So is Joel Quenneville taking the Flyers head coach job or not?

The Flyers are way beneath expectations and it’s time to make a change, with Dave Hakstol all but gone, is Joel Quenneville the next in line to save the Flyers season?

It’s no secret that the Philadelphia Flyers are frustrated with how their season has gone so far. Their goal heading into this season was simple, win their first playoff round since 2012 after consecutive years of mediocrity. But 31 games in, the Flyers now find themselves dead last in the Eastern conference with 28 points, and something desperately needs to change before it’s too late, and it sounds a massive shakeup is coming.

Rumors are all over the place, but the Courier Post is reporting the Philadelphia Flyers have made the decision to fire head coach Dave Hakstol, and hire one of the most renowned head coaches in NHL history in Joel Quenneville to take his place. The Courier Post’s sources also indicated that Quenneville had already accepted the position offered to him, and could be announced as soon as Sunday night or Monday afternoon.

Despite these reports that the move was all but done, multiple conflicting reports have surfaces that Hakstol has not yet been fired, and Quenneville is yet to be contacted by the Flyers about the head coaching position.

Regardless, this needs to be the end of the line for Dave Hakstol. He’s had his chances with the Flyers, way too many chances if we’re being honest. The Flyers have simply way too much talent to waste yet another season without winning a playoff round, let alone being third last in the entire NHL.

To be fair however, it’s not Hakstol’s fault that the Flyers cannot buy a save from their goalies. Through 31 games, they’ve already used five different goalies. Brian Elliot, Calvin Pickard, Michal Neuvirth, Alex Lyon, and Alex Stalock have all not been good enough to consistently keep the Flyers competitive in games, and is the primary reason that Ron Hextall has let go as the Flyers General Manager and replaced by new GM Chuck Fletcher.

Regardless of the success or lack there of during Hakstol’s tenure, the Flyers would be complete fools to let Quenneville get away from them. Quenneville has won three Stanley Cups in his career as a head coach, all with the Chicago Blackhawks, and is ranked second all time in NHL history in overall wins with 890 since 1997. If the Flyers, or any team unsure about their current coach for that matter, isn’t moving heaven and earth to bring Quenneville on board, then they’re part of the problem.

So let’s say the rumors are true, if Hakstol gets caned and Quenneville is brought on board, is it enough to save the Flyers so far miserable season? I believe so, to an extent. The Flyers extensive list of talent should be utilized significantly better under Quenneville, but until Chuck Fletcher finds a way to stabilize the Flyers goalie situation, there’s won’t be much Quenneville can do there.

Of course, all of this might never happen, and the Flyers can maintain status quo as a lottery team when the expectation was the second round. It’s their call really.