Dave Hakstol Named Flyers Head Coach: Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

The Philadelphia Flyers went into the college ranks for a man to lead their rebuilding effort, naming University of North Dakota's Dave Hakstol their next head coach Monday.  

“Dave brings a wealth of head coaching experience and success to the Philadelphia Flyers organization,” general manager Ron Hextall said in a statement on the team's official website. “He’s a proven winner and we are pleased to have him become part of the Flyers family.”

Hakstol, 46, has spent the last 11 seasons building North Dakota into one of the nation's best hockey programs. He compiled a 289-143-43 overall record, including NCAA tournament berths in each season and seven Frozen Fours. The team never took home a national championship and made the finals only once, but Hakstol has been a bastion of consistency on the national level.

Tom Mihalek/Associated Press

“I am extremely excited to be named the Philadelphia Flyers new head coach,” Hakstol said. “Through the process here with Ron [Hextall] and everybody in the Flyers organization I have gained even more of an understanding of the history and tradition of this organization and I’m very proud to become part of the Philadelphia Flyers today.”

Following the announcement, Hextall spoke about the decision, saying that Hakstol was the team's top target, via Frank Seravalli of the Philadelphia Daily News.

Hakstol's ability to reach young players was likely key in his hiring given Philadelphia's ongoing rebuild. The Flyers finished 33-31-18 in 2014-15, missing the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. They fired Craig Berube after a two-year run in April.

Kevin Allen of USA Today shared his analysis of the move:

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Hakstol, 46, might be an ideal choice for the Flyers because he is coming from an environment where he had to be a teaching coach. The Flyers' future depends significantly on the coach's ability to inspire younger players such as Sean Couturier, Brayden Schenn and Shayne Gostisbehere to take their games to a higher level.

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As Allen noted, Hakstol's move to Philadelphia carries historical significance:

Hakstol's lack of NHL experience did not concern Hextall, who said, “Every box was checked except for NHL experience and to me that was the least important,” via Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo Sports. 

Hextall elaborated on that thinking, saying, “It’s a big jump [from NCAA to NHL]. Dave and I talked about that. We’ve talked long and hard about that," via Broad Street Hockey.

Hakstol inherits a roster with a mix of talent, young and old, highlighted by stars Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux. His handling of the professional transition, especially with the Philadelphia spotlight shining down, will go a long way toward determining whether the Flyers can return to postseason contention in 2015-16.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.