Toomany7pins
Registered User
Is it time for Hak to go? Looks like the players are just going thru the motions.
I’m not sure another coach could extract better results from the roster as it currently is.
I think he'll have another season and if it looks like they aren't going to make the play offs they may use him as the sacrifice. I do sometimes wish they were a little bolder, take more risks with roster building at times but we can't all be Vegas.
I do trust Leiweke though. He may be distracted with NBA stuff but he has a good recorded of putting solid foundations in place. He's credited with turning around the Seahawks from being a joke team in the 90's to being a decent/at times contending team and encouraged Paul Allen to fire Jim Mora Jr when it didn't look like things were right. So we probably should trust the process but I do think last years play offs sapped some of the patience as we got to experience a taste of what things can be like.I don't know enough about the local ownership scene, but it seems to me from what little I do that RF has restricted options, especially if the ultimate goal is to bring an NBA team to Seattle not win a Stanley Cup (if this opinion is totally off-base, my apologies). So I am not really mad at him as I might be.
I get frustrated with Hakstol sometimes, but basically he played the hand he was dealt but this year's iteration of players was clearly inferior to last year's line up. As well, statistical anomalies that favoured us last year--five on five play, for one-- have predictably gone the other way this year. So, too soon for Hakstol to be the fall guy. But he is using up his grace points from last year.
It's not a sexy option, but I would counsel staying the course, and hoping that RF pulls enough rabbits out of hats to at least continue to fill out our talented if not yet elite prospect pool. In fact the best reason for keeping RF is for his drafting expertise. If we are at the same place next year that we are this year competitively, then, yes, change will be a reasonable option to consider
I was shocked at how frequently NHL coaches get fired. Hakstol at this point is pretty long tenured compared to most. Are coaches always sacrificial lambs?That was never in play as soon as the team announced Ron Francis as GM.
He's very "conservative" and ultimatly lost his job in Carolina because people got frustrated with his lack of willingness to go for it.
BTW:
Hakstol won't go and start next season as the coach but won't have a shorter leash and wouldn't survive a big losing streak or bad start overall.
Though, I don't think Francis is willing to pull that card right now(the season is lost anyways and free agency/trade market don't look all that great currently) given that firing a coach gets a GM closer to being on the hot seat.
I was shocked at how frequently NHL coaches get fired. Hakstol at this point is pretty long tenured compared to most. Are coaches always sacrificial lambs?
I think one of my fears is that if we are going the draft route and developing talent, is Hakstol the guy to do it. Especially if he does get off to a bad start next year? He played Beniers but he was basically NHL ready, Kartye was a surprise but did well. Will he give Evans, Wright etc a shot next year if he's on the hot seat?
sounds like Kraken will be a fourth year expansion team next year. so what? they're focused on obtaining and developing prospects with a longterm outlook. those who want immediate success like vegas will continue to be disappointed -- and it's not Hakstol's fault.You folks know I have been asking for a Hakstol replacement for a while. But with all the injuries we had to deal with, given the lack of skill on the team, I am surprised we are even in a "race" for the playoffs. The goaltending (Daccord) has helped a lot with us being in the "race" but Hakstol gets a pass for this season.
The concern I have is more for next season. How do we get better? While we don't lose anyone significant to FA, the market sucks and I don't think we can add anyone who helps more. Ryker Evans will replace Schultz. Wright will replace Wennberg. I think Schultz to Evans is a wash. Maybe even a small upgrade. But I will be very surprised if Wright is able to replace Wennberg's production next season.
If Francis does not give Hakstol the tools to improve the team, I don't think we can blame Hakstol.
Nobody is expecting a Vegas management style or success similar to them. But folks are still allowed to disagree with how Francis manages the team. A 4th year expansion team is not what I am concerned about. It's more about the level of our prospects. Outside of Beniers, I cannot say with confidence that we have any blue-chip prospects. Potentially Wright, but unless he makes improvements by leaps and bounds, he will be a tier or 2 below Beniers. Evans is good for a top-4 D, but I am not sure he gets better than that. Firkus, Goyette, Nyman, Rehkopf, Nelson, etc., have done well in juniors or overseas, but there is no guarantee that their skills will translate to the NHL.sounds like Kraken will be a fourth year expansion team next year. so what? they're focused on obtaining and developing prospects with a longterm outlook. those who want immediate success like vegas will continue to be disappointed -- and it's not Hakstol's fault.
What was Hakstols track record for developing players at the Flyers? Any names or stars?Hakstol is the longest tenured head coach in the Pacific Divison.
So yeah, they get fired very quickly.
Though, Francis is pretty "cautious" and probably will act that way on the coaching front as well.
Also, the team just extended Hakstol(last summer) for three years and that extension will kick in this offseason.
Hakstol was a college coach and developing talent should, in theory, be his strength.
Him not playing Evans too much has more to do with the expectations after last season and the fact that Francis signed a vet like Doumoulin to replace Soucy.
An NHL coach will always play the veteran over the kid unless the GM tells him that this is the plan and Francis clearly didn't do that with his moves and openly saying that the playoffs are the goal.
What was Hakstols track record for developing players at the Flyers? Any names or stars?
frankly, on paper, it’s a super average team and are performing at level or close to it.
Yeah, this last TDL sure looked and felt like "obtaining and developing prospects with a longterm outlook" what with hanging on to Schultz, Driedger and Eberle.sounds like Kraken will be a fourth year expansion team next year. so what? they're focused on obtaining and developing prospects with a longterm outlook. those who want immediate success like vegas will continue to be disappointed -- and it's not Hakstol's fault.