Finally woooo finally, the real Philadelphia Flyers will get back to action on Saturday night against the Boston Bruins. Losers of nine straight games, the Flyers look to avenge their woes by putting together a complete team effort on Saturday. The orange and black did manage to salvage a point in a heartbreaking 5-4 overtime loss to the hated Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night.
Will the real Flyers please stand up! The orange and black have to get back to their fundamentals in order to make the playoffs. Moreover, keeping the game simple is a good place to start. The Flyers currently sit six points out of a playoff spot. So, without further delay here are our answers to your questions.
Does anybody think that Hextall the goalie would be so calm & say "we're playing well" if the team in front of him had a 9 game losing streak?#Flyersmail ( I guess we know the answer)
— Mark The Shark (@MRaff57) November 29, 2017
Mark I appreciate your support and question. You answered your own question. If Ron Hextall admitted that they were playing bad, to me major trades or Head Coach Dave Hakstol would have been dismissed. No one is ok with losing, especially the Flyers organization. However, I think it eases the pain if the Flyers get a point in an overtime loss, which the orange and black have done in five of the nine losses. Hextall seems determined to stand by his guy in Head Coach Dave Hakstol, but for how long? A trade isn’t far off the horizon that’s for sure. It may not be a major trade, but a trade in some effect will happen sooner rather than later. Fortunately, the Flyers are six points out of a playoff spot, and ten points out of first.
Mark Boehmer- Worst Phantoms game ever last night shutout 3-0 to last place Binghamton, looked dead ,small crowd 6200, there’s a malaise hanging over this whole organization ,is it time for Hakstol to go and a major trade also to shake up the whole organization?
Mark you’re a dedicated Flyers fan, and a knowledgeable one at that. I’m sorry there hasn’t been much positivity these past few weeks. I have a gut feeling a trade is in the works. However, I don’t believe the Flyers are ready to blow the house up just yet. Wait for the trade deadline in regards to a major shake-up. If the orange and black are well out of the playoffs at that point, absolutely a major shake-up may transpire.
In regards to Head Coach Dave Hakstol…if the orange and black continue to lose I very well could see a coaching change. My personal opinion would be that Kris Knoblauch takes over on an interim basis, as opposed to Head Coach of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms Scott Gordon. There’s a very slim head coaching market out there at this point, to include Dave Tippett and Dan Bylsma. Daryl Sutter to me is retired, or he would have been hired by a team in the off-season. However, if the Flyers find a way to stay in the playoff race, then Hakstol will stay at least until the end of season when more coaches become available.
What do you think the chances are that a major player in this team gets traded as a shakeup? And who could that be? #Flyersmail
— Kerry (@MusicIsLife_74) November 30, 2017
Kerry has the question and flavor of the day. A passionate fan at that. You bleed the orange and black, and it shows how well you know the team with your questions. The chances of a major shake-up happening at this point are slim to none. However, I have a gut feeling there’s a trade in the works for a second or third line forward. If the Flyers are out of the playoffs at the trade deadline, I have a gut feeling a major shake-up will ensue. My first guess would be Claude Giroux being traded for more depth to the Montreal Canadiens. Giroux has always been linked there, and there were rumors of such this past off-season. In my opinion Voracek’s contract keeps him here, as Giroux plays in all types of situations, where as Voracek doesn’t play on the penalty kill.
I heard a rumor of an old urban legend that if you turn off the lights and look into the mirror and say Vandavelde's name 3 times, he'll appear on the ice with 3 minutes left in the 3rd. Can you shed some light on this? #Flyersmail
— Kerry (@MusicIsLife_74) November 30, 2017
Kerry you’re a funny person. He seems to never go away does he? Vandevelde just signed a contract with a hockey team in Europe. He won’t be rejoining the Flyers anytime soon. Moreover, I’ve heard of this urban legend before, and I’m dying to try it out. I will do so this coming weekend. Cheers to you and your family. Have a safe and happy holiday season.
here's a question for your Q&A: can you explain to me why the Flyers (Hakstol/Hextall, etc) are so reluctant to take Konecny out of the lineup?
They seem to ready to pull the trigger on EVERYTHING else BUT THAT!
— Matt Martin (@TheRealMJMartin) December 1, 2017
Matt your a really great fan of the orange and black. You know your hockey that’s for sure. I’m sorry about how the last few weeks have gone in terms of production. That’s a very good question. Konecny has a lot of energy. However, he has remained an inconsistent forward. He did pot a goal this week against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night, so hopefully that will jump start him.
Konecny has 3 goals, 6 assists, and is a plus 3 on the season in 25 games played. At times he is unnoticeable, and not a very good asset to the team. I firmly believe that they are giving him every chance to succeed this season, in which Head Coach Dave Hakstol was beaten up last season in his use of Konecny. I like how the Flyers are being patient with him, but if he’s a liability on the ice then they should very well sit him for a game like Jordan Weal. Thankfully, I still remain optimistic about Konecny, in that he will be an asset for the rest of the season. He just needs that right line pairing. Look for a rebound game from him on Saturday night.
If you would like to see your questions submitted in our weekly mailbag. Just submit your question on our facebook page or on Twitter using the #Flyersmail. Thanks to all the fans for another great mailbag. Things will get better in Flyer land. Have a great and happy holiday season.
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
