Dan’s Daily Links: Flyers Fiery Mess, Offers for Matthews & Marner?

So the Philadelphia Flyers are a mess. Yesterday the fired head coach Dave Hakstol, however, it appears they did not plan to do so. The Anaheim Ducks tossed some shade towards the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the league is wondering if someone will have the guts to offer Auston Matthews or Mitchell Marner an offer sheet next summer (yes, please).

New Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher has not spoken to Joel Quenneville, so those reports appear to be erroneous, BUT… he was forced to fire Hakstol when the situation got out of control. Here’s the link to every single angle and story–and there are a ton. It’s a day of awesome reading (Broad Street Hockey)

One story which is being lost in the shuffle is that Fletcher fired Hakstol and the coach saw the cavalcade of reports and wanted to be reassured. So, no media reports = no firing. It looks like Chuck Fletcher needs to have a serious talk with someone or someones in the organization. There were too many journos who reported sources. But, as Pittsburgh media learned this summer, sometimes organization sources can go rogue…   I’ll just leave it at that.

What if some team had the guts, the cahones, the gall, actually to use the NHL CBA to its fullest? What if someone looked at the Restricted Free Agent Rules and said, “Auston Matthews is worth a few first-round picks, and we’re going to pay him more than Toronto”?  The league is wondering if someone has the guts (Sportsnet)

Hockey is a go-along to get along sport.

The New York Islanders want to make a trade but can’t find a trading partner. Also notes about Columbus trying to deal Alex Wenneberg. (Ottawa Sun)

If in September you expected the Penguins to top the power rankings by now, you’re not alone. However, they’re nowhere close. Here are the power rankings from our friends up north  (TSN)

Yesterday, Ducks coach Randy Carlyle may have dissed the Penguins just a bit while Daniel Sprong tap danced a little (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)