Latest news has things looking up on local sports scene

SINCE MY LAST column, a lot has happened that affects Philadelphia's sports teams and, for a change, all of it is positive.

Perhaps the best news came from the Flyers. After failing to make the playoffs, chairman Ed Snider and general manager Ron Hextall decided a coaching change was necessary and fired Craig Berube. When that happened, I was afraid they would go out and hire another recycled veteran NHL coach who had held a few head-coaching jobs with a mixed record of success.

But Ed and Ron did something bold - they broke the mold and hired a great college coach, David Hakstol, from the University of North Dakota. Hakstol is a great motivator, who builds his team based on speed and will do the same here. In case you haven't noticed, two of the fastest teams in the NHL, the Rangers and the Lightning, are playing in the Eastern Conference finals. I'm optimistic that the Flyers can be there soon because in hockey, at every level, speed kills.

Earlier this week the NFL moved the extra-point line of scrimmage back to the 15-yard line. That might seem inconsequential, but it's not. From the 2-yard line, extra point kicks were made more than 99 percent of the time last season, but teams were successful about 95 percent of the time kicking from the 30- to 35-yard line. Two-point conversions were converted around half the time, but the reward is twice as great. And, thanks to the most creative Philadelphian since Ben Franklin, the Eagles have the league's best two-point threat - Tim Tebow!

The Sixers had a good week, too, because they avoided disaster in the NBA draft lottery. They could have dropped down to fifth or sixth, but they stayed where their dismal 18-64 record placed them - third. Skeptics say only two blue-chippers are in the June 25 draft, Kentucky's Karl-Anthony Towns and Duke's Jahlil Okafor, so the Sixers missed out. I disagree. The Sixers wouldn't have picked Towns or Okafor regardless of where they landed in the lottery. Drafting a third big man, with Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid already on the team, would make no sense unless they were going to try a pachyderm triangle offense. General manager Sam Hinkie should, and will, pick Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell, and, while he won't be a superstar, he is an excellent point guard who can distribute and shoot. He won't be Steph Curry, but he might be Tony Parker, and that's just what the Sixers need to become a legitimate contender, especially considering that next season, they will likely have four first-round picks on the roster. And someday soon, they will see the debut of another one, Dario Saric, once he returns from Turkey.

There's even good news coming from the Phillies! First, Maikel Franco has finally taken over as third baseman, and he's here to stay. He has been solid defensively, and he is hitting with power and driving in runs. He sure looks like the real deal.

Second, lefthander Cole Hamels and slugging first baseman Ryan Howard have bounced back from woeful starts and are playing very well. Howard entered the weekend series in Washington with nine home runs, all coming in his previous 100 at-bats. In that time span, since April 21, only the Nationals' Bryce Harper (11) and the Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton (10) slugged more homers than he did. In the short run, this is good for the Phillies and is a key part of their recent hot streak. In the long run, Hamels' and Howard's improved play will make them very tradeable commodities, who will allow the Phils to obtain some real top-flight prospects. For example, Hamels would make any of the five teams in the tightly bunched AL East a division champion. Howard would make a good designated hitter for the Orioles, making up in part for their loss of slugger Nelson Cruz, now with the Mariners. The Angels and Twins also could benefit from a DH.

Third, there is great news from Reading, where Aaron Nola is dominating Eastern League hitters. Nola was rated by one service as the second-most major league-ready pitcher in the 2014 draft, behind only Carlos Rodon, who is doing well in the White Sox's rotation. It is only a matter of time before Nola joins him in the "bigs," and I believe it will happen this year, no later than September.

Lastly, Freddy Galvis has proved to be a solid major league shortstop. When the Phillies traded Jimmy Rollins to the Dodgers, Galvis was thought to be a stopgap until J.P. Crawford arrived from the minors. Apparently, Galvis didn't listen to those evaluations, because not only has he been brilliant defensively - as we all expected - but, with the season almost two months old, his batting average has been consistently in the top 10 in the National League. Now he looks like a real keeper.

So, has the gloom lifted, once and for all? It is too soon to say, but, for the first time in a long time, there are reasons to be optimistic. Will our next mayor, Jim Kenney, get to lead a parade down Broad Street? Maybe, but my guess is he will have to get re-elected to a second term to do so.

On Twitter: @GovEdRendell