Dave Hakstol working on time management in practice

VOORHEES — In his first NHL season, patterns of Dave Hakstol are still emerging.

The latest seems to be how the former college coach manages practice time. After an optional morning skate Thursday morning, Hakstol made Friday morning’s practice optional as well.

Those who know Hakstol from his days at the University of North Dakota say that his practices were shorter as the season went on. In college it’s a 34-game season. The NHL is more than double that, but players are just fine with having the option.

“I like it. You keep your energy for the game,” said captain Claude Giroux, who was one of nine skaters on the ice Friday before the Flyers flew to Columbus. “Early in the season it’s important to touch up on systems and stuff like that. I think when everything’s rolling and you’re doing optionals and you’re winning, it’s more of a head game than anything else. Hak did a good job lately of giving us the optionals that we need. I like it.”

While the on-ice sessions are optional, every player is still required to come to the rink. Typically the players that aren’t on the ice are in the weight room or at least getting treatment for minor injuries. Film study is a necessity.

“The flip side of that is that practice is valuable,” Hakstol said. “It shows in some of the little details maybe of our game right now. We’re missing on some of the finer points, some of the details in the game and we haven’t had a lot of practice time. The schedule right now dictates taking care of our bodies, having as much energy as we can and for us this morning that means an optional skate.”

With three wins in their last four games and points in eight of their last 10 games, the Flyers are doing things right in the big picture. The coach wants to make sure that the fine details are being taken care of as well. If that starts happening, regardless of the final score, more optional practices may be on the horizon.

“There’s a balance there,” Hakstol said. “We have to address some of the things we have to be better at, but we had to do it in a different way than through on-ice practice time. That’s what the schedule dictates for today.”

From a player’s perspective, if the systems are fully understood — and the Flyers say Hakstol’s system is — extra rest is appreciated. In the past, Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville has limited practices and only rarely had full ones over the course of the season. The Blackhawks have won two of the last three Stanley Cups, so he may be on to something.

“There’s gonna be games in the season where the team’s gonna look tired,” Giroux said. “Even if you lose you’re gonna have to take care of your body and make sure you rest, but sometimes you’ll be winning and have to practice. It’s up to the coaches and if anybody in this room takes the option or skates, it doesn’t matter.”

Hakstol and the rest of the coaching staff typically ask the players how their fatigue level is before deciding whether to make practice optional or required. Starting with Tuesday's overtime win over Carolina, the Flyers have games and practices alternating every other day before a few days off for Christmas starting next Wednesday. As long as the system is in check, it doesn’t seem to be a problem to make practice optional.

“I think it’s all about hesitating and not even thinking about it and knowing what position you need to be in,” Giroux said. “We have more to work on to make sure it’s more efficient, to make sure we keep focusing on it in video or anything like that.”

A freeze is coming

If the Flyers are going to make a trade to free up space so that they can afford to keep rookie defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere around, it will either happen Saturday or after Christmas.

At 11:59 p.m. Saturday the NHL goes into its holiday roster freeze. No teams can make trades or put players on waivers until things thaw out at 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 28.

Mark Streit said he is targeting the roadtrip that starts Dec. 27 as a potential return after pubic plate detachment surgery, but once his money comes off the books, the Flyers won’t be able to afford his $5.25 million cap hit and Gostisbehere’s $925,000 entry-level contract. If they don’t activate him from long-term injured reserve by late Saturday night, the earliest he can return would be Dec. 30 against the San Jose Sharks.

Loose pucks

Defenseman Luke Schenn, who has missed the last five games, is healthy after a left ankle/knee injury suffered Dec. 5. … The Flyers are scoreless in their last seven power plays and are only 1-for-13 in the last six games. … Steve Mason, Saturday’s likely starter, is 2-3-1 in six career games against the Columbus Blue Jackets, his former team, with a 3.21 goals-against average and .891 save percentage.

Dave Isaac; (856) 486-2479; disaac@gannettnj.com .