Dave Hakstol: new HC

[flyercanuck]

@pilldoc

 

He hails from Warburg Alberta...population 800. And TWO of them are NHL coaches. (Lindy Ruff)

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Gotta say, this is a nice refreshing change for the Philadelphia Flyers.

One has to figure, at some point, the coaches in the NHL that have been relied on year after year will get older and their ideas perhaps no longer gel with today's NHL....thus new blood in the coaching ranks will have to be injected.

 

Oh sure, the good veteran coaches will adapt and continue to be as good as they were, but many will not...and this will open doors for a NEW genius from the minors or college ranks, getting their first chance at the NHL, to show their wares.

 

As a coach, this Hakstol has an excellent track record.

No guarantees that will translate over to the NHL, but it is safe to say he wasn't successful by being dense in the college ranks....and brains,even lacking NHL coaching experience, will carry him a long way.

 

This looks to be a new type of Flyers team being formed...for better or worse.

They still have some albatross players that need to be phased out, but it seems they are doing what many others have long discovered: sometimes you gotta take your lumps short term, build solid from the foundation on up, with the goal being long term, SUSTAINED success.

 

Now, Ron Hextall has to be able to support Dave Hakstol with personnel.

A tricky job at best, given the Flyers contract situations, but still doable.

 

Perhaps sell low on players they REALLY want to get rid of, put in overtime on draft strategy, formulate a plan for growth, and STICK to the plan.

Short term loss in value on certain players could mean the difference between wallowing in 'rebuild' mode for years on end or growing increasingly stronger each year moving forward.

 

Congrats, Flyers, I believe the thinking in Philly has finally come to the modern age, and way to go on giving an unproven (but apparently good coach) his NHL start.

I don't know anything about Hakstol either, but in listening to sports talk radio here in the Twin Cities, many callers and people within hockey all gave good marks to this guy as a bench boss.

[DaGreatGazoo]

NCAA hockey analyst Dave Starman called Hakstol's system pace-based and said the focus is on controlling the center lane of the ice.

"His teams go at the net, shoot for rebounds, make plays, and really emphasize the defense being an active part of the offense," Starman said. "His use of weak side 'D's to pinch and extend plays is a huge component to their offensive success, and defensive as well as they don't retreat and regroup as much as other teams did."

[brelic]

@TropicalFruitGirl26

 

What a nice, thoughtful post TFG. I think you're right - Hextall is ushering in the fresh perspective so decried by Snider.

 

"His teams go at the net, shoot for rebounds, make plays, and really emphasize the defense being an active part of the offense," Starman said. "His use of weak side 'D's to pinch and extend plays is a huge component to their offensive success, and defensive as well as they don't retreat and regroup as much as other teams did."

 

That's interesting - MDZ excelled in that situation this year. Tons of weak side goals by sneaking in, getting the pass, and roofing one on goal.

[JackStraw]

NCAA hockey analyst Dave Starman called Hakstol's system pace-based and said the focus is on controlling the center lane of the ice.

"His teams go at the net, shoot for rebounds, make plays, and really emphasize the defense being an active part of the offense," Starman said. "His use of weak side 'D's to pinch and extend plays is a huge component to their offensive success, and defensive as well as they don't retreat and regroup as much as other teams did."

In the PC today Hakstol specifically mentioned that he likes his D to be active and to jump up in the play. I suspect that was one of the boxes Hextall checked off, given the group of mobile young defensemen that the Flyers have on the way. Interestingly, Snider also talked about a "culture change" (interesting coming from the guy who a few years ago essentially said "we don't need no stinkin' fresh perspective) and when asked for specifics he talked about how over the next few years the Flyers would have a fast, mobile defense corps unlike anything they've ever had.

[RJ8812]

If he wants his D to be active....well, we don't have that here

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

If he wants his D to be active....well, we don't have that here

 

Hence the need to further purge the roster and replace the bodies with those who can.....LOTS of work to be done here still...

[DaGreatGazoo]

If he wants his D to be active....well, we don't have that here

Yet...it's coming

[RJ8812]

[NRH]

70 win season boys, nobody will have an answer for this crazy college coach and his Phantom call ups and his 3rd line scoring 40 points.

[OccamsRazor]

"With how many coaching changes there have been in the last couple of years, and I was actually surprised he hadn't been hired yet," Oshie said. "In my mind I figured it was his decision, and I know how much he loved North Dakota. It's not going to take long for the players to respect what he brings to the table and to want to play for him."

 

"I remember once him telling me I was smart enough to take a couple chances; he thought I was being a little too defensive," Oshie said. "That was a different thing to hear for me for sure, but there is still a very good sound structure underneath that."

 

 

Toews credited his years playing for Hakstol in preparing him to play in the NHL and said Hakstol earned this opportunity.

"I think you'll see him do well," Toews said. "Obviously it was a lot of fun to play for him in North Dakota. It was important years for myself and my career, so it's nice to see him have that success and get recognized and get the opportunity at the highest level."

 

"That really helps to bring in a fresh set of eyes and a way of thinking that isn't married to the Philadelphia Flyers," Button said. "That's incredibly healthy. I think for the Philadelphia Flyers it's really integral for them moving forward. I think this is an important step for them. He'll push in ways that maybe they didn't know."

 

"When you're looking at the evolution of the game and where it's come, Dave Hakstol has been right on top of it whether it be scouting in the USHL, scouting Midgets, scouting in Canada," Button said. "Just look at the players that Dave has prepared for the NHL. Good players. Impact players. You have to be doing something right when they can come into the NHL and be ready to perform."

 

NCAA hockey analyst Dave Starman called Hakstol's system pace-based and said the focus is on controlling the center lane of the ice.

"His teams go at the net, shoot for rebounds, make plays, and really emphasize the defense being an active part of the offense," Starman said. "His use of weak side [defensemen] to pinch and extend plays is a huge component to their offensive success, and defensive as well, as they don't retreat and regroup as much as other teams did."

 

"When Jon Cooper got hired by the Tampa Bay Lightning to go coach their farm team people were like, 'Oh, who is this Jon Cooper, why would they hire him?'" Button said. "Well wait a second, do you know anything about Jon Cooper? Do you know what he's done in the USHL? If you're not watching the USHL, you don't know how good of a coach he is.

"Just because you haven't heard of a guy doesn't mean he's a no-name."

 

Sounds good to me.....

[OccamsRazor]

Does anyone know what type of system he runs?  Is he primary offense oriented? or Defense first?

 

I found this info on him i'd already posted it in another post but this is kind of directed towards this question.

 

NCAA hockey analyst Dave Starman called Hakstol's system pace-based and said the focus is on controlling the center lane of the ice.
"His teams go at the net, shoot for rebounds, make plays, and really emphasize the defense being an active part of the offense," Starman said. "His use of weak side [defensemen] to pinch and extend plays is a huge component to their offensive success, and defensive as well, as they don't retreat and regroup as much as other teams did.

[Podein25]

I found this info on him i'd already posted it in another post but this is kind of directed towards this question.

NCAA hockey analyst Dave Starman called Hakstol's system pace-based and said the focus is on controlling the center lane of the ice.

"His teams go at the net, shoot for rebounds, make plays, and really emphasize the defense being an active part of the offense," Starman said. "His use of weak side [defensemen] to pinch and extend plays is a huge component to their offensive success, and defensive as well, as they don't retreat and regroup as much as other teams did.

Beauty.

[Claude Monet]

This is exactly the type of signing I wanted. Sure Hextall is going out of the box, but that is what the situation required. Huge sign that Hextall is staying true to word and not being influenced from the old boys.

Thanks everyone for posting the articles and quotes. I like what I'm reading.

Hextall had the balls to follow his own agenda whether right or wrong, at least it different from what has not been working! Now shed some bad contracts and crush the draft!!

[MadDevil]

Being a UND fan I have to say that I think he's a good fit for Philly. He's very much a no nonsense type of guy. I joke that he always looks pissed off because of his intensity. As stated earlier, he likes to get his D involved in the play, and he usually has pretty physical teams. Stylistically there's not really one single thing that sticks out. He's had some pretty skilled teams that could push the pace, and he's had some not so skilled teams that could grind out low scoring games. The one thing that does stick out is his teams always got better as the season progressed and were firing on all cylinders at the end of the year.

The two biggest challenges are probably going to be the schedule and handling egos. In college you're usually playing just on the weekends and far fewer games then the NHL. So he's going to have to keep the players fresh and not run them too hard too soon. And there's quite a bit of a difference between telling a bunch of college kids what to do, and doing the same to a bunch of millionaires who will probably be there longer than the coach is.

I wish him luck. Except when the Flyers play the Devils of course.

[hf101]

via twitter:

 

@SchlossmanGF

Dave Hakstol twice turned down the Flyers job because he was unsure about leaving UND, but Hextall kept after the man he wanted.

 

http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2015/5/18/8621583/dave-hakstol-turned-the-flyers-job-down-twice

 

Apparently according to one of the comments on BSH he had turned down the job for the first time 3 weeks ago. -- Kudo's to Hextall's persistence.

[hf101]

Being a UND fan I have to say that I think he's a good fit for Philly. He's very much a no nonsense type of guy. I joke that he always looks pissed off because of his intensity. As stated earlier, he likes to get his D involved in the play, and he usually has pretty physical teams. Stylistically there's not really one single thing that sticks out. He's had some pretty skilled teams that could push the pace, and he's had some not so skilled teams that could grind out low scoring games. The one thing that does stick out is his teams always got better as the season progressed and were firing on all cylinders at the end of the year.

The two biggest challenges are probably going to be the schedule and handling egos. In college you're usually playing just on the weekends and far fewer games then the NHL. So he's going to have to keep the players fresh and not run them too hard too soon. And there's quite a bit of a difference between telling a bunch of college kids what to do, and doing the same to a bunch of millionaires who will probably be there longer than the coach is.

I wish him luck. Except when the Flyers play the Devils of course.

 

nice post - maybe the Devils will hire Don Lucia  

[OccamsRazor]

Well it seems "Hak" is his nickname.

 

I think this guy may give the Flyers an edge on recruiting some of these college players for the draft and the signing of somenof these undrafted college free agents the next couple of years.

 

HHHHhhhhmmmm....

 

 

The Herald piece gets into the details of how rough Hakstol's first season in Grand Forks was, with a slow start, the death of his father, and demands from hockey fans that legitimately might be harder on their team than Flyers fans are on theirs.

 

This quote from Hakstol on how he handled the turmoil is one that seems important, especially as he enters one of the toughest sports markets in the country here in Philadelphia.

 

"I don’t think I ever tried to let that enter in," Hakstol said. "You’ve got to be able to mentally handle that. It’s easier to say than to do. I learned very quickly in my first year in Sioux City that you have to have a plan and do things your own way. You have to have a real strong conviction. As a staff, we had that. We stuck with it."

 

And it paid off.

UND went on a late-season run to the national championship game that season. The team outshot Denver 45-24 in the national championship game, but lost.

 

Barring a miracle, the Flyers aren't going to be a good team this coming season, and Hakstol, with his lack of an NHL resume, is going to be the first target that fans and the media go after once things start to go south. They will question his decision making and they will be on his case from Day 1.

 

"You have to have a real strong conviction. As a staff, we had that. We stuck with it."

 

It might not end in a Cinderella run to the Cup Final in Hakstol's first season as an NHL coach, but that's the kind of conviction both he and Ron Hextall are going to need this season and likely down the line.

 

Hakstol also relies on his assistant coaches for help and views the coaching staff as one unit.

 

"Some people think that because [Hakstol was] a stay-at-home defenseman, because he played a defensive style and because he’s a close-to-the-vest person that he coaches that way," Jackson said. "But he doesn’t. He will look at anything. He challenges us as a staff. He doesn’t just want to hear what you think he wants to hear. He wants to hear what you really think, even if it’s different than him.

 

"He doesn’t just want cookie-cutter stuff. He wants to delve into things. He doesn’t want to keep things a certain way just because that’s the way they’ve always been. He looks into a lot of different things to figure out ways to improve our team."

[ruxpin]

Being a UND fan I have to say that I think he's a good fit for Philly. He's very much a no nonsense type of guy. I joke that he always looks pissed off because of his intensity. As stated earlier, he likes to get his D involved in the play, and he usually has pretty physical teams. Stylistically there's not really one single thing that sticks out. He's had some pretty skilled teams that could push the pace, and he's had some not so skilled teams that could grind out low scoring games. The one thing that does stick out is his teams always got better as the season progressed and were firing on all cylinders at the end of the year.

The two biggest challenges are probably going to be the schedule and handling egos. In college you're usually playing just on the weekends and far fewer games then the NHL. So he's going to have to keep the players fresh and not run them too hard too soon. And there's quite a bit of a difference between telling a bunch of college kids what to do, and doing the same to a bunch of millionaires who will probably be there longer than the coach is.

I wish him luck. Except when the Flyers play the Devils of course.

 

Thank you for that.  Great read!

[OccamsRazor]

The two biggest challenges are probably going to be the schedule and handling egos.

 

Dead on.

 

In fact i think learning to game plan/adjust his lineups and get players ready for a different opponent back to back nights during the week (because in college they play mostly on weekends) then long road trips will be his single biggest obstacle.

 

So this will take time to adjust but this to me is where it's key to pick the right assistants and he doesn't have a lot of NHL experience but he can compensate that if he wants by choosing assistants who do.

 

It will take time to adjust but it to me sounds like they have the guy who will get r done. I'm excited to move forward and get this thing started for next season!!!

[ruxpin]

Dead on.

 

In fact i think learning to game plan/adjust his lineups and get players ready for a different opponent back to back nights during the week (because in college they play mostly on weekends) then long road trips will be his single biggest obstacle.

 

So this will take time to adjust but this to me is where it's key to pick the right assistants and he doesn't have a lot of NHL experience but he can compensate that if he wants by choosing assistants who do.

 

It will take time to adjust but it to me sounds like they have the guy who will get r done. I'm excited to move forward and get this thing started for next season!!!

 

What do you think the prospects of Terry Murray are for an assistant.  I cannot say I'm thrilled (I honestly don't like him), but I won't complain if it's the case.

[OccamsRazor]

What do you think the prospects of Terry Murray are for an assistant.  I cannot say I'm thrilled (I honestly don't like him), but I won't complain if it's the case.

 

 

HHHHhhhhmmmm that is a hard one i'm kind of tired of him and honestly i haven't been happy about really anything he has done with the Phantoms and their young guys...plus i don't like the thought of his influence on the kids for that matter going forward....so i'm going to say no.

 

I would prefer him to keep all the assistants Mullen, Murphy and Lappy and working with those guys and just letting Murray walk let him just go away and find another coach with similar mindsets/vision of Hak and put him in place for the Phantoms.

[notfondajane]

Hakstol and Hextall are very close in being pronounced the same. I know it's a extremely long reach and Hakstol has an excellent résumé as a coach. I just can't help thinking there's a very small chance that came into play.

[ruxpin]

HHHHhhhhmmmm that is a hard one i'm kind of tired of him and honestly i haven't been happy about really anything he has done with the Phantoms and their young guys...plus i don't like the thought of his influence on the kids for that matter going forward....so i'm going to say no.

 

I would prefer him to keep all the assistants Mullen, Murphy and Lappy and working with those guys and just letting Murray walk let him just go away and find another coach with similar mindsets/vision of Hak and put him in place for the Phantoms.

 

I agree with every bit of that.

[OccamsRazor]

Bill M. clip on Hak.....

 

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Bill-Meltzer/What-Can-Flyers-Expect-from-Dave-Hakstol-Plus-Sam-Morin-Wins-QMJHL-Title/45/68739

 

Nevertheless, there have been constants in the UND identity during Hakstol's tenure. The new Flyers coach pledged to bring a similar identity to the Flyers:

 

 

1. Heavy emphasis on structure. Hakstol very clearly defines where he wants his players to be on the ice (as in "if the puck is there, I want you to go here"). The UND breakouts and forechecking schemes resembled those of NHL teams. UND forwards consistently applied back-pressure and penalty kill units were nearly interchangeable. This was accomplished by lots and lots of repetition at practice. It goes without saying that training camp in September will be heavily based on system implementation. But there will also be frequent re-emphasis during the season. Hakstol is relentless in that regard. He assigns players roles and, like it or not, they have to perform those roles or they don't play at all.

 

2. Massive emphasis on skating and conditioning. Ron Hextall is a stickler for these things. Actually, so was Craig Berube. When Berube's Flyers kept their feet moving, they could compete just fine -- defensively as well as offensively -- with any team in the NHL. The problem came too frequently when the players stopped skating. Hakstol is going to face quite a challenge with the current personnel to keep them skating more consistently than Berube was able to coax from his squad.

 

3. Expect to hear the word "accountability" used a lot. At UND, there were specific things players had to do if they wanted to get ice time. They had to keep their feet moving (see above). They had to be responsible without the puck and provide support. They had were expected to strike a balance between positional and physical play. Defensemen were expected to get the puck to the forwards and make intelligent plays to support the rush and forwards, in turn, were expected to backcheck diligently and dig out pucks when defensemen had their check pinned to the boards. Everyone was expected to find the dangerous man in the defensive zone and to block shots on an almost NHL-like basis. Lastly, overstaying shifts or going off at the wrong time was a surefire way to incur Hakstol's wrath.

 

4. Fast pace. At least until fairly recent years, the tempo of the college game was noticeably slower than the pro game. Hakstol's UND teams gained an advantage by being one of the programs that upped the tempo before other teams adapted. Defensively, they adapted a "swarm" style that you see many NHL teams use nowadays. They also had a very quick transition game, which was how many of their even-strength goals got scored. The success that UND and some other top programs had caused other teams to need to adapt. In recent years, college hockey has been moving more and more to a faster pace in all aspects. At the NHL level, though, Hakstol will find that even the "grind-it-out" NHL teams still play mighty fast compared to the average AHL team much less a collegiate opponent.

 

5. Puck possession and bend-but-don't-break defensive hybrid. Today's NHL is very much about prioritizing puck possession. Hakstol's UND clubs were generally very good at gaining -- and maintaining puck possession -- against most opponents. However, do not expect Hakstol to be a slave to the Corsi/Fenwick mentality that all opposition shot attempts and time spent in the defensive zone are necessarily "negative events" for a team and that a team that gets out-possessed in certain stretches is necessarily being outplayed.

 

Can't wait!!!