Dan Bylsma new Sabres head coach (now official!)

[Thwomp!]

The lines have been fairly well set for a number of games now, no?  He seems to have stuck with ROR-Reinhart with McGinn being stable there lately, and we all have been asking for different combos with Eichel so we can't really blame DD if he's trying different players with him, can we? Foligno-Larsson-Legwand-DeLo have been mostly 4th line fixtures.  

 

I think this is more what we want to think than reality.

 

It has settled down recently, but for most of the season it's been constant and it's been more detrimental than helpful imo.  With Ennis returning soon, there's also the strong possibility that it returns to it's former frequency.

[Weave]

It has settled down recently, but for most of the season it's been constant and it's been more detrimental than helpful imo.  With Ennis returning soon, there's also the strong possibility that it returns to it's former frequency.

 

We're 26th in the league in scoring.  Do you really want these lines to stay intact?

[Doohicksie]

We're 26th in the league in scoring.  Do you really want these lines to stay intact?

 

Well it sure helped the Titanic (vis-à-vis deck chairs), didn't it?

[Thwomp!]

But are we 26th in the league more due to the current lines or more due to the constant shuffling and lack of gelling?  Some lines earlier showed promise and were still dismantled in the next practice anyway.  I'd like to see some lines that show promise and hopefully some results stick together for 10 games or so, through thick and thin.  I don't think we've seen much if any of that yet. He's been too quick and eager to tinker imo.

 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it! Reasonable and unreasonable people are always welcome to disagree.  :beer:

[That Aud Smell]

I just noticed PA's apparent disaffection with Hot Daniel in another thread, so I figured I'd bump this one.

 

I took to heart the late GoDD's take that Hot Daniel was a sharp, detailed coach, and that some of the players that actually looked good during the tank (28, 63) would take some time to get up to speed.

 

In that regard, I really liked Girgensons' game last night. Obviously, being on the wing of Fresh Eichel had a lot to do with that. But Girgensons seemed like he may be returning to form of the Latvian Locomotive.

[Eleven]

I didn't think he was a great coach in Pittsburgh and I still don't think he's a great coach.

 

Maybe an ok coach, but certainly not a great one.

 

He is making questionable personnel decisions, and his dump-and-chase strategy sucks.

 

And the team still didn't "respond" when Ennis was run last night, did it?

[TrueBlueGED]

The stuff I read from Pens fans celebrating his exit is all true. He loves him some grinders, undue loyalty to veteran players, painfully slow to adjust, and loves him some dump and chase. Bleh.

Edited December 31, 2015 by TrueBlueGED

[That Aud Smell]

He loves him some grinders

 

What was that thing he said in the Winter Classic hard knocks piece: "Let's grind these b!thces down"?

 

Also, the dump and chase stuff does seem strangely non-modern.

[Thwomp!]

 

 

PA: But, yeah, Eleven, TrueBlue and I are in the early stages of forming an unholy alliance. Rogue elements of TSC could also be involved. Stay tuned.

 

 

 

Me! Me! I want in on this!  I've posted my dissatisfaction above in regards to Disco.  I don't like his line decisions and I've found I can't listen to him talk.  Too boring and vanilla.  I also think that he's holding the team back and that our record could/should be better at this point.

 

Or to put it other ways:

 

Every evil triumvirate needs foot soldiers

 

Every 1st line needs a quality 4th line

Edited December 31, 2015 by EastsideOasis

[darksabre]

My hope is the DDB is building to something. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that these things we see as basic and kind of annoying might also be good building blocks. 

I'm not opposed to some stubbornness, or patience, this year. I don't expect this team to win this year. My hope is that we're laying a base. 

 

Now, if this continues next year, we have a problem. 

[Hoss]

My hope is the DDB is building to something. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that these things we see as basic and kind of annoying might also be good building blocks.

 

I'm not opposed to some stubbornness, or patience, this year. I don't expect this team to win this year. My hope is that we're laying a base.

 

Now, if this continues next year, we have a problem.

This is where I'm at. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. I think he's doing something he believes will benefit the team long-term.

Only time will tell...

[TrueBlueGED]

What was that thing he said in the Winter Classic hard knocks piece: "Let's grind these b!thces down"?

 

Also, the dump and chase stuff does seem strangely non-modern.

 

Yup. I mean, every night you can see it: they go for a long stretch pass out of the Dzone to a forward beyond the red line whose job is to chip it into the offensive zone to retrieve. This is exactly what I read that he coaches. So much for the year off self scouting thing.

 

And that's without even getting into how long it took him to make common sense player usage moves.

My hope is the DDB is building to something. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that these things we see as basic and kind of annoying might also be good building blocks. 

 

I'm not opposed to some stubbornness, or patience, this year. I don't expect this team to win this year. My hope is that we're laying a base. 

 

Now, if this continues next year, we have a problem. 

 

This is, of course, a completely reasonable point of view. Given my dissatisfaction with the hire in the first place, I'm fighting hard against a confirmation bias problem. Thanks for the balance.

[Thwomp!]

My hope is the DDB is building to something. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that these things we see as basic and kind of annoying might also be good building blocks. 

 

I'm not opposed to some stubbornness, or patience, this year. I don't expect this team to win this year. My hope is that we're laying a base. 

 

Now, if this continues next year, we have a problem. 

 

This is where I'm at. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. I think he's doing something he believes will benefit the team long-term.

Only time will tell...

 

Can you guys elaborate as to what the long term benefits would be?  I keep seeing this and I'm honestly curious.  From my point of view making questionable decisions and having poor strategy have no benefits.  Is it to show how not to play when we get a better coach in year 3?

[Eleven]

My hope is the DDB is building to something. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that these things we see as basic and kind of annoying might also be good building blocks. 

 

I'm not opposed to some stubbornness, or patience, this year. I don't expect this team to win this year. My hope is that we're laying a base. 

 

Now, if this continues next year, we have a problem. 

 

 

I don't think they're going to the Finals by any means, but 28th?!

[darksabre]

Can you guys elaborate as to what the long term benefits would be?  I keep seeing this and I'm honestly curious.  From my point of view making questionable decisions and having poor strategy have no benefits.  Is it to show how not to play when we get a better coach in year 3?

What you guys see as questionable, I see as patience and worthwhile experimentation. There is no doubt in my mind that DDB is trying to feel players out, and he's taking his time with it, because why not?

 

I also think he sees value in trying player combos for a length of time that everyone else seems to find frustrating. I see him doing our young guys a favor by forcing them to play with many different "styles" of NHL player. That's good. I think a guy like Eichel needs to have that. Let him play with Kane. Let him play with Gio. Let him play with McGinn. Why not? As long as he's not buried on the fourth line who cares?

 

I never liked Lindy's propensity to juggle lines non-stop. It drove me crazy. I like that Dan isn't as knee-jerk. He has no reason to be yet. 

I don't think they're going to the Finals by any means, but 28th?!

I see no reason why this team shouldn't be in 28th. A ton of new players, a new coach, a bunch of young kids. Why not 28th? 

[Huckleberry]

I'd rather have lindy ruff back at this point :p

 

We got 12 points this month, I stated December was a rough schedule last month and I'd be happy with 15 points.  

But I'm starting to question that this training staff has a hard time getting good line combinations going.

[Eleven]

I'd rather have lindy ruff back at this point :P

 

We got 12 points this month, I stated December was a rough schedule last month and I'd be happy with 15 points.  

But I'm starting to question that this training staff has a hard time getting good line combinations going.

 

Don't get me started.

 

In fact, to the whole board:  this is your final warning of 2015.

[Samson's Flow]

Can you guys elaborate as to what the long term benefits would be?  I keep seeing this and I'm honestly curious.  From my point of view making questionable decisions and having poor strategy have no benefits.  Is it to show how not to play when we get a better coach in year 3?

It could be to teach a strong work ethic and establish how to retrieve the puck and play the dump when teams take away the easy zone entries (i.e. come playoff time when easy zone entries are much harder since you're playing better teams.)

 

It's obviously pretty frustrating to watch, and it can look strange at times, but there is a different optic when there is a long term development plan instead of coaching for their lives. TMGM has publicly stated that this year is more about development than short term gains.

 

I certainly don't like the way the team is performing or play-style up to this point, but without intimate knowledge of what is communicated between coach and GM, it's tough to make a definitive judgement on the first few months of the first post-tank season. 

Don't get me started.

 

In fact, to the whole board:  this is your final warning of 2015.

So we have what - 12 hours - until we can poke the bear again? :nana:

[JJFIVEOH]

I'd rather have lindy ruff back at this point :P

 

We got 12 points this month, I stated December was a rough schedule last month and I'd be happy with 15 points.  

But I'm starting to question that this training staff has a hard time getting good line combinations going.

 

I don't think they have problems getting line combinations, I think they have issues letting them stay together long enough to even get familiar with one another much less find any chemistry. I've given up keeping track of lines because chances are they'll be different by the next period. 

[Kristian]

I don't think they have problems getting line combinations, I think they have issues letting them stay together long enough to even get familiar with one another much less find any chemistry. I've given up keeping track of lines because chances are they'll be different by the next period. 

So in other words, business as usual? Lindy was a line juggler too, and line-juggling in genereal really gets on my nerves, so yeah - Not a Bylsma fan here.

[Samson's Flow]

I don't think they have problems getting line combinations, I think they have issues letting them stay together long enough to even get familiar with one another much less find any chemistry. I've given up keeping track of lines because chances are they'll be different by the next period. 

It's tough to have consistent line combinations when you have injuries to to players like Kane and Ennis as well as many under performers. Somebody has to take the place of the injured player, which changes every line combo. 

[TrueBlueGED]

The old chicken and egg: what comes first, stable line combos or good line combos that remain stable because they're good? I don't hate the line juggling in and of itself, but what drives me absolutely insane is how frequently he changes lines without going to combinations that I think are common sense to try. It's like my first instinct is his last resort.

[Samson's Flow]

The old chicken and egg: what comes first, stable line combos or good line combos that remain stable because they're good? I don't hate the line juggling in and of itself, but what drives me absolutely insane is how frequently he changes lines without going to combinations that I think are common sense to try. It's like my first instinct is his last resort.

The Reinhart-O'Reilly-McGinn line has been incredibly stable for the past 15 or so games, because it was very effective for a prolonged stretch. I actually think if Ennis didn't get hurt last night, we would have seen the new Eichel line and Kane-Larsson-Ennis stick together for a long time. With the game that they played last night, I don't see how DD breaks up Girgs-Eichel for a while. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Gionta on the PP.

 

That's all one needs to keep in mind when accessing Disco Dan's coaching expertise, so far anyway.

[Stoner]

 

 

 

PA: But, yeah, Eleven, TrueBlue and I are in the early stages of forming an unholy alliance. Rogue elements of TSC could also be involved. Stay tuned.

 

 

 

Me! Me! I want in on this!  I've posted my dissatisfaction above in regards to Disco.  I don't like his line decisions and I've found I can't listen to him talk.  Too boring and vanilla.  I also think that he's holding the team back and that our record could/should be better at this point.

 

Or to put it other ways:

 

Every evil triumvirate needs foot soldiers

 

Every 1st line needs a quality 4th line

 

You will have to show us how serious you are. Would you egg a mailbox?

My hope is the DDB is building to something. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that these things we see as basic and kind of annoying might also be good building blocks. 

 

I'm not opposed to some stubbornness, or patience, this year. I don't expect this team to win this year. My hope is that we're laying a base. 

 

Now, if this continues next year, we have a problem. 

Oh d4rk, my dear, dear boy. You know GADDAM WELL that one year from now, with the same record, any criticism of the team, Bylsma, Pegula will be met with the same standard response. "You are owed nothing. Give it time. This team is young." And so on. You know this.