BobbyClarkeFan16
Registered User
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.
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.