Hakstol not to blame for Flyers struggles

It’s been 18 games and the Flyers are now 6-8-4 after a 3-2 shootout loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.

After a 4-2-1 start, the fall down in the standings wasn’t expected.

The easy person to blame in the coach – always has been, always will be. But this is in no way Dave Hakstol’s fault. The first-year coach has no choice but to make due with what he has and try to find a way to be successful.

First off, it’s important to keep in mind that Hakstol is one of the few who hasn’t defended the team with the talk of a playoff appearance.

Claude Giroux mentions it often. Ron Hextall reaffirmed his belief in the team before Saturday’s win in Carolina. Hakstol just focused on getting better.

You can’t fault Hakstol when he’s been bold enough to sit players like Sam Gagner and Brayden Schenn, who were off to good starts, when play slipped. You can’t fault a new coach who has the ability to groom players well, but might not be able to get through to an aging veteran like Vincent Lecavalier.

So Hakstol must make due.

In reality, Hakstol has the Flyers still in a position to succeed, and luck may have a lot to do with it.

Every team has injuries. It just so happened that two of the Flyers higher-paid players had to take an extended seat. Enter Shayne Gostisbehere and Taylor Leier.

These are players who are so young, they are looking for any sense of direction. Though talented, they need a coach that can groom them. Hakstol’s perfect for the job in that respect.

It’s important to remember, while every player on the roster has to accept and embrace Hakstol’s style, he was really hired to lead the new wave of talent into the Flyers system.

Yes, the lack of scoring is a concern. The struggles defensively are a huge red flag. The Flyers still struggle with puck movement, execution, getting out of the defensive zone, sustaining in the offensive zone.

It’s a lengthy list for sure.

But it’s important to remember this is 18 NHL games for Dave Hakstol, some against top NHL talent. And given his experience, he is in a position to learn as much as some of the players are.

Kevin Durso is managing editor for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.