Flyers GM Hextall on new head coach Dave Hakstol: 'He was our target all along'
There weren't many stops on the Philadelphia Flyers' search for a new head coach.
General manager Ron Hextall admitted to being high on new hire Dave Hakstol, former University of North Dakota coach, for some time in a Monday press conference officially announcing the move.
Despite being linked to such coaching candidates as Mike Babcock, Todd McLellan, Davis Payne and Dallas Eakins, Hextall - whose son Brett spent three years playing for Hakstol at UND - said the Flyers had Hakstol in their sights the entire time.
"He was our target all along," Hextall said.
"I thought about him long before this as a head coach in the National Hockey League. I believe he was destined for it."
-GM Ron Hextall
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) May 18, 2015
The GM added he's not concerned about throwing Hakstol into the fire with zero professional head coaching experience. "Every box was checked except for NHL experience, and to me, that was the least important," Hextall said.
"I was never going to hire the people's choice, the popular choice," he added. "I was going to hire the best coach for this franchise."
Hextall appears to have the full backing of the his boss on this decision.
"I think that Ron is very thorough and I'm a big supporter of everything he's doing. I'm excited about our future." -Chairman Ed Snider
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) May 18, 2015
As far as his approach to his new job goes, Hakstol offered a simple message.
"Expectations are simple of myself, my staff, and my players: Accountability to ourselves and our organization," he declared.
Hakstol had served as UND head coach since 2004, compiling a record of 289-143-43 and guiding the club to seven NCAA Frozen Four appearances. He coached 20 NHL players at the school, including Jonathan Toews, T.J. Oshie, Travis Zajac, Drew Stafford and Matt Greene.
He becomes the first coach to jump from the NCAA straight to the NHL since Herb Brooks in 1987.