Are we pretending that Hakstol was some elite coach? He got bubble teams to the playoffs every other year, he was ok, that’s it. He played Chris Vandevelde for 80 games two seasons in a row.
- ClaudeFather

Elite, no but a good coach here. Absolutely. He coached teams that had one line and one defense pairing and took them to the playoffs. He made solid adjustments in the teams systems play as well as with individual players. Moved Giroux to wing and elevated Couturier to where he had breakout offensive seasons. A coach has to play vets like Vandevelde when you have a weak overall roster and a lack of prospects.

Elite, no but a good coach here. Absolutely. He coached teams that had one line and one defense pairing and took them to the playoffs. He made solid adjustments in the teams systems play as well as with individual players. Moved Giroux to wing and elevated Couturier to where he had breakout offensive seasons. A coach has to play vets like Vandevelde when you have a weak overall roster and a lack of prospects.
- MJL

Whoa there!! You rip Torts all the time about playing vets with a very weak roster and a lack of prospects. I'm sensing a double standard here unless I'm missing something.

Whoa here!! You rip Torts all the time about playing vets with a very weak roster and a lack of prospects. I'm sensing a double standard here unless I'm missing something.
- Phillywhiteout

LOL, I would say you're missing something.

Today the Flyers odds of drafting #1 in 2023 are 5% and #2 5.4%. Bedard and Fantilli are still in play.

Jack Eichel averaged 1.775 points per game at BU in 2015;he became the 2nd freshman in collegiate hockey history to win the Hobey Baker Award. Adam Fantilli is a freshman ahead of that pace with 1.818 points per game.
- Minnyhock

and people don't want to tank for these players

LOL, I would say you're missing something.
- MJL

So, who are all these supposed prospects that the veterans on this team are blocking?

So, what teams do we think will be interested in JVR.

I would think Seattle, Buffalo, Winnipeg and Minnie just looking at their cap picture.
- Peter Richards

Seattle probably a good partner

Are we pretending that Hakstol was some elite coach? He got bubble teams to the playoffs every other year, he was ok, that’s it. He played Chris Vandevelde for 80 games two seasons in a row.
- ClaudeFather

I think its fair to hold judgement, one stint with the Flyers, well we now how that goes, he resets and doing well now. It seems Hak has learned some and is applying. We shall see how this season ends and the next one goes, the word solid comes to mind, so far.

I think its fair to hold judgement, one stint with the Flyers, well we now how that goes, he resets and doing well now. It seems Hak has learned some and is applying. We shall see how this season ends and the next one goes, the word solid comes to mind, so far.
- wcorvette

The guy has the personality of a wet shoe, but he seems well respected among his peers.

I think its fair to hold judgement, one stint with the Flyers, well we now how that goes, he resets and doing well now. It seems Hak has learned some and is applying. We shall see how this season ends and the next one goes, the word solid comes to mind, so far.
- wcorvette

It says a lot that once Hakstol's time in Philly was over, he really worked to improve his knowledge of being an NHL coach. He took a job as an assistant under Babcock in Toronto and worked to get more experience. Its always tough for a college coach to jump to the NHL, but its much tougher to jump to a veteran team like the Flyers were and try to make a go of it. Hakstol I think did the best he could under the circumstances, the roster had no depth and inconsistent goaltending, and there were not a lot of young players coming up at that time. I'm actually very happy for Hakstol that Seattle is doing so well so quickly.