The Other Off-Season Game Plan - The Philadelphia Flyers Edition

In which Scott Cullen, TSN, stats blablahblah

The Philly Flyers. One of the most legendary teams in NHL history (who, much like the topic of banning fighting) resurfaces once every 10 years to play in (and lose) the Stanley Cup Finals. Since their loss in 2010 to that weird Patrick Kane goal that nobody but Kaner knew about, it's been all downhill from there. Perhaps it was Craig Berube's coaching strategy but this is a team that underachieved this year. Don't look for it to happen again.Unless their new coach turns out to be the Barry Melrose of 2015.

The good news? As patterns go, the Flyers hit the bottom of their decade cycle and they are climbing back to the top! Just as soon as they figure out how to do that.


Head Coach

Dave Hakstol, relatively unknown if you don't follow the NCAA (and really, who doesn't?). He was a finalist for coach of the year 8x in 11 years, won the whatever the trophy is for the NCAA I think once. It's hard to tell from this table on wikipedia.

Here's what you need to know;
Hakstol sounds a lot like Hextall, which confused the easily confused Philly fans at the announcement.
Nobody has made the jump from the NCAA to the NHL since 1982 so make what you want of that.
Hakstol coached the North Dakota Fighting Sioux, which unfortunately was in North Dakota.
Hextall scored more goals in the NHL than Hakstol but has less hair.

typical Philly fan

Forwards

They have the 1-2 of Claude Giroux and Jacub Vorachek, both one-time potential leaders of the NHL in points. Wayne Simmonds is their token talented black guy (see Joel Ward), Brayden Schenn their hard-working 2 way forward. Mike Raffl should continue his good year with a strong follow-up and RJ Umberger has nowhere to go but up (due to his one-way contract). There is that glaring in-it-for-the-money mistake of Vinny Lecalvier who could be the 1st person to be bought out twice from the same contract. I think. I don't really know how that works.

Defense

Philly's defense is okay as well; Mark Streit plays the wily, talented veteran - the Kevin Costner of hockey. Luke Schenn is the up-and-coming young star if he can get his shit together. If he can't Nick Schulz is there too. Radko Gudas is the type of player one expects to play for Philly; tough, big, tough. A good supporting cast consisting of players who have seen better days and could still see them including Del Zotto and Calvalachio, no matter how they spell it.

Philadelphia's #1 best-selling children's book

Goaltenders

Steve Mason burst onto the scene with the Columbus Blue Jackets from apparently out of nowhere. Truthfully, the Blue Jackets behind-the-draft-scenes book Future Greats and Heartbreaks pegged him as a potential star so that came as no surprise to those who read the book. More interesting perhaps was their consideration if they should draft Phil Kessel. Spoiler Alert, they didn't.

But back to Steve. Unbeatable one year, more holes in him than a colander the next. He's since worked on his weaknesses and has had fits of capable goaltending (from a Philly standpoint). Considering he was replacing Captain B (as in be-seeing-ya), it was a break-even move. Ray Emery, everyone's favourite fighting goaltender is a restricted free agent but may be kept around for another year based purely on everyone wanting to see him lose it one more time and after losing 7-0 then getting 1st star of the game cuz, honestly, Philly is Awesome!

Priority #1 making sure their new head coach doesn't act all 'uppity' to the Philadelphia players, fans and media.
Priority #2 Getting a couple large 6'4 forwards to act all crazy and shit
Priority #3 Pinning a photo of Marty St. Louis to Vinny Lecavalier's locker for motivation. Or a retirement home pamphlet.