Dave Hakstol has scratched defenseman Evgeny Medvedev for extended periods of time this season, while keeping Nick Schultz locked into the lineup. We have a theory as to why Hakstol has made that call.
At the start of 2015-16 season, it was obvious that the Philadelphia Flyers' primary weakness was on the blueline. It was noted in every season preview in every hockey magazine and website, and was essentially acknowledged by the organization when they drafted defenseman Ivan Provorov with the seventh overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft despite already owning the rights to four other top blueline prospects.