OF ALL the many blunders of the past three seasons, none was as obvious as this one: naming young Claude Giroux the Flyers' captain.
Of all the many blunders, this one most easily could have been repaired. The hiring of new coach Dave Hakstol, a franchise outsider fresh from the college ranks, gave second-year general manager Ron Hextall a free pass to replace Giroux. There were several candidates, chief among them steady winger Wayne Simmonds and new star Jake Voracek.
But Hextall kept Captain Claude.
That's because, of all the many blunders, this one has worked out fine.