getting wrecked (Sanheim is a different story), but it's a theme. Lack of trust, not allowing them to build on or be rewarded for success but the plug pulled the second a bad play is made. Do you feel any prospect comes onto this team and is encouraged to play "their game"? They're given so little rope.

And then you have a (the?) major pet peeve of mine: an organizational initiative to limit the ceilings of their own prospects by making them play "roles" down below, or coaching out their skill to make them play reliable. It's more than veteran obsessing. I think of Torts (the new and improved innovator) telling Werenski to be a rover. Then I think about the Flyers drilling it into Sanheim, who has the talent to do so, to NOT be a rover, to never lead rushes. Instead of growing them and testing their limits, they give them their own artificial ceilings and cap their usage based on what they think they are or will be, not what they could be. Again, safety first. Hence why they like my favorite guy, Schultz 2.0, Hagg the most of the 3 d-men. I'm not confident the Flyers can actually develop skill players, or in general, the talent they love to accumulate, which sort of defeats the point. They'll probably end up trading Konecny and see him explode, just watch; not even sure why they drafted him given their rigid beliefs. But there is a general lack of development going on, unless you're a bland player who really doesn't have much development capabilities in them. Even Provorov, sacrilegious as it is to say and the shining example of prospect usage, isn't really growing his game beyond being a shutdown pairing player with a black hole partner.
- Mononoke

You've badly confused the idea of a defenseman being a rover with a defenseman not leading a rush. Two completely different things to anyone with any knowledge. You're trying to use an anecdote to criticize a coach and it's ridiculous. One of Hakstol's main philosophies, same as every other coach in the league is that in today's NHL playing against the structured checking and defense, you need to have a 5 man attack offensively. You keep harping on this false narrative of defenseman not being allowed ot be aggressive offensively. All you have to do is watch the games and see the countless times Provorov is up on the play and deep in the offensive zone. Sanheim skating up and filling holes. Macdonald in the slot for chances, and moving behind the net in a cycle play. On and on. Look at Provorov's 5 on 5 scoring as a rookie last year. Apparently the coach let a 19/20 year old play offense. It's embarrassing how badly you've got this wrong. Completely disqualifying.

Yawn.

Now I remembered why I barely talk hockey here anymore. PSG teased me with an intellectual conversation.

like the (frank)ing bat signal

I watch every game, but it can be excruciating beyond a wins and losses standpoint, which I can live with as long as it's for the right reasons. I don't know what they're doing plan-wise. I'm honestly already on board with them tanking. Whatever it takes for Hextall to come to Jesus, if he can.
- Mononoke

It's hard to get excited about adding young talent when they haven't found a way to utilize the current young talent.

I disagree. I think a good coach could squeeze a lot more out of this roster.

It's not like anyone expected this team to be a contender. If you're asking me if there are coaches that could take this current roster to the playoffs, I would say yes.
- PhillySportsGuy

First off, I'm pleased that you posted tonight!

Who would you suggest as a coach to take over?

Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying Dave Hakstol is Toe Blake. I just want to know who could do better.

like the (frank)ing bat signal
- Giroux_Is_God

He has "No Means Yes" tattooed on his ass.

Man, you guys(includes women) are mentally tough Flyers fans, lovers. I just can't stand Hakstol and as a non hockey expert my only thought is get a pulse. I just don't think he's an NHL coach, but what do I know.

Love the ref watching this whole thing and not raising his hand.

I guess Brendan Gallagher had to cut someone?
- johndewar

He's had a long history of diving and even been fined for it so he'll likely never get the benefit of any ref

I disagree with everything Mononoke says and believes based purely on principle.

Is the VHL the new name for the MHL?
- jmatchett383

No, VHL is a men's pro minor league. MHL is the junior league.

First off, I'm pleased that you posted tonight!

Who would you suggest as a coach to take over?

Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying Dave Hakstol is Toe Blake. I just want to know who could do better.
- johndewar

I don't know. I don't have the time or motivation to study the systems and successes of various coaches. If watching hockey was my full time job, I could probably give you a better answer

Solid PP so far..lots of time

He's had a long history of diving and even been fined for it so he'll likely never get the benefit of any ref
- ob18

Ob, I was tryna be sarcastic, but my work was poor there....

I hate Brendan Gallagher....He's a weaselly weasel.

I don't know. I don't have the time or motivation to study the systems and successes of various coaches. If watching hockey was my full time job, I could probably give you a better answer
- PhillySportsGuy

Me neither, quite actually.

I'm not even saying you are wrong, fwiw. I don't know who could do this better.

PLind is warming up

PLind is warming up
- KINGKENZO

Always ignoring his core. SMDH!

PLind is warming up
- KINGKENZO

Me neither, quite actually.

I'm not even saying you are wrong, fwiw. I don't know who could do this better.
- johndewar

Just seems like people always talk about the youth holding the team back, but I don't hear about those problems as much from Columbus and Toronto

It's hard to get excited about adding young talent when they haven't found a way to utilize the current young talent.
- PhillySportsGuy

This.

Apparently that isn't interference anymore?

we win yet?

Robert Hagg, a defensive defenseman up ice on the rush in what essentially was a 2 on 1. Nah, Hakstol doesn't let his defenseman play aggressively offensively.

Just seems like people always talk about the youth holding the team back, but I don't hear about those problems as much from Columbus and Toronto
- PhillySportsGuy

I'll say Columbus has more veteran talent than the flyers have imo. The panarin trade was robbery to me. Seth Jones another huge steal for them. And they have a top 10 goaltender. Much better place for development beyond just coaching.

Toronto is having a lot of sophomore struggles this year from their youth and are relying more heavily on veterans. Long term the youth is helping them but they definitely are having ups and downs. Its interesting they needed to sell off their over paid above average guys in kessel and Phaneuf in order to let the youth really shine as well.