Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Hakstol, Mason, Lecavalier, Berube, Blake Allen, Alumni

There were many times that I walked away from Chief's latter-day small-group sessions where I felt like I left with a little better understanding of why he did certain things as a coach. Whether or not I personally agreed with everything was irrelevant. There was always a specific reason why Player X was in his lineup and Player Y was not or why he had a certain line combination together or broke it apart. It was NOT haphazard, despite the way some portrayed it.

I would LOVE to read a blog by you that got in to more specifics about this some day.

Berube was never at his best in formal settings. He was always impeccably dressed and held his temper in front of the cameras and microphones, but he tended to say as little as possible. He was actually much, much better in more informal discussions.

not sure why, but that sentence really made me chuckle.

Believe it or not, with this hiring of Hakstol, having G, Mase, and Jake on the team, having Ghost, Sanheim, and Morin in the pipeline, and having a high pick this year....it's actually kind of exciting to be a Flyers fan right now.

Maybe exciting is the wrong word. Nevertheless, I'm anxious to see how everything plays out.

Sorry it's off-topic, but I really do hope that Babcock goes to Buffalo. I loved the fact that they missed on McDavid after purposefully constructing a team to lose (because apparently the word "tank" is a poop storm waiting to happen), but as a franchise, this would be a great consolation prize, along with Eichel. Also, with a very raw team, I'd love to see if he's the great coach that everyone thinks he is, or if he just happened to inherit a very well-oiled machine when he took over as Red Wings' coach.

Vinny and the Flyers part ways. Vinny signs with Chicago for cheap. Wins another cup... It's destiny.

Believe it or not, with this hiring of Hakstol, having G, Mase, and Jake on the team, having Ghost, Sanheim, and Morin in the pipeline, and having a high pick this year....it's actually kind of exciting to be a Flyers fan right now.

Maybe exciting is the wrong word. Nevertheless, I'm anxious to see how everything plays out.
- Giroux_Is_God

It really is exciting dude. Good things are coming. Might be another bum season or two, but once we get over that part, we'll be looking real good.

Sorry it's off-topic, but I really do hope that Babcock goes to Buffalo. I loved the fact that they missed on McDavid after purposefully constructing a team to lose (because apparently the word "tank" is a poop storm waiting to happen), but as a franchise, this would be a great consolation prize, along with Eichel. Also, with a very raw team, I'd love to see if he's the great coach that everyone thinks he is, or if he just happened to inherit a very well-oiled machine when he took over as Red Wings' coach.
- jmatchett383

I'm not saying he's a bad coach, but I think that had A LOT to do with it.

Adios, Vinny. Sorry things didn't work out, but it's time to get out...you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here.

Also the Ducks hitting like 4 OT posts last night and still losing makes me smile.

GO HAWKS!!

If they win this round it's officially a second right?

Also the Ducks hitting like 4 OT posts last night and still losing makes me smile.

GO HAWKS!!

If they win this round it's officially a second right?
- Giroux_Is_God

If Timonen plays at least 1 more game, yes.

I'm not saying he's a bad coach, but I think that had A LOT to do with it.
- benjichronic

That's what I was getting at. I think he's a good coach, maybe the best in hockey. But he's not a magician, and he walked into a pretty stacked Red Wings team. If he takes over in Buffalo, it's not like they'll be perennial Cup finalists for a decade starting next year.

Thanks Bill, great stuff as usual. I never had ill will towards Chief, however towards the end of the season, it seemed that he started to lose the players attention. Did you see something like that or what did you see?
I feel bad that VL didn't work out. I just hope that VL, and the Flyers can reach some sort of agreement soon. In my opinion, it's time that they both admit that they had made a mistake, swallow their pride, and move on.
Would you also be able to do a profile on the alumni that are involved with the hockey camp? It's always nice to hear about the past "Glory Days."
Summer is going by so slow....blah.

I would LOVE to read a blog by you that got in to more specifics about this some day.
- MBFlyerfan

I plan to do just that.

I plan to do just that.
- bmeltzer

SUUUUWHEAT!

If Timonen plays at least 1 more game, yes.
- jmatchett383

Which he will have to do considering they really don't have anyone else.

He did not look like the kimmo I remember last night (though I only watched the first period before I went to bed, my girlfriend was encouraging me to watch the rest of the game, thankfully I didnt lol)

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Hakstol, Mason, Lecavalier, Berube, Blake Allen, Alumni
- bmeltzer

Man, if Vinny agreed to a mutual termination, that'd be great. Could buyout Umberger after next season and only have about $1.5M of dead cap space after that. If Hexy can do that and somehow move Amac, it would be a great summer even if he did nothing in FA

I plan to do just that.
- bmeltzer

He is a really really nice guy, he lives in the doylestown area and when he was the assistant coach, he was known to play pick up roller hockey with some of my friends ( I never joined them, and to this day I have no idea why lol) and they all spoke very very highly of him.

Vinny is as good as gone. It's kind of a indirect buyout, if you think about it. He gets his $2 million bonus, the two sides come to an understanding, and he goes away.

It is going to be very interesting next season to try to get to know Hakstol a little bit as a hockey coach and see what his demeanor will be like under NHL (and Philadelphia market) pressure both in good and bad times during the upcoming season and beyond.

The flip side of this is that hockey (specifically, Flyers hockey) is not the only game in town in Philadelphia. It's a big city....whereas, if you can name whatever else it is they follow in North Dakota for sporting entertainment, I'm all ears.

I suspect Hakstol will figure out the East Coast media thing, but he's likely used to being under a bit a scrutiny given there is nothing else in North Dakota that anyone likely cares about more than they cared about Sioux hockey.

Man, if Vinny agreed to a mutual termination, that'd be great. Could buyout Umberger after next season and only have about $1.5M of dead cap space after that. If Hexy can do that and somehow move Amac, it would be a great summer even if he did nothing in FA
- PhillySportsGuy

That umby trade was pretty bleh, but at least it will end up being a solid move after this coming year.

Mutual termination after the bonus is paid sounds like the most reasonable option -- while I personally feel VLC should be willing to walk right now, since he is openly unhappy, I realize that he (likely) isn't leaving any money on the table, so fine

Which he will have to do considering they really don't have anyone else.

He did not look like the kimmo I remember last night (though I only watched the first period before I went to bed, my girlfriend was encouraging me to watch the rest of the game, thankfully I didnt lol)
- flyers4487

He hasn't looked like the Kimmo we remember all season. That said, it's clear that Quenville has no faith in him, and that's got to be weighing on Kimmo. When you know the coach has no faith in you, it's hard to play your game because you feel like you're one bad play from getting benched.

I plan to do just that.
- bmeltzer

I look forward to that! The notion that people have that Berube is a knuckledragger is an unfortunate by-product of how he played. I doubt he got to where he is by not knowing a bit about how hockey is played. Really, it was guys like Berube who had to pay attention to the details because they weren't talented enough not to.

Mutual termination after the bonus is paid sounds like the most reasonable option -- while I personally feel VLC should be willing to walk right now, since he is openly unhappy, I realize that he (likely) isn't leaving any money on the table, so fine
- AllInForFlyers

I think I read somewhere that, after the bonus he is only owed $3M for the remainder of his deal. If that's the case, he could probably catch on somewhere on a 2-year deal for $1.5M where he'll actually get to play and go out on his own terms. He's not gonna get that with the Flyers.

That umby trade was pretty bleh, but at least it will end up being a solid move after this coming year.
- flyers4487

It will never be a solid trade but they can minimize the damage.