News Article: How to Fix Flyers

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

I like how all these publications make it seem like it's gloom and doom. It's far from gloom and doom. Really, the fixes are rather simple.

First thing the Flyers need is a fundamental change in Hakstol's system. Young players have to be allowed to make mistakes and not have a fear of being benched. You look at the young guys and Hakstol has shown he has little patience for mistakes. They're going to make mistakes. Hak needs to take a page out of Randy Carlyle's book this year (and I can't believe I'm defending Carlyle) and let them play and let them earn a chance to redeem themselves after they make a mistake. It's that simple.

Second thing is that the Flyers need adequate assistant coaches. Why Gord Murphy and Ian Laperriere remain on the staff is beyond me. Murphy has only coached two defenses to top 10 finishes out of his 14 year coaching career. Laperriere just seems to be in over his head. It's time to bring in assistants who have extensive experience working with young players and experience with special teams. Personally, I'd love to see Todd Richards (who actually did a decent job in Edmonton cleaning up the mess Dallas Eakins left behind) and Mike Kitchen (who was Joel Quenneville's right hand man for the longest of time).

Finally, the last thing is to continue the status quo. If the Flyers experience some success, they need to continue with the plan, no matter how tempting it might be to deal some depth for a bonafide winger or bonafide goaltender. That's how the whole Holmgren mess started - the Flyers experienced some success after he retooled the club after the season from hell and the next thing you know, he went nuts giving out bad contracts and making bad deals to keep the team under the cap. Just continue building depth through the draft and signing a free agent here and there that won't break the cap and help compliment the core.

To me, it's incredibly simple to fix what's 'broken' in Philadelphia. Hextall has done a pretty good job so far in correcting the mess Holmgren left, now he needs to show he can finish the job.

 

[Rebels57]

Konecny won't be on the 4th line...

Not a chance in hell...

...and then I remembered Hakstol is our coach.

 

[Striiker]

Not a chance in hell...

...and then I remembered Hakstol is our coach.

Not even then. That's how sure of a thing it is, even the "Hakstol incompetence factor" won't change it.

 

[Rebels57]

Not even then. That's how sure of a thing it is, even the "Hakstol incompetence factor" won't change it.

You underestimate that man lol

 

[Curufinwe]

If Hakstol had little patience for rookie mistakes Provorov would have been benched after his -5 game. Assuming the rare benchings of of Konecny and Ghost were just punishment for mistakes is very naive. If Hak has a heart attack this summer and gets replaced, the new coach will still bench some of the kids some of the time.

 

[WIP CALLER]

hak doesn't have little tolerance for mistakes he really just doesn't have tolerance for common sense considering konecny was benched after a multi point effort and then demoted to the 4th line. punishment for a mistake or not that is just idiotic coaching.

 

[Striiker]

If he was trying to use those scratchings for more than just punishment then he's an even bigger fool than I thought.

Thinking that watching a game from the pressbox will teach them anything is incredibly foolish. There's nothing that can be accomplished by doing that that couldn't be accomplished by making them watch a video of the game.

And the only other option would be that he thinks that the team was better with them out of the lineup, which would be the most idiotic option of them all.

 

[Curufinwe]

It's not about watching games, it's about working on specific things in practice. If you think Hakstol is a fool for taking kids out of the lineup for that reason, you must also think Hextall is a fool for allowing it and openly agreeing with it.

And believe it or not, Hakstol is not the first NHL coach to do that with a young player, and he won't be the last.

https://www.thescore.com/news/1184195

 

[trostol]

pretty sure this is Hak's make or break year..if they are bad again..he is gone

i still contend he could have benefited from having someone with previous NHL experience asa mentor

 

[deadhead]

That applies to literally every single player in the league, especially offensive defensemen. It happens, it's normal, but they make up for it by being offensive catalysts. If that's what you want to dwell on that aspect then you could make a case that most of the elite offense defensemen in the league are liabilities that deserve to be scratched. Have you watched Subban? Karlsson?

ES: GF - GA per 60
Ghost 15:41 CorsiRel 3.4 GF 2.1 GA 3.0
Byfuglein 21:47 CorsiRel 3.3 GF 3.0 GA 2.8
Subban 19:42 CorsiRel 3.6 GF 2.4 GA 2.6
Hedman 19:25 CorsiRel 3.7 GF 3.0 GA 2.6
Skjei 15:46 CorsiRel 3.9 GF 3.1 GA 2.5
Burns 19:35 CorsiRel 5.2 GF 3.2 GA 2.4
Karlsson 21:00 CorsiRel 3.0 GF 2.8 GA 2.3
Hamilton 16:32 CorsiRel 6.9 GF 2.7 GA 2.3
Slavin 19:23 CorsiRel 2.5 GF 2.8 GA 2.2
Spurgeon 19:37 CorsiRel 2.8 GF 3.3 GA 2.0
Niskanen 17:47 CorsiRel 3.3 GF 2.8 GA 2.0

Yes, offensive defensemen are going to be on the ice for more goals against, but Ghost was on the extreme end of that trend.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Valid points by all but Haks is literally a maniac imo. Any argument can be used to contradict another

Ghost was used like crazy in his rookie year making the same mistakes. Got benched this year for missing the net too much originally. After that it is anybody's guess why

Voracek was a 4th liner cuz he couldn't score. Played the game the right way, but his inability to produce was a lengthy 4th/3rd line demotion

Provorov is a ProvoCop!!!!!! Great season imo. Had some horrific games also and was not given the same treatment as anybody else as far as punishment. Maybe this year as Haks has done that also? Much demotions in his future for little things

Konecny takes too many penalties. One of the biggest offensive sparks to this team and mimics the Ghost of forwards in his rookie year but get's punished all year long. It was a rookie season, Ghost had that benefit of the doubt?

Mason vs Neuvrith?

I will take this bullet. Medvedev was given a raw deal imo. I saw more good then bad but he literally got benched anytime he could have been played to work through it. Haks killed any chance he had at crossing over

Manning, Amac, PEB, VDV? The love affair

 

[Striiker]

It's not about watching games, it's about working on specific things in practice. If you think Hakstol is a fool for taking kids out of the lineup for that reason, you must also think Hextall is a fool for allowing it and openly agreeing with it.

And believe it or not, Hakstol is not the first NHL coach to do that with a young player, and he won't be the last.

https://www.thescore.com/news/1184195

Working on things in practice doesn't necessitate sitting for games, so there's no reason to sit them unless they're doing more harm than good (which I certainly don't think the were).

Also, I see a sizable gap between Hextall allowing something and verbally backing up his coach vs actively being the one to do it. Based on everything Hextall's ever said, both in meaning behind his words and exact quotes, he lets the coach do the coaching and doesn't meddle. So him not intervening doesn't mean much and backing his coach up to the media doesn't mean much either. I expect both things, unless the coach did something seriously insane, in which case he'd probably just fire him.

And yes, I know he isn't the first coach to do that, but I don't think that means anything at all...
NHL coaches do a lot of stupid things so having others do the same doesn't really validate the action.

 

[MacDonald4MVP]

Working on things in practice doesn't necessitate sitting for games, so there's no reason to sit them unless they're doing more harm than good (which I certainly don't think the were).

Also, I see a sizable gap between Hextall allowing something and verbally backing up his coach vs actively being the one to do it. Based on everything Hextall's ever said, both in meaning behind his words and exact quotes, he lets the coach do the coaching and doesn't meddle. So him not intervening doesn't mean much and backing his coach up to the media doesn't mean much either. I expect both things, unless the coach did something seriously insane, in which case he'd probably just fire him.

And yes, I know he isn't the first coach to do that, but I don't think that means anything at all...
NHL coaches do a lot of stupid things so having others do the same doesn't really validate the action.

Sullivan using maatta over streit for example.

 

[deadhead]

Does anyone believe that Hextall never talks to Hakstol about players, his decisions on who to play, etc. Doesn't mean he orders Hakstol to do anything, but one would think they have frequent talks about the team and the players on the team.

Medvedev had serious personal problems.

Provocop had one of the worst games I've ever seen, but those were mostly physical, not mental, mistakes. Konecny admitted he was at fault, he tried too many cross ice passes that he got away with in juniors but lead to breakaways in the NHL.

Coaches are more tolerant of physical mistakes - if a guy is limited in terms of talent but trying to do things right, there's no point trying to get him to be a better athlete, the GM just has to replace him. If a talented player keep making mistakes that are mental, sometime you got to hit him on the side of the head with a 2x4.

Laughton is a good example, he scored for both teams - so they sent him back to the AHL for a year to learn to score for only one team.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

I still don't understand why Hakstol and Murphy tried to fundamentally change Gostisbehere's game. He's an offensive producer with the puck. If anything, they needed to continue to build off that skill and then partner him up with someone who's stronger defensively to cover up for him. Instead, they tried to turn him into a defensive stalwart. He's never going to be that kind of defenseman, yet they were determined to turn him into something he's not. I'm sure though someone will come on here and quote all kinds of Corsi stats and other bull **** to justify scratching Ghost, rather than stating the obvious - the coaching staff were inept and oblivious with their handling of Ghost.

Yep. They needed to have the foresight to recognize that there are better defensmen on the way that they can partner him with and let him play through his defensive growing pains - though my strong opinion is that he is nowhere near the defensive liability that some people characterize him as - but instead they acted like this is college and looked to teach hard lessons, which I am sure he didn't need. He doesn't strike me at all as being some headcase that isn't going to do everything possible to make himself better. I keep saying it, but I really believe his high hockey IQ and stickwork is going to make him an excellent (if relatively unphysical) defenseman, but only if he is supported and given the freedom to be himself by the coaching staff. I have a shred of belief left that it can work out and that Hacksaw is right and I am wrong for doing what he did - but it's only a shred. I'm hoping it proves true, though.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Does anyone believe that Hextall never talks to Hakstol about players, his decisions on who to play, etc. Doesn't mean he orders Hakstol to do anything, but one would think they have frequent talks about the team and the players on the team.

Medvedev had serious personal problems.

Provocop had one of the worst games I've ever seen, but those were mostly physical, not mental, mistakes. Konecny admitted he was at fault, he tried too many cross ice passes that he got away with in juniors but lead to breakaways in the NHL.

Coaches are more tolerant of physical mistakes - if a guy is limited in terms of talent but trying to do things right, there's no point trying to get him to be a better athlete, the GM just has to replace him. If a talented player keep making mistakes that are mental, sometime you got to hit him on the side of the head with a 2x4.

Laughton is a good example, he scored for both teams - so they sent him back to the AHL for a year to learn to score for only one team.

What were Medvedev's problems? His DUI was a re-occuring theme all year? Is that why he got scratched in certain games and not others. Frequent sobriety tests determined playing time?

Provorov turning and holding on to the puck way too long is not a physical mistake. Turning your back to your team is fully mental. Doing it yourself is an error in judgement..not strength

IMO Konecny was being a good/intimated soldier. He admitted to something that wasn't even the real issue. I support that with Ghost's comments of not caring about the coach and his irrational decisions. Mason backed that with his comments

 

[Tripod]

Four players: which do you put in your lineup?

Player G A PTS Pts / Gm Shots Corsi % Corsi% Rel
Player A 3 3 6 0.09 77 46.4 -6.3
Player B 6 6 12 0.18 59 46.9 -5.5
Player C 6 10 16 0.28 95 52.1 1.6
Player D 4 1 5 0.11 40 49.7 -2.4

Haks logic.....scratch player C.

 

[kelmitchell]

ES: GF - GA per 60
Ghost 15:41 CorsiRel 3.4 GF 2.1 GA 3.0
Byfuglein 21:47 CorsiRel 3.3 GF 3.0 GA 2.8
Subban 19:42 CorsiRel 3.6 GF 2.4 GA 2.6
Hedman 19:25 CorsiRel 3.7 GF 3.0 GA 2.6
Skjei 15:46 CorsiRel 3.9 GF 3.1 GA 2.5
Burns 19:35 CorsiRel 5.2 GF 3.2 GA 2.4
Karlsson 21:00 CorsiRel 3.0 GF 2.8 GA 2.3
Hamilton 16:32 CorsiRel 6.9 GF 2.7 GA 2.3
Slavin 19:23 CorsiRel 2.5 GF 2.8 GA 2.2
Spurgeon 19:37 CorsiRel 2.8 GF 3.3 GA 2.0
Niskanen 17:47 CorsiRel 3.3 GF 2.8 GA 2.0

Yes, offensive defensemen are going to be on the ice for more goals against, but Ghost was on the extreme end of that trend.

Did you forget to mention everyone outside of ghost plays with an nhl caliber partner?

 

[WIP CALLER]

Did you forget to mention everyone outside of ghost plays with an nhl caliber partner?

according to deadbrain they did nothing to effect ghosts performance

 

[deadhead]

What I find amusing is how vigorously people defend Ghost, Giroux and Voracek when they underperform, but piled on Schenn and lesser players. It's like if a player had a good year or two in the past, he's good forever no matter how badly he's currently stinking out the joint.

Ghost was subpar last year at ES, so was Giroux, and Voracek as well. Schenn was awful at center, above average at RW. Couts was our best forward, Gudas our best defenseman. Defense is just as important as scoring, since last time I checked, you win by outscoring the other team.

The excuses for Ghost get ridiculous, he was bad on GArel, that is, it didn't matter who his partner was, he still leaked goals when he was on the ice. He had a bad year, both due to injury and his inability to adjust to losing a stride. Bad luck (shooting %) played a part, but good luck shooting also inflated his scoring the previous season. It evens out.

Get over it.

 

[Striiker]

Did this guy really just complain about people defending a player???

The same guy who makes up insane, flimsy excuses for people like Hakstol, Vandevelde, Bellemare, and any other trash player the coach loves? People who have zero redeeming qualities and only hurt, never help? Is this the same person? Can this be real?

Holy ****, the lack of self awareness is incredible.

So he can't see why some people can look past flaws when someone makes up for it in other ways, but if someone is complete trash then that's fine. Ok. Makes sense.

 

[kelmitchell]

Did this guy really just complain about people defending a player???

The same guy who makes up insane, flimsy excuses for people like Hakstol, Vandevelde, Bellemare, and any other trash player the coach loves? People who have zero redeeming qualities and only hurt, never help? Is this the same person? Can this be real?

Holy ****, the lack of self awareness is incredible.

So he can't see why some people can look past flaws when someone makes up for it in other ways, but if someone is complete trash then that's fine. Ok. Makes sense.

Yeah i was thinking the same thing, id rather argue with a wall, at least the wall wont say stupid **** back, i love his contradicting explanations

 

[OrangeAndBlackMetal]

I could do with out the "seriously guys" "look!" "think about it." style of writing, but:

Checks the boxes, however:

Didn't get great coaching - (I enjoy seeing some fire out of coaches, I grow tired of Hakstol's continual "Meerkat watching some tigers" stare -- just my Flyote's preference)
Strange usage / scratches
3rd and 4th lines aren't good enough
Gagner situation / Weise
(not sure I consider Schenn a "core" player, but that's a minor and unsettled gripe)
PEB is a super massive black offensive hole, a major solar system revolves around his suck gravity
Not sure I'd call Schenn "gritty" either -- he has a nice shot and a knack for the net, but he's also kind of a blockhead and he seems to collide with objects no worse for it, which is good
-I didn't see anything about the goaltending (but I was reading quickly)

Names a lot of problems, but the stated solution seems to be to quit having fail 3rd and 4th line options.

My personal solutions would be:

I agree with some of how the players were handled, but not all.
Give Dave 1 more season, need to see real player growth and demonstrate his system is a net positive, or he gets the axe.
Pray G is healthy / core returns to form.
Attempt to bring up Lindblom if ready, same with #2 OA.
Trade PEB to anyone, maybe Vegas if they want a "good guy" - unless the international play has suddenly changed him.
Resign Weal if able/makes sense, see what ED holds, let VdV leave, explore options moving on from Read, Raffl.
Resign Ghost to a long term deal.
2 new prospect defensemen (hopefully Hagg, +1 other).
Let ED play out and look at 3rd / 4th line options (FA, Vec, Laughton, etc).
No idea about netminding.
Feed Gudas icelandic ale / grog / bear meat until he is satisfied / appeased / made good with whatever Nordic gods that created him for the upcoming season.
See how the Cousins situation plays out.

Probably missed a few items. Hard to say what happens until ED plays out. Mason/Nevy having down years really screws the team. Building from the net out was working great, the D prospects are in a good spot, forwards are getting a nice infusion, but now netminding is suddenly a glaring problem and a wrench in the building out from the net situation that was running along just fine.

We don't have bears here lol

 

[deadhead]

We don't have bears here lol

Plus Gudas isn't Nordic, he's probably a Slav.

He probably worships Perun (Cyrillic: Перун), in Slavic mythology, the highest god of the pantheon and the god of thunder and lightning.

the Czech people (Český národ), are a West Slavic ethnic group native to the Czech Republic in Central Europe, who share a common ancestry, culture, history and are native speakers of the Czech language.

Ethnic Czechs were called Bohemians in English until the early 20th century, referring to the late Iron Age tribe of Celtic Boii and the land Bohemia. During the Migration Period, West Slavic tribes of Bohemians settled in the area, "assimilated the remaining Celtic and Germanic populations", and formed an independent principality in the 9th century in form of Duchy of Bohemia and later Kingdom of Bohemia, the predecessors of the modern republic.

 

[Flyotes]

You guys are awful. It was a joke about him being awesome.