(Flyerdelphia/Kate Frese)
Since being called up to the Flyers in November, Shayne Gostisbehere has essentially gone on to be one of the NHL's most prolific rookies. Not only have Flyers fans appreciated what he's brought to the table, but the rest of the NHL has taken notice as well.
The 22-year-old 'Ghost Bear' has been firmly entrenched in the conversation for the Calder Trophy, after a season that has seen him set an NHL rookie record for overtime goals and set another record for rookie defensemen with a 15-game point streak, among other stellar achievements. Sure, he's got plenty of stiff competition, thanks to the likes of Artemi Panarin, Dylan Larkin and Connor McDavid, but he still stands a decent chance of becoming the first Flyer to win the NHL's top rookie honor.
But while Gostisbehere's impact on the Orange and Black has been nothing short of tremendous, he's not the only first-year Flyer who could potentially earn some hardware at June's NHL Awards. Coach Dave Hakstol, in his first season behind the Flyers' bench, could very well find himself in the mix for the Jack Adams Award at season's end.
Hakstol was a relative unknown to NHL fans when he was hired as the 19th coach in franchise history last May, though savvy fans of the game knew him as the accomplished and successful bench boss of North Dakota's hockey team for 11 seasons. Not much was expected of the 47-year-old rookie, except for the growing pains that come with the rigors of trying to implement his system at the NHL level.
However, the Flyers were able to adapt to his new system, which featured an increased premium on play in the neutral zone, by the midway point of the season. By the All-Star Break, the Flyers went from a team that looked firmly entrenched in the Draft Lottery sweepstakes to a team that was in contention for a playoff spot.
The Orange and Black kept fighting, and eventually found themselves alternating in and out of a playoff seed. Nothing is set in stone yet — they're still firmly entrenched in the stretch run — but the possibility of springtime hockey is still miles ahead of what was expected from them in the fall.
Awarded to the NHL's coach of the year, the Jack Adams Award is oftentimes awarded to first-year coaches who manage to exceed their club's expectations — though there are some exceptions. For instance, last year's winner, Bob Hartley, won the award in his third season behind the Calgary Flames' bench. Since the 2005-06 season, five of the award's 10 recipients (Alain Vigenault, Bruce Boudreau, Dave Tippett, Ken Hitchcock and Patrick Roy) have earned the honor in their first season behind their respective team's bench, with Boudreau and Roy winning as rookie coaches.
The biggest factor in Hakstol earning the honor is if he can actually can guide the Flyers into the playoffs. The NHL Awards (supposedly) don't consider playoff performances as a factor, but there aren't many factors more reflective of a successful regular season than a spot in the playoffs.
Of the 10 coaches in their first season with a new team this season, five are leading teams that either have a playoff spot for now or are on the playoff bubble. In addition to Hakstol, other first-year coaches that could be considered are Pittsburgh's Mike Sullivan, San Jose's Peter DeBoer or even Minnesota's John Torchetti. Hakstol, Sullivan and Torchetti have all seen their teams play with renewed energy, while DeBoer is progressing in his mission to get the Sharks over their lengthy playoff hump.
The award could still possibly stick with a veteran behind his team's bench, such as Washington's second-year coach Barry Trotz, Florida's second-year bench boss Gerard Gallant, third-year Dallas coach Lindy Ruff or fifth-year Los Angeles coach Darryl Sutter. All coaches have led their teams to big-time success at points over the season, and Sutter is poised to return the Kings to the playoffs after missing the boat entirely last year.
The Flyers have seen four coaches (Fred Shero in 1974, Pat Quinn in 1980, Mike Keenan in 1985 and Bill Barber in 2001) earn the Jack Adams Award since it was first awarded in 1974, and that mark ties them with Winnipeg/Arizona and Detroit for most all-time. Hakstol could very well become the fifth, though earning a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is the best way to find out.
Dave Hakstol has already exceeded the Flyers' expectations of him in his first season behind their bench, and his team's resilience has seen them come close to a playoff spot. Even if he goes un-nominated this year, he could still become a prime candidate for the award in seasons to come.
Rob Riches is a contributor to Flyerdelphia and Sports Talk Philly. Follow him on Twitter @Riches61
