Seattle Kraken Name Dave Hakstol As First Ever Coach

[RainyCityHockey]

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[RainyCityHockey]

Seems like Francis already started intterviewing possible head coaching candidates last offseason and Hakstol was part of that.

Live Stream

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

 

[gstommylee]

Other folks Seattle interviewed.

 

[gstommylee]

 

[Gniwder]

Well, I guess this is what happens when you put an artificial deadline to pick a coach before the playoffs are over. I really would have preferred Lambert.

Lots of criticism on the other (now locked) thread. Not a fan of the choice, but we should give him a chance before going nuts. FWIW, most NHL coaches have a preference for veterans so he's not special in that regards. Babcock would keep prospects in the AHL until their waiver exemption ran out, for example Tatar and Nyquist.

Slightly disappointed, but hopefully Hakstol proves me wrong. He prefers low event hockey so expect some boring low scoring games.

 

[Interior Cascadian]

I’m pretty optimistic about Hakstol. I went to UND during his tenure there and he will always be counted among their coaching legends. I don’t think his stint with Philly is a fair look at him- he inherited a young team with sketchy goaltending. Until proven otherwise, I trust management’s decision to give Hak another shot at this after putting him through their long evaluation process.

 

[gstommylee]

I’m pretty optimistic about Hakstol. I went to UND during his tenure there and he will always be counted among their coaching legends. I don’t think his stint with Philly is a fair look at him- he inherited a young team with sketchy goaltending. Until proven otherwise, I trust management’s decision to give Hak another shot at this after putting him through their long evaluation process.

I'm giving him a fair shot as i would with anyone else they picked.

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

This is the first move the organization has made that concerns me. Philly fans passionately hate this guy, but Philly fans hate Santa Claus, so who knows. Basically, Philly fans hate. But I digress. Keeping the Philly theme, I was hoping for Tocchet, but in Francis I will trust...until we miss the playoffs.

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

I’m pretty optimistic about Hakstol. I went to UND during his tenure there and he will always be counted among their coaching legends. I don’t think his stint with Philly is a fair look at him- he inherited a young team with sketchy goaltending. Until proven otherwise, I trust management’s decision to give Hak another shot at this after putting him through their long evaluation process.

I hope you're right. They did seem to really like him at UND, and those folks are serious about hockey. And he did get young Flyers squad who had yet to find their tender. Fingers crossed!

 

[gstommylee]

This is the first move the organization has made that concerns me. Philly fans passionately hate this guy, but Philly fans hate Santa Claus, so who knows. Basically, Philly fans hate. But I digress. Keeping the Philly theme, I was hoping for Tocchet, but in Francis I will trust...until we miss the playoffs.

You'll get that from another team fanbase regardless of who we have hired. Again it just doesn't matter we won't have that kind of roster to were we can seriously contend for a couple years. We could miss the playoffs but we could make it and that is regardless of who we picked.

People are so easy to make the HC the scapegoat every time something goes wrong and not look at the players he has to deal with which is nothing more than 3/4th liners maybe a couple 2nd liners. Who knows what the side trades would be.

People also are downplaying the flat cap mess like its a nothing and Seattle will still have a huge disadvantage...

 

[Sad People]

Well, I guess this is what happens when you put an artificial deadline to pick a coach before the playoffs are over. I really would have preferred Lambert.

Lots of criticism on the other (now locked) thread. Not a fan of the choice, but we should give him a chance before going nuts. FWIW, most NHL coaches have a preference for veterans so he's not special in that regards. Babcock would keep prospects in the AHL until their waiver exemption ran out, for example Tatar and Nyquist.

Slightly disappointed, but hopefully Hakstol proves me wrong. He prefers low event hockey so expect some boring low scoring games.

This worries me a bit it just screams mediocrity to me but who knows I cant really envision teams that make it to the promise land playing that sort of hockey but what do I know. As a Wild fan Ive seen low event hockey and weve never done anything.

 

[PG Canuck]

Meh...will give him a chance but not overly happy with this.

 

[brewski420]

Not a big fan of this hire but I have have an open mind. I do believe in building from back end out so a defensive minded coach may be a good start for the franchise. I remain optimistic overall at this point.

 

[Sad People]

Not a big fan of this hire but I have have an open mind. I do believe in building from back end out so a defensive minded coach may be a good start for the franchise. I remain optimistic overall at this point.

I’m optimistic as well probably a lot more so than others I just hope he’s learned a lot from his past tenures as a HC and as an assistant. A good HC alphas to adapt and always be willing to learn and implant new things.

 

[gstommylee]

Not a big fan of this hire but I have have an open mind. I do believe in building from back end out so a defensive minded coach may be a good start for the franchise. I remain optimistic overall at this point.

I believe Francis said they'll build through the middle. The expansion draft is heavy blue-line ish

 

[gstommylee]

I also believe that for Seattle to be able to contend they need a good top half roster and and good bottom half of the roster, its going to take a few years to get that top half and we'll have to start with what is a double bottom half.

 

[Gniwder]

This worries me a bit it just screams mediocrity to me but who knows I cant really envision teams that make it to the promise land playing that sort of hockey but what do I know. As a Wild fan Ive seen low event hockey and weve never done anything.

Vegas made it to the finals their first season, and Islanders are putting up a heck of a battle. The Devils also made finals appearances playing low event hockey, but that was in the clutch and grab era.

If the approach is low event hockey, I would have preferred Lambert. He's learned from the master.

Meh...will give him a chance but not overly happy with this.

I think that's where we're all at. I'm willing to give him a chance, it can't be any worse than watching the Wings. Blashill also coaches low event hockey, never played pro, was a goalie, and coached college before joining the WIngs organization. Hopefully the outcome is better.

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

I believe Francis said they'll build through the middle. The expansion draft is heavy blue-line ish

As the second best 2-way C in Penguin's history should.

 

[justPlay]

A very meh move IMO, but let's see.

 

[gstommylee]

i saw an interest post on our team fan facebook group page and its worth bring attention. You know what this reminds me off when Seahawks brought in Pete Carrol as Head coach and the mix reactions it got. And guess who brought him in Tod Leiweke.

 

[Irie]

I'll admit that I was less than thrilled when I first heard this news, but i am now reminding myself that Hakstol has been with the Leafs for a while and they have relied heavily on young player during his time there.

I think that to assume that a coach would be the exact same coach after experiencing extremely different coaching experiences would be a mistake, so for now, I am willing to give him a chance. I look forward to seeing what he brings to the organization this first year.

 

[StarterHart]

i saw an interest post on our team fan facebook group page and its worth bring attention. You know what this reminds me off when Seahawks brought in Pete Carrol as Head coach and the mix reactions it got. And guess who brought him in Tod Leiweke.

Pete Carroll took over a struggling program and built them into national dominance. Dave Hakstol joined an already dominant program that failed to get over the hump until the year after he left. I can appreciate the similarities, but their college coaching careers, while both successful, are very different. Also, for your analogy to work, Hak would have to fail here and then go on to win at his third NHL head coaching job. Also, much of the "mixed reactions" regarding the Pete Carroll hire had nothing to do with his coaching and everything to do with the perception that he was running from NCAA sanctions.

 

[Fisticuffer]

Can’t say I’m thrilled with the choice but didn’t expect to agree with every move. I just wish it wasn’t such a prominent position that was responsible for my concern.
Oh well, I wish him all the best and will keep an open mind.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

BTW: Does Hakstol mean Shayne Gostisbehere being the confirmed pick from Philly?