Flyers New Coach Turned Down Job Twice Before Agreeing to Deal

Dave Hakstol has been named Philadelphia's new head coach, but it almost didn't happen.

The former University of North Dakota head coach tuned down the job twice according to Brad Schlossman who covers the team for the Grand Forks Herald.

"It was a surprise here (in North Dakota)," Schlossman said on the Sports Bash. "We didnt know this was coming down."

He was highly successful at North Dakota and admitted it was a tough decision to leave a place where he spent 11 years and made seven Frozen Fours.

One thing that Schlossman mentioned to me on the Sports Bash was to not be surprised if the Flyers got off to a slow start, Hakstol's teams have gotten off to slow starts but he's been a master of playing best hockey down the stretch.  Another interesting thing Schlossman said was that he was curious how some NHL guys will respond to his style and demeanor, saying "you need to get on board with him or you won't be on board."

(Listen to Brad Schlossman on the Sports Bash discuss the hire of Dave Hakstol)

"He has always run the program here like an NHL program," Schlossman told me on the Sports Bash.  "The way they prepare, practice and play."