Who will be this year's first coaching casualty?

[agentzero]

Hack-Saw followed by Glu-Glu.

Could be the same day too...

[ericdaoust]

Has to be Hakstol

[PenguinHunter]

Has to be Hakstol

I think Hextall is a lot more patient then what we are used to in recent history in Philly.

I think Hakstol has a longer leash than many would think.

[ericdaoust]

I think Hextall is a lot more patient then what we are used to in recent history in Philly.

I think Hakstol has a longer leash than many would think.

It's his third season as coach. That's not a short leash.

[LuigiC173]

Dave Hakstol, this is two seasons now where they start out white hot and collapse in miserable fashion.

[bondon]

In order to fire a guy you kind of have to have someone in mind to replace them with...and who you replace them with will depend on your overall vision for the team in the short and long-term.

I feel like the teams with the coaches that are most likely to be fired are actually struggling with that vision.

[ericdaoust]

In order to fire a guy you kind of have to have someone in mind to replace them with...and who you replace them with will depend on your overall vision for the team in the short and long-term.

That hasn't stopped anyone in the past. They'll just promote the assistant or the AHL guy and give him the interim tag.

[Pengwin7]

I think Hextall is a lot more patient then what we are used to in recent history in Philly.
I think Hakstol has a longer leash than many would think.

Agree... some reports suggest the same.
Everybody with half a hockey brain knows that Philly is a young emerging team with lots of new parts.
The expectations were low this year.
They'll want a coach that can coach those younger kinds of players and I think Hakstol is a good fit.

Hextall is a patient GM as well. He knows its a long build (evidenced by stock of D & G).
And he knows the East is ripe to strike in the future, as PIT & WAS age, but not now.
I'm sure he's also well aware that there is a really solid prize for getting a top two draft spot in the summer!

Right now, the knock in PHI is that they aren't getting secondary scoring.
The vets (Filppula, Lehtera, Weise, etc.) haven't meshed well with the youth (Patrick, Konecny, Weal).
The goaltending has been below average.

And Gudas, who is underrated, has been suspended for six of the ten in the losing streak.
Their advanced analytics also suggest they haven't been as bad as their record during the losses.

I think Hakstol will be kept around at least to give next year a shot.
I expect Hextall to move out a few of the vets and it'll be a really young team next year - expected to trend up from this year.
That's when the pressure will come.


It's a very similar situation to what Blashill has to work with in Detroit.
Blashill is in his 3rd year with Detroit as well... very similar team, with less rising talent.

[agentzero]

Hack-Saw followed by Glu-Glu.

Could be the same day too...

Hack-Saw beat Glu-Glu! So bye bye Glu-Glu?


Also, tell me people working within the Flyers get a kick out of the fact that the GM and Coach are basically homonyms.. Like, come on... Hextall-Hakstol?

I could see where some regional accents would actually pronounce those the same way!

[Sulla]

I’m going to go out on a limb and say Mclellan to go first... agree with others that Philly is not the same beast under Hextall and Ottawa have early a larger leash (and a big chunk of loser pints keep them in the mix)

[agentzero]

It would be a shame for it to be McLellan... Not a single coach has been able to get that team to win consistently... Even with McDavid around.. which suggests (as I have said many times) that the problem is not the coach. McLellan got them to perform last year. Talbot had a ridiculous year (makes everyone look good...). This team still needs work. I don't think changing the coach (yet again) will do it.

[lucafen4]

Here's hoping Ron Wilson gets the replacement job... would... just... love... that...

[tweetdrivr]

Boucher the new front runner?

[reggiebarnes]

Boucher the new front runner?

I don’t see him being fired. I think there are a lot of player related factors outside of coaching , and I don’t see the sense in replacing the coach as if they turned it around and still missed the playoffs they would give their pick to Colorado

[2014olympicgold]

Boucher the new front runner?

They won't pay Boucher + another coach. It would take A WHOLE LOT for Boucher to be fired.