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How bad would the Flyers have to be for Hakstol to get fired?

By Nick Som |
PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 25: Head Coach David Hakstol of the Philadelphia Flyers attends a press conference prior to the 2017 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series at Heinz Field on February 25, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 25: Head Coach David Hakstol of the Philadelphia Flyers attends a press conference prior to the 2017 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series at Heinz Field on February 25, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)

A strong season would put these concerns to rest, but for now, the pressure is building for Philadelphia Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol.

Dave Hakstol is in a difficult situation. Since becoming head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers in May 2015, Hakstol has seen both success and disappointment. The Flyers snuck into the playoffs in 2015-16, where they lost to the Washington Capitals in a competitive six games, but doing so appears to have hurt Hakstol more than it’s helped. The team took a distinct step back this season, allowing 18 more goals overall and failing to make the playoffs.

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So Hakstol is definitely on a warm seat heading into his third season in the NHL. But how poorly would the Flyers have to perform for upper management to cut ties with Hakstol?

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Questions like this can’t really be answered with a straight answer like “if they miss the playoffs” or “if they lose 10 of their first 15 games.” Context plays a huge role in making these sorts of determinations. If Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek both suffer long-term injuries, for example, it’ll be hard to pin the team’s struggles entirely on Hakstol.

However, assuming the Flyers remain relatively healthy, it’s hard to envision Hakstol being retained if the Flyers do not improve on last year’s results. For one, the team’s roster has decidedly improved. Gone is the entire fourth line of forwards (Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Chris VandeVelde, Roman Lyubimov) who received significant playing time despite posting terrible play-driving results. The defense has also been bolstered with the jettisoning of the disappointing Mark Streit and Michael Del Zotto, paving the way for youngsters like Samuel Morin and Robert Hagg to see major ice time this year.

More importantly, another step backwards would truly create a foreboding trend. Not many coaches can survive three consecutive years of stagnation/decline in team performance- just ask former Eagles head coach Chip Kelly. Unless you start at the very top, a steady fall downwards can only mean bad things for a head coach.

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Hakstol has the ability to turn the Flyers around. He’s already shown that he can coach a team to the playoffs. But if he does the same things he’s always done and expects better results (instead of, say, being proactive and rearranging the Flyers’ defensive pairings), don’t be surprised if Hakstol gets the axe.

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