Last season: 41-27-14 (95 points); 5th in the Metro; 7th in East

The Philadelphia Flyers began last season with one giant question mark among many: Behind the bench.

Dave Hakstol was hired by Ron Hextall – no relation … well, save for the fact that one totally coached the other’s son at North Dakota – as the Flyers’ new head coach despite not having a minute of NHL coaching experience.

His transition to the NHL wasn’t an easy one, as the Flyers posted a 3-10-2 stretch around November. But thanks to some stellar goaltending from Steve Mason and Michal Neuvirth; the play of the team’s top line with Claude Giroux; and the electrifying performance from rookie Shayne Gostisbehere, the Flyers snagged the last wild card spot, before falling to the Washington Capitals in the opening round of the playoffs, 4-2.

The entire season was played under a somber mood, as the health of owner Ed Snider deteriorated. The founder of the Flyers died at age 83 in April. He was honored before Game 3 of the Flyers’ series against Washington, although that game is likely remembered for another reason.

2015-16 Season, In One Picture

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Did They Get Better, Worse, Or Are They About The Same?

Better, although it was subtle.

The days of Snider, Bobby Clarke and Paul Holmgren throwing money at problems in the offseason are over under Hextall, who is taking a more methodical Dean Lombardi-esque approach to turning the Flyers into contenders. That means hanging onto young talent rather than trading it, and that means keeping the core locked up long term to build around it.

So the big acquisitions for the Flyers this offseason? Dale Weise for four years and Boyd Gordon for one. Good, solid bottom six workhorses.

Meanwhile, the Flyers bought out RJ Umberger and let Sam Gagner leave.

The fact is that the Flyers are patient, knowing they have several young players that are ready to really make an impact.

Five Most Fascinating Players

1 – Shayne Gostisbehere

The rookie sensation had a 0.72 points-per-game average, and was a nightly spark to the Flyers’ offense. Was he perfect defensively? Well, no, and that’s why his adjusted Corsi was at 49.68 percent despite his offensive output. But he was second in the voting for the Calder, was the spark for the Flyers’ power play and just looked like the most electrifying defenseman to hit NHL ice since Erik Karlsson. What does he do for an encore?

2 – Jakub Voracek

Voracek followed his best offensive season (81 points) with a return to earth. He had 55 points, but only 11 goals in 73 games, his lowest total since 2009. He makes $8.25 million against the cap until 2024 and doesn’t have any trade protection. His production is certainly something to monitor.

3 – Steve Mason

Mason’s been good for the last two years in Philly. Last season, he battled through injuries and personal matters off the ice to finish at 23-19-10, with a .918 save percentage. He started 17 of the team’s final 19 games to drag to them into the wild card. He and Neuvirth are in their walk years, and are the same age. Competition is fun!

4 – Brayden Schenn

Combined with Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds, Schenn helped establish a heck of a top line for the Flyers and posted by far his best offensive season: 26 goals and 33 assists, both career highs. He’s just 25; is the No. 5 pick from 2009 going to inflate those numbers even higher?