Flyers fire Ron Hextall: What they’re saying about the surprising move

The Flyers, in a shocking move, fired general manager Ron Hextall on Monday.

With a 10-11-2 record and a spot near the bottom of the Metropolitan Division standings, team leadership thought something had to be done. And fans were itching for it, too.

But many weren't expecting Hextall to be the one sent packing — coach Dave Hakstol might have made more sense. And many don't agree with it.

"They got rid of the wrong guy," writes Sam Carchidi, my colleague. " … Hextall hired Dave Hakstol as head coach. That has not worked out. And this year's team, which had high expectations after adding prized free agent James van Riemsdyk in the offseason, has floundered.

"Maybe Hextall was dismissed because he wouldn't fire the man who coached his son in college. We might never know."

One thing we do know: Fans had a lot to say on social media about it.

Chief among those opinions: Maybe Flyers management just got Hakstol and Hextall mixed up. Those names are awfully similar, after all.

Could it all be chalked up to a case of mistaken identity?

Does this mean Hakstol is next?

Some fans had criticisms of Hextall's tenure.

Others, fed up with inconsistent goalie play (the only exception being, perhaps, Anthony Stolarz), had a solid theory for what the Flyers could do next.

Wait, it gets even better.

You won't be surprised that the #GrittyForGM campaign picked up pretty quickly as news about Hextall's firing broke.

And my colleague Les Bowen has a theory: