Good afternoon ladies and Gents. It’s a feel good story these days on Broad Street. Our proud, re-energized Flyers hockey team has finally become the playoff caliber team we thought they would be before the season started.
How many games will it take for the “Fire Hakstol” chants to ensue, to begin the “Hire Quenneville,” chants? Hopefully zero. Hopefully, this young Flyers team has turned the corner into a consistent bunch for the rest of the year. Gone are the days of inconsistency, as we hopefully don a new era of consistency for the orange and black. Without further delay, here are our answers to your questions.
What do you think of the current coaching situation? If Hakstol fails to perform at home during this 5-game homestead, do you fire Hakstol and hire Coach Q? #FlyersMail
— Donovan L (@lapdog32) November 7, 2018
Dave Hakstol I believe was given a 20-25 game leash, which would take him to December. With that being said, I do not believe the top brass in particular is happy to be hovering .500 to start the season once again, as Hextall has stated on October 23, 2018, “I’m a pretty patient guy, but things need to start going better here.” Comcast CEO Dave Scott has been present at some Flyers home games recently. It’s hard to say if he is feeling the pressure of a coaching change or not.
This road trip certainly helped Hakstol’s future with the club FOR NOW. However, the Flyers have to start winning at home. If they do not I believe by December a coaching change could ensue. If Joel Quenneville is still on the market, either him or Darryl Sutter would be great replacements. With that being said, if the Flyers continue to win, then Hakstol is safe until the end of season. One thing is certain the players are busting their behinds off for this coach, and last night proves just that.
Dave Hakstol on last night’s win. Honestly, this doesn’t sound like a coach that is done by any means:
“Bottom line is, I said it a couple weeks ago, sometimes you just have to suck up and get a character win and that’s what tonight was. Coming off of a long west coast trip, playing a couple of days later, whatever it is, you know there’s going to be some tough moments and some sloppy play. We showed that. We had some uncharacteristic play and turnovers from some guys, especially in the first half of the hockey game and that put us in a bad spot. Yet, guys had the resiliency, the push, the drive and togetherness to turn it around and push back the other direction. We’re going to take a ton of positives out of it and look at the ugly stuff tomorrow.”
Donovan thanks so much for your support. Without you this site doesn’t exist.
#FlyersMail Pick was awesome the last 2 games because he had to be, what do the Flyers do to take the pressure off their goalies?
— Let’s Go Flyers (@amostjamos) November 7, 2018
The Flyers have just played well Defensively in front of Cal Pickard. They have been working on Gap control, meaning the Defensive players are taking space away from their opponents. This is a good thing as some of these players were being allowed to much space to create, thus the Flyers were getting burnt big time.
While becoming successful at Gap control. The Flyers haven’t given up that home run pass that opponents once had success with earlier in the season. For instance, opponents were able to stretch the ice using stretch passes as a means for success against the Flyers. Earlier in the season the orange and black would give some of these great players space to create. Well, they sure did using tape to tape passing straight up the gut of the Flyers Defense. Fortunately, the Flyers have tightened up Defensively in recent games. However, they still have to work on not being careless with the puck while on the Power Play, and also becoming a solidified unit while being a man down.
NiceGuy I can’t thank you enough for your support. God bless you and your family.
#flyersmail where does JVR fit when he returs to the lineup?
— JortsGod (@imtarik28) November 7, 2018
JVR should return next week I believe. I’m thinking he is shooting for a return of Tuesday against the Florida Panthers at 7pm. He was skating his butt off yesterday in practice, and really looked explosive. I know it’s only practice, but still. When he returns the lines should look like this:
G, Coots, Konecny
Lindblom, Patrick, Voracek
JVR, Weal, Simmonds
Laughton, Lehtera, Weise
NAK will be sent back to the Phantoms. He has averaged less than 5 minutes per game for the past 3 games.
Broski thanks so much for your support. God bless you and your family.
Do the flyers still keep 3 goalies at the NHL when Neuvirth is "healthy"?
— Doyle (@PatchesD5) November 7, 2018
Honestly, this is a great question. I’m hoping that the Flyers waive Michal Neuvirth when he becomes healthy, and if he clears waivers he could be sent to the Phantoms. The Flyers could also loan him to another AHL team if they can find a team that needs his services. I’m hoping that Ron Hextall rids us of this inconsistency with his health sooner, rather than later.
It’s unfortunate as Neuvirth is a solid Goaltender when he’s healthy. However, this is really holding the team back from becoming that consistent team we once envisioned them to be this season. At the moment it looks as though the Flyers will hold onto Neuvirth’s services.
Doyle thanks for your support. Without you this site doesn’t exist today. God bless you and your family.
https://twitter.com/Jacalore/status/1060334238497718272?s=19
Not yet. I do love the humor in this question though. Goaltending has held this team back in years’ past. Hopefully, with a healthy Brian Elliott now the Flyers can become that consistent hockey team we envisioned them to be this season. Elliott really played well in relief of Cal Pickard last night, while making 16 saves off of 16 shots faced for the eventual Flyers victory. Don’t forget only a short time down the “Yellow Brick Road,” do we have our future in Carter Hart and Felix Sandstrom. One thing is certain the future is bright in Flyer land.
Jacalore thanks so much for your continued support. God bless you and your family. Without your support this site wouldn’t exist today.
Hey bud. Any chance hexy goes after Quenneville? Doesnt he owe it to this Organisation. We suffered enough.#FlyersMail
— b86allday (@OrangeBlack12) November 8, 2018
Dave Hakstol I believe was given a 20-25 game leash, which would take him to December. With that being said, I do not believe the top brass in particular is happy to be hovering .500 to start the season once again, as Hextall has stated on October 23, 2018, “I’m a pretty patient guy, but things need to start going better here.” Comcast CEO Dave Scott has been present at some Flyers home games recently. It’s hard to say if he is feeling the pressure of a coaching change or not.
This road trip certainly helped Hakstol’s future with the club FOR NOW. However, the Flyers have to start winning at home. If they do not I believe by December a coaching change could ensue. If Joel Quenneville is still on the market, either him or Darryl Sutter would be great replacements. With that being said, if the Flyers continue to win, then Hakstol is safe until the end of season.
Here is Dave Hakstol on last night’s win. He was asked a question if he could recall a game this season falling apart like it did in the second period, with giving up two Shorthanded goals. Honestly, this doesn’t sound like a coach that is done by any means:
“That could’ve happened again tonight, with the scenario of the second period, giving up two shorties within a few seconds. Three goals in five minutes to give up a lead and all of a sudden, you’re looking down by two. That could’ve happened tonight, but the guys didn’t let that happen. This team has grown a little bit. We saw that over the west coast trip. Rather than guys looking at their toes sitting on the bench, guys were more pissed off about what just happened, and we had a little bit of push-back in the second period. We righted the ship and had a little push-back. Could have got a couple, could have made it a one-goal game, we didn’t. We were able to get back into the dressing room after two and really get a focus and Scotty’s goal was huge for us. That lit up the crowd and that pushed us in the right direction.”
Right now it’s hard to say what the Flyers will do in terms of a coaching change. One thing is evident the players are busting their behinds off for this coach, and last night proves just that.
Flyers thanks so much for your continued support. God bless you. Without you this site doesn’t exist today.
I want to say thank you to all our men and women, past and present who have served in the United States military. Without every single one of you I wouldn’t be here today writing for you…the great fans of the Flyers and Hockey in general. God bless America.
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 #Flyersmail. Thanks to all the fans for another great mailbag, and Let’s go Flyers. Without your support we wouldn’t be here today.
Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
