Dave Hakstol Hired as Seattle Kraken Head Coach

Former Philadelphia Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol has been hired as the first ever head coach of the Seattle Kraken, who are entering their inaugural season in the NHL in 2021-22. Hakstol spent the last two seasons as an assistant for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Hakstol was hired in 2015 to replace current St. Louis Blues head coach Craig Berube. Although most fans called for a big name like Mike Babcock, the Flyers chose a coach whose resume was built on success at the NCAA level at the University of North Dakota. Hakstol led the Flyers to two playoff appearances in his first three seasons in Philadelphia but was ultimately let go in December 2018, 31 games into his fourth season. He finished with an overall record of 134-101-42.

Excitement surrounding the team swirled during the second half of the 2015-16 regular season, his first as head coach. The call-up of rookie defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere breathed life into a franchise that previously looked dormant, and the implementation of Hakstol’s system seemed to benefit young forwards like Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn.

The slow start and subsequent improvement in desperation to earn a playoff spot in 2015-16 proved to be a trend that hindered the Flyers in the ensuing seasons. The lack of sustained progress and a dismal start to the 2018-19 season eventually led the organization to move on from general manager Ron Hextall. Newly hired general manager Chuck Fletcher replaced Hakstol with interim head coach Scott Gordon just weeks later.

Hakstol’s lineup decisions frequently created controversy within the fanbase. Heavy reliance on journeyman players like Chris VandeVelde, Brandon Manning, and Dale Weise caused many Flyers fans to scratch their heads while young players like Gostisbehere and Travis Konecny sat as healthy scratches.

One of the most significant storylines during Hakstol’s tenure was the awkward development of Gostisbehere, who is considered a strong candidate to be selected by the Kraken in the upcoming expansion draft. The benefit of a change of scenery would’ve been one of the most sensible factors for Seattle if they chose to select Ghost. However, playing for the coach that first scratched him on his former team hardly seems like a fresh start. A reunion between the two seems unlikely.