With regards to Hakstol...
As the great teacher and motivator with the "STARE"
Why couldn't he reach Gagner and torts can to the tune of 28 points already...

I like some things he does but have wondered how will he motivate paid players vs kids in college for the duration of a season and playoffs...
All TBD i guess.
- Konalover

Who would you replace on the top power play with Gagner, Giroux or Schenn?

11-14-93 looked good early on so I am completely ok with trying 11-14-17 (I want to keep 28-93 together). Coots just needs to get the rust off. they still need 2 more top 9 players in my opinion to be a real contender.
- nastyflyergirl

Agreed, they need another quality center and LW to take the next step. Schenn, at ES, is better on the wing.

For next season, perhaps:

Lindblom-G-Jake
TK-Coots-Simmonds
Raffl-??-Schenn

The ?? in between Raffl and Schenn, in a perfect world, would be a playmaker with good wheels.

edit: If you can't find someone to fill the spot, then I guess you leave Schenn in the middle with Raffl on the left and maybe Read on the right.

Who would you replace on the top power play with Gagner, Giroux or Schenn?
- MBFlyerfan

I'm not down on Hak in regards to Gagner. I just don't get wanting Gordon in the lineup over Konecny. Makes no sense at all.

they are a team of extremes it seems. Obviously they aren't as good as a 10 game win streak and getting points in 13 of 15 games or whatever it was but I also don't think they are as bad as they looked vs NJ, STL and SJ. they need to find consistency.
- nastyflyergirl

Seems now they have the consistency of thick pancake batter on a winter morning.
Or maybe quicksand?

Elias Pettersson
Michael Rasmussen
Nikita Popugayev
Maxime Comtois
Eeli Tolvanen

Too soon?
- ob18

Get Popugayev outta there

Who would you replace on the top power play with Gagner, Giroux or Schenn?
- MBFlyerfan

Since 13 of gagners 28 points have come via powerplay, he could have underproduced for us on the 2nd unit.

Who would you replace on the top power play with Gagner, Giroux or Schenn?
- MBFlyerfan

Since 13 of gagners 28 points have come via powerplay, he could have underproduced for us on the 2nd unit.

I knew when he got that penalty he'd be scratched. I'm surprised his skates touched the ice after he came out of the box. In Hakstol's defense, Luby hasn't looked as fast and aggressive and the insane whirling dervish we saw earlier in the month but he hasn't looked bad or scratch-worthy IMO.

Niether Lyubomov nor Koneckny have played that many games on this level before.

I am not defending Hak's decision, but there might be a component of fatigue settling in both players that leads to some errors.

Just a bit outside of my price range.

All kidding aside, a friend of my father's who spent his life in the liquor business and was a scotch drinker, told me to never buy any scotch over 30 years old. Not because it won't be good, but he said most scotches reach peak flavor by year 30 and selling older bottles is just a way for the distillery to make more money. According to him, you really can't taste any difference between a 30 year old quality single malt and one that is 50 years old.
- BiggE

So let's get you a bottle 31 years old

Get Popugayev outta there
- Mordecai

For now no but you can sway me to do that if you'd like

So let's get you a bottle 31 years old
- ob18

Since 13 of gagners 28 points have come via powerplay, he could have underproduced for us on the 2nd unit.
- Konalover

Well, considering when he played for us he was on the second unit, and logic stands to reason that in order for Hak to get the same production that Torts gets, he would have to use him the same way. Which is basically 4th line at evens and centering the top PP unit.

So, do who do you replace on the top unit?

I'm not down on Hak in regards to Gagner. I just don't get wanting Gordon in the lineup over Konecny. Makes no sense at all.
- BiggE

That absolutely made no sense unless Konecny was just a bit banged up from that hit he took in Stl.

As for Gagner, I seriously doubt we are replacing Giroux on the top PP unit.

The book is out on Philly. They back off and play a collapsed zone defensive system in which you can just hammer them down the wall on the pinch keeping them pinned in their own zone for long stretches. Keep cycling and skating and eventually you'll have either a powerplay or a fantastic chance to score.

The Flyers also don't quite have the horses that a lot of other teams do. We're playing on borrowed time with at least 2-3 players in the lineup on any given night. It's just what it is.

They can obviously still be better and contend for a wildcard spot but it's going to be a helluva battle.
- Pixote Andolini

Flyers defensive zone coverage is man to man. I agree though that teams are taking away the walls against the Flyers on breakouts, and they have to start using the middle of the ice more.

Well, considering when he played for us he was on the second unit, and logic stands to reason that in order for Hak to get the same production that Torts gets, he would have to use him the same way. Which is basically 4th line at evens and centering the top PP unit.

So, do who do you replace on the top unit?
- MBFlyerfan

Again does not matter 13 of 28 PPP.....

What the question was again is what did Hak not do and buttons Toots did with gager?

So you have answered the question Toots is smarter in how he is using him 4th 5th scratched whatever...the fact is a change happened in this player why coach or moon was full when he signed the contract....

10/12-28-17
11-14-93
12/10-25-13
76-78-58

That's what I'd like to see tried tomorrow, with that order of lines actually reflected in ice time as well. But I'm sure that's not what we'll see.

"Hakstol, who made no bones about his displeasure with costly first period penalties taken by Claude Giroux and Roman Lyubimov in the St. Louis game, scratched Lyubimov in San Jose"

I get making players accountable for poor play or penalties but Lyubimov has 2 penalties all season. it irritates me to have benched him most of the Blues game and to scratch him last night.

- nastyflyergirl

I think it's just a coach thing where they feel the need to constantly tinker with he lineup. It's always easy to say "would benching so and so have helped them win last night!?" The answer is probably not, but by constantly playing inferior players in important situations, Hak may end up costing the team 3-4 points by the end of the season. That could be the difference in making or missing the playoffs.

Again does not matter 13 of 28 PPP.....

What the question was again is what did Hak not do and buttons Toots did with gager?

So you have answered the question Toots is smarter in how he is using him 4th 5th scratched whatever...the fact is a change happened in this player why coach or moon was full when he signed the contract....
- Konalover

In 9 previous season's Gagner's career high was 18 goals and he has averaged approx 14-15 goals a season so I don't think it is just Hakstol that didn't get this sort of production out of him.

I think it's just a coach thing where they feel the need to constantly tinker with he lineup. It's always easy to say "would benching so and so have helped them win last night!?" The answer is probably not, but by constantly playing inferior players in important situations, Hak may end up costing the team 3-4 points by the end of the season. That could be the difference in making or missing the playoffs.
- PhillySportsGuy

Hakstol is smart enough to know, that even when they were on a 10 game win streak, there were areas where they needed to improve, for long term success. When Hakstol scratched Gostisbehere against Winnipeg, the same uproar was present. Even some of the hockey geniuses, such as those at BSH wrote that Hakstol was not giving the team a chance to win. The Flyers won that game 5-2. There's many reasons why coaches will scratch a player, and the reasons are often different for veterans versus rookies. They never have been treated the same, and never will. How many points is Hakstol's coaching responsible for, that might be the difference in the Flyers making the playoffs?

In 9 previous season's Gagner's career high was 18 goals and he has averaged approx 14-15 goals a season so I don't think it is just Hakstol that didn't get this sort of production out of him.
- nastyflyergirl

Agree...The question remains what has toots done to take this lump and turn him into a 16% Shooting machine when he was at 9% here. Is it practice or just dumb luck or is there something to the musical chairs up and down the lineup and then to pressbox coaching method that is not translating?

I understand over the course of a season you'll have losing streaks. But this one in particular the Flyers haven't been in any of these games. Getting out worked and beat up with shots not finding their way on net.

Agree...The question remains what has toots done to take this lump and turn him into a 16% Shooting machine when he was at 9% here. Is it practice or just dumb luck or is there something to the musical chairs up and down the lineup and then to pressbox coaching method that is not translating?
- konalover711

I wanted the Flyers to re-sign him, but everyone laughed at me. Y'all laughed at me!

I wanted the Flyers to re-sign him, but everyone laughed at me. Y'all laughed at me!
- PhillySportsGuy

Hell, I laugh you for all sorts of reasons!

Agree...The question remains what has toots done to take this lump and turn him into a 16% Shooting machine when he was at 9% here. Is it practice or just dumb luck or is there something to the musical chairs up and down the lineup and then to pressbox coaching method that is not translating?
- konalover711

lets see if he sustains it beyond this season. for all that went wrong for Columbus last year (I predicted them to make the playoffs), all is going right for them this season. good health, good production

Hell, I laugh you for all sorts of reasons!

- BiggE

People laughed at Einstein too