Dave Hakstol

[briererocks]

I think this deserves a thread. My top 3 peeves.

1. A Mac should never ever have replaced Schultz in the lineup. But after the Buffalo game where he sucked as always, how does he continue to play him. In this game, after he screwed up multiple times, does Hakstol continue to give him ice time. Why doesn't Hakstol bench him or send him to the AHL. This fascination with AMac is simply inexcusable.

2. Not playing Konency in overtime is another very questionable decision. He is at worst our 3rd most dangerous forward and arguably would be our most dangerous forward with that much ice. How does Neck not get into the overtime. It does not make any sense.

3. Why is Bellmare centering our third line. While Bellemare is beloved by the organization and Hakstol, there is a slight problem - he sucks. Cousins is a much much much better player than him as is Lyubimov. Bellmare is not even good at the pk. Why is he getting so much ice time and playing third line center. If we had a decent third line we would be much harder to play against.

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[FLYERSG]

Why was Manning put on PP2 in the 3rd? I get that Streit (for some reason) moved on PP1 when Schenn was in the box, but Manning?????? Jesus Christ.

 

[orangecrush8]

Down 2 goals and the goalie remained in the net until the last 90 seconds.

Makes zero sense.

 

[Vikke]

Why was Manning put on PP2 in the 3rd? I get that Streit (for some reason) moved on PP1 when Schenn was in the box, but Manning?????? Jesus Christ.

Manning has put up good numbers in the AHL, but yeah, he obviously should not be out on the PP. Maybe if we were up by three goals, but not there. Double shift Ghost.

 

[FatTugboatFlahr]

Down 2 goals and the goalie remained in the net until the last 90 seconds.

Makes zero sense.

1. We couldn't even get set up with established possession.

2. We weren't even close to having the right group of players on the ice to pull the goalie.

 

[HammerTime44]

Well at least Bellemare didn't center the 3rd line tonight.

 

[Vikke]

I think a bigger issue than Hakstol might be Joey Mullen.
The entire PP is a huge mess, from the breakouts, to the entries, to the setups. Not to mention Couturier on the LEFT boards. I don't think there's another PP in the entire league that runs through a lefty on the left boards.

 

[SaSaShi]

Hakstol is really starting to worry me....i get that the defense is still below average now being anchored down by amac, streit and schultz....manning will probably regress to the mean soon and contribute to this anchor,

But HAK's personnel decisions are maddening and it shows that he is a stubborn SOB. We're no hockey experts here, but it is plain as day VDV and AMAC do not deserve to play, yet he continually forces this issue. Its absolutely infuriating. So many other questionable calls 8 games in....

1) starting neuvirth in LA was idiotic and not the way you treat mason the starter, ya neuvy got the win, but it was a slap in masons face who was the MAIN reason along with ghost last year that the flyers made the POs.

2) starting AMAC in ot....thats bush league, a beer league coach can see whats wrong with that, why cant hakstol? What was his answer? Amac plays well in all zones....is he blind???

3) forcing bellamare as 3rd line center and getting cousins out of position, in a year where we need to find out if cousins can be that 3rd line C for the future.

4) breaking up couturier voracek koneckny line....over tinkering.

Its early, but i dont feel good about the coach so far....same mistakes over and over again. Instead of masking the teams weakness, he exposes it to the other team.

 

[bennysflyers16]

Well at least Bellemare didn't center the 3rd line tonight.

Ya the guy with the lowest ice time on team that also scored did.

 

[Appleyard]

I do think both AMac and VdV are out of the line-up pretty soon. I would not have even dreamed of saying that a week ago.

Tonight AMac got the least TOI of any Dman. (yeh, I know it seemed like he played 30mins in a bad way.)

And VdV played the least of anyone at 5v5... Lyubimovs PK showing probably put him closer to the exit door.

 

[SaSaShi]

I do think both AMac and VdV are out of the line-up pretty soon. I would not have even dreamed of saying that a week ago.

Tonight AMac got the least TOI of any Dman. (yeh, I know it seemed like he played 30mins in a bad way.)

And VdV played the least of anyone at 5v5... Lyubimovs PK showing probably put him closer to the exit door.

And lyubimov, it took the fanbase one regular season game to see that he brings more to the table than VDV, it's obvious....faster stronger better handles, etc,....but VDV still reigns.

I hope u are right that AMAC and VDV exits soon, addition by subtraction. Morin please do well in LHV, we need him up to replace the trash.

 

[bennysflyers16]

I do think both AMac and VdV are out of the line-up pretty soon. I would not have even dreamed of saying that a week ago.

Tonight AMac got the least TOI of any Dman. (yeh, I know it seemed like he played 30mins in a bad way.)

And VdV played the least of anyone at 5v5... Lyubimovs PK showing probably put him closer to the exit door.

A Mac is a slam dunk , he actually makes playing 5 d men a possibility. I wish I shared your VDV thoughts tho, played top PK mins again

 

[phil162888]

Hakstol is really starting to worry me....i get that the defense is still below average now being anchored down by amac, streit and schultz....manning will probably regress to the mean soon and contribute to this anchor,

But HAK's personnel decisions are maddening and it shows that he is a stubborn SOB. We're no hockey experts here, but it is plain as day VDV and AMAC do not deserve to play, yet he continually forces this issue. Its absolutely infuriating. So many other questionable calls 8 games in....

1) starting neuvirth in LA was idiotic and not the way you treat mason the starter, ya neuvy got the win, but it was a slap in masons face who was the MAIN reason along with ghost last year that the flyers made the POs.

2) starting AMAC in ot....thats bush league, a beer league coach can see whats wrong with that, why cant hakstol? What was his answer? Amac plays well in all zones....is he blind???

3) forcing bellamare as 3rd line center and getting cousins out of position, in a year where we need to find out if cousins can be that 3rd line C for the future.

4) breaking up couturier voracek koneckny line....over tinkering.

Its early, but i dont feel good about the coach so far....same mistakes over and over again. Instead of masking the teams weakness, he exposes it to the other team.

I agree with this 100%. Couts was playing great with those two. I think Hakstol is trying to get G going but its not the right move. Now we have 0 out of 2 top lines going when we had probably one of the most dangerous lines for the first 4 or 5 games. Needs to change this immediately

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I still think Lyubimov gets scratched when Raffl comes back. I don't see Hak letting go of VandeVelde this early.

 

[SaSaShi]

We will see against PIT....if this past game doesnt convince hakstol that amac needs to be scratched, i dont know what will.

 

[Magua]

I still think Lyubimov gets scratched when Raffl comes back. I don't see Hak letting go of VandeVelde this early.

 

[Hurricane28]

Overreaction thread. The system works, its just the personnel decisions that are questionable.. which happens with every coach ever. These issues are over a sixth defenseman and 12th forward, who will no doubt in my mind be replaced when everyone is healthy, and if there continues to be health issues, they will be gone next year when more young guys come up.

Everybody needs to relax

 

[Magua]

1. AMac and Schultz both suck. I think Schultz goes in next game though.

2. Konecny saw the ice for a tiny bit, and Provy got more time. It's really just a trust factor right or wrong. Mark my words, as the season moves along, they'll get their OT time. It's still early.

3. PEB was 4C tonight, and again looked crappy. Cousins was 3C, so Hakstol already made the change, and he should feel comfortable with it after one game.



None of these things are anything but completely minor stuff that will go away with time. All coaches make baffling choices about personnel. At least Hakstol rectifies most of his. I still really like him as coach and his systems work is top notch. Like someone alluded to, it's not his coaching that worries me. Mullen and Lappy reek of incompetence.

 

[Juicy Pop]

Overreaction thread. The system works, its just the personnel decisions that are questionable.. which happens with every coach ever. These issues are over a sixth defenseman and 12th forward, who will no doubt in my mind be replaced when everyone is healthy, and if there continues to be health issues, they will be gone next year when more young guys come up.

Everybody needs to relax

I would relax if there weren't very clear fixes that could be made practically overnight to drastically improve this team. None of this should be obscure at this point.

AMac is a destructive asset at the NHL level; send him to the minors for the rest of the season and try again next year. VandeVelde has done absolutely nothing of note to earn a consistent spot on the roster; sit him and give Lyubimov a fair trial. If Lyubimov struggles, then you can actually make a case for reinserting VdV.

There is literally no reason to sit on these decisions until contracts force your hand.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

The man somehow managed, with good goaltending, to get this team, without Konecny and Provorov, and with an incredibly hobbled Voracek, into the playoffs.

Do not write him off as an idiot. His systems are great. His personnel decisions, I sometimes question, but his Manning faith has proven justified mostly so far.

 

[Juicy Pop]

The man somehow managed, with good goaltending, to get this team, without Konecny and Provorov, and with an incredibly hobbled Voracek, into the playoffs.

Do not write him off as an idiot. His systems are great. His personnel decisions, I sometimes question, but his Manning faith has proven justified mostly so far.

I'm not questioning his systems or his ability to coach, but his willingness to adapt. It's very frustrating to see the same personnel decisions being made at a time when he actually has better players to employ. It made sense that players like VdV had a spot on this team last year because there literally wasn't a warm body to insert in their place. That is not the case this year and yet the fillers remain firmly in place.

 

[Hurricane28]

I'm not questioning his systems or his ability to coach, but his willingness to adapt. It's very frustrating to see the same personnel decisions being made at a time when he actually has better players to employ.

It made sense that players like VdV had a spot on this team last year because there literally wasn't a warm body to insert in their place. That is not the case this year and yet the fillers remain firmly in place.

We are talking marginal players at best. Schultz is better than AMac but its not going to make them a contender, neither will Lyubimov/Gordon playing over VdV. It won't be a problem when Morin, Sanheim, and Lindblom are on the team next year

 

[Rebels57]

Overreaction thread. The system works, its just the personnel decisions that are questionable.. which happens with every coach ever. These issues are over a sixth defenseman and 12th forward, who will no doubt in my mind be replaced when everyone is healthy, and if there continues to be health issues, they will be gone next year when more young guys come up.

Everybody needs to relax

The VdV issue is us just nitpicking but the MacDonald issue is costing us goals, wins and dragging down our most exciting young player. Its a major issue. Dont brush it off as some casual issue..

 

[deadhead]

It's an 80 game season, and in this case, Hakstol is working with Hextall looking forward to next season.

1) MacDonald is a problem, I think they wanted him to hold up until he got 40 games under his belt, then they could bring up Sanheim and/or Morin. But he's so bad that's not going to work. But sending him down means losing Manning in the expansion draft, which before the season would have been meh, now it's losing potentially a 3rd rd pick (what he might have garnered if he played a whole season like he started).

2) Schenn was moved around to jump start him, and Read deserved a shot to play on a top line after his start, I don't think these moves were intended to be permanent, but a coach wants to see how different players mesh, injuries will happen and lines will be juggled down the road, so seeing different combinations in action gives you a feel when the inevitable occurs and you have to juggle lines.

3) I think with Luby its a matter of working him into the lineup, and also on the PK, Hakstol wants VdV, PeB, Gordon or some combination to work out so he can keep G and Couts off the PK. Again, trying different groupings to see what works.

4) The goalies are nothing Hakstol could have expected off last season, Neuwirth is off to an awful start, and Mason has reverted to Mr Inconsistency, some great saves tonight, one bad goal and one soft goal as well. A HC has no choice, you have to rotate both of them out there and hope they get it together, Mason won't last more than 50 games given his past track record, and the kids aren't ready.

 

[Hurricane28]

The VdV issue is us just nitpicking but the MacDonald issue is costing us goals, wins and dragging down our most exciting young player. Its a major issue. Dont brush it off as some casual issue..

I will brush it off as a casual issue because AMac won't be playing probably next game and definitely not playing when MDZ gets back