The final months of Dave Hakstol’s tenure with the Flyers were marked by chants of “Fire Hakstol! Fire Hakstol!” from frustrated fans. In his return to Philadelphia as the head coach of the Seattle Kraken, the fans may have been ready to welcome him back after the lopsided score.
Claude Giroux and Travis Konecny each scored, Carter Hart made 24 saves, and the Flyers defeated Hakstol’s Kraken 6-1 on Monday night, spoiling his homecoming.
“We were out of sync; we couldn’t put ourselves back on the right track,” Hakstol said. “And that’s the end result.”
Joel Farabee, Derick Brassard, Ryan Ellis, and Justin Braun also scored for the Flyers.
Carson Soucy scored the first goal by a Kraken defenseman in franchise history. The previous three games were each decided by one goal.
Hakstol, hired by the Flyers in 2015 straight out of North Dakota, was fired in December 2018 after compiling a record of 134-101-42. He coached the third-most games in franchise history behind Fred Shero and Mike Keenan but never won a playoff series.
The Flyers showed no mercy in his return, scoring three times in the first period and treating the Kraken like a typical expansion team rather than a contender like the Vegas Golden Knights.
Even Gritty, the Flyers’ mascot, got in on the action, pie-facing a fan in an octopus costume.
“We’ve got a good group here. We have fun at the rink,” Hart said. “But we know when it’s time to go to work.”
Hakstol reconnected with some former players during the morning skate but focused on preparing his current team. Only nine players remain from his final game with the Flyers three years ago.
“It’s different seeing him on a different team after having him for so long,” Konecny said. “It’s cool for him to have this job and be a head coach again. Hopefully, it goes well for him, just not tonight.”
Giroux scored with a one-timer for his second goal of the season, followed by Konecny from the slot. Brassard netted his first goal as a Flyer off his own rebound, deepening Seattle’s deficit.
Ellis added his first goal as a Flyer with an unstoppable shot, making it 4-0 in the second period. Braun’s goal made it 5-0, forcing Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer out of the game with 11:11 left in the second.
Hakstol reflected on his time in Philly before the game.
“We’ve got a lot of great memories here and good friends,” he said. “As you get to this time of day, it flips right to the game’s competition tonight.”
After his tenure in Philadelphia, Hakstol moved to Toronto as an assistant coach and is now tasked with leading Seattle. The 53-year-old was a surprise choice as the Kraken’s first coach, at least to those outside the front office.
Hakstol always said he wanted to coach again, and the Kraken are counting on him to find the success that eluded him in Philadelphia.
HAYES MOVES ON
Flyers center Kevin Hayes declined to comment following the Massachusetts State Medical Examiner’s report that his brother, former NHL player Jimmy Hayes, died in August from an accidental overdose of fentanyl and cocaine.
Kevin Hayes, recovering from abdominal surgery, continues to stay involved with the team.
“Kevin has been in everything,” coach Alain Vigneault said. “He’s been in the gym, doing rehab, and working. He’s been in all our meetings. He’s been a real part of this team. He’s wanted to stay close and help the new players come in.”
Jimmy Hayes’ widow, Kristen, wrote on Instagram she was “shocked and heartbroken beyond words. I choose to remember my husband and the boys’ father by the enormous love and joy he brought us and so many others.” She said of his drug use, “This battle does not define him.”
KRAKEN SKULLS
Flyers center Nate Thompson bested Nathan Bastian in a late scrap that had the crowd roaring.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less from our fans,” Konecny said.
UP NEXT
- Kraken: Play Tuesday at New Jersey.
- Flyers: Host Boston on Wednesday.
