Dan Bylsma new Sabres head coach (now official!)

[That Aud Smell]

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.

 

I don't think this is fair.

 

I'm not saying what the (fair) criticisms will be, or what the responses will be, but it's not as though regulars around here are going to have their pants pissed on and insist it's raining.

[darksabre]

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

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.

Not a chance. This team better have its sh*t together next season. I'm not interested in being the Oilers. 

[Samson's Flow]

Not a chance. This team better have its sh*t together next season. I'm not interested in being the Oilers. 

2 years of absolute suckitude is only acceptable to me if we break the cycle of mediocrity. I need to see consistent improvement and playoffs by next year or 2017 at the latest.

[Taro T]

2 years of absolute suckitude is only acceptable to me if we break the cycle of mediocrity. I need to see consistent improvement and playoffs by next year or 2017 at the latest.

This team needs to be in the playoffs next season. Close is fine this year. It is not acceptable next year.

[Samson's Flow]

This team needs to be in the playoffs next season. Close is fine this year. It is not acceptable next year.

I know. That was just my inner Buffalo Sports Fan coming out. Hate it when that happens. :oops:

[Eleven]

This team needs to be in the playoffs next season. Close is fine this year. It is not acceptable next year.

 

Close is fine this year.  3 points better than last year is not fine.  Neither is 28th.

[3putt]

Harken back to the halcyon days of late October early November when the board was afire with playoff matchup talk. The difference is the goaltending has regressed to the mean and the speed of Pysyk supporting on the third pair is missing. We still lack finishers on the wing. I was not a fan of the hire, but I see some signs that the "structure" he is trying to install will bear fruit. Eichel is improving in his own zone because his responsibilities are pretty consistent. When he was struggling offensively he could still focus on those and keep his confidence up. Reinhart has been given a fairly conservative but well established role and he is excelling. Risto is becoming more of the O threat we hoped because the go no go decision points are more simple and apparent. The pk is much more disciplined.

 

The beer league structure of last year is gone. I still think we need some different players to be more competitive in the long haul but I will give a first year coach with a very young team some time. I see development and that is all I hoped for this season.

[Thwomp!]

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

 

Sure, but only if it's Dan's, and it pisses him off enough that it causes him to drop his well mannered executive/professor appearance and demeanor and runs after me angrily screaming and yelling every vulgar word/phrase that exists.

 

I'm a team player after all...  :P

[TrueBlueGED]

Harken back to the halcyon days of late October early November when the board was afire with playoff matchup talk. The difference is the goaltending has regressed to the mean and the speed of Pysyk supporting on the third pair is missing. We still lack finishers on the wing. I was not a fan of the hire, but I see some signs that the "structure" he is trying to install will bear fruit. Eichel is improving in his own zone because his responsibilities are pretty consistent. When he was struggling offensively he could still focus on those and keep his confidence up. Reinhart has been given a fairly conservative but well established role and he is excelling. Risto is becoming more of the O threat we hoped because the go no go decision points are more simple and apparent. The pk is much more disciplined.

 

The beer league structure of last year is gone. I still think we need some different players to be more competitive in the long haul but I will give a first year coach with a very young team some time. I see development and that is all I hoped for this season.

 

While I think Pysyk being absent is huge, I disagree that the biggest difference is the goaltending has regressed. For the first month or so of the season we were in the top half of the league for puck possession and deserved a better record than we had. Now? We're 25th in the league. We're monumentally better than last season (47.2% score-adjusted CF% vs 36% last season), but it's still not good.

[DirtDart]

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.

I don't mind him juggling lines. He is trying to find consistency , and good style/play combos. The only real consistent line is R O'Rs other than that it is a work in progress. Injuries have played into it as well. I have faith in Disco.....

Harken back to the halcyon days of late October early November when the board was afire with playoff matchup talk. The difference is the goaltending has regressed to the mean and the speed of Pysyk supporting on the third pair is missing. We still lack finishers on the wing. I was not a fan of the hire, but I see some signs that the "structure" he is trying to install will bear fruit. Eichel is improving in his own zone because his responsibilities are pretty consistent. When he was struggling offensively he could still focus on those and keep his confidence up. Reinhart has been given a fairly conservative but well established role and he is excelling. Risto is becoming more of the O threat we hoped because the go no go decision points are more simple and apparent. The pk is much more disciplined.

The beer league structure of last year is gone. I still think we need some different players to be more competitive in the long haul but I will give a first year coach with a very young team some time. I see development and that is all I hoped for this season.

Very good post, agree 100%

Gionta on the PP.

 

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

What other winger can he pencil in?

[SwampD]

Not to pick this scab again, but are we really pretending that this team would have a better record if Lindy was the coach?

[Thwomp!]

So, it's Disco is Dead! vs. Long Live Disco!

[3putt]

While I think Pysyk being absent is huge, I disagree that the biggest difference is the goaltending has regressed. For the first month or so of the season we were in the top half of the league for puck possession and deserved a better record than we had. Now? We're 25th in the league. We're monumentally better than last season (47.2% score-adjusted CF% vs 36% last season), but it's still not good.

While I am still trying to see the on ice correlation to the way the fancy stats account for the variables that impact the game, I see the quick transition out of the zone as having diminished. I also see that some of our possession were slaps at the net that had little or no chance of going in ( shots for is one of the metrics correct?). Kane is most egregious. Jmho, but I think we aren't as talented as some most believe, and we are no longer being taken lightly by anyone. DLo is not a possession player. Neither is Foligno and Gionta and Moulson are not great fits anywhere. But the snail like speed on d keeps us trapped in our own zone too much.

[LTS]

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?

 

Run?  Ennis saw Ovechkin coming and turned his back at the last minute expecting Ovechkin to stop. Ennis got all he deserved on that play.  It's the kind of crap that's been discussed elsewhere on the checking from behind and the propensity of players to put themselves in harms way now because they expect a player will not hit them.  Ennis should have prepared for the hit and he would have come out of it okay.

 

I think Pittsburgh has bigger issues than Bylsma.  They should be miles ahead of where they are.  It's clear something is rotten in there and until that is cleansed they are going nowhere.  I hesitate now to think Bylsma had too much to do with that.  I don't like dump and chase either.. that's one thing I wish would change.

 

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

 

Curiously, where are they in terms of points relative to last year.  For that matter, where is the entire league?  It seemed like last year there were some truly horrible teams but this year no one seems to be clearly heading for the top draft pick given the absolute uncertainty of the top 3 picks.  As poorly as the standings say they are just below .500 right?  Trying to remember how close they were last year to that number.

 

This year is a pass.  I still think the leadership is not gung ho for the top of the standings.  I think Pysyk is a huge loss.  They have a few more pieces to move around and the team improves dramatically next year.  I'll be unhappy if they are not in the playoffs next year.

[Stoner]

Close is fine this year.  3 points better than last year is not fine.  Neither is 28th.

26th is more concerning to me, as in 26th in goals-for per game (though they are ahead of the Pittsburgh Malsbies). And they're trending downward after scoring a few more goals in the third 10-game segment. This is unacceptable and maddening. My greatest fear is that Murray and Bylsma are going to reprise what we've seen through so much of Sabres history: leaning on the goalies and hoping a puck lucks its way into the net for a 2-1 win.

[Taro T]

Close is fine this year.  3 points better than last year is not fine.  Neither is 28th.

And if they had 2 more W's they'd be in a 3 way tie for 18th. They are close.

[Stoner]

And if they had 2 more W's they'd be in a 3 way tie for 18th. They are close.

And if Eleven had boobs he couldn't smooth a silk sheet if he had a hot babe... I lost my train of thought.

[Taro T]

And if Eleven had boobs he couldn't smooth a silk sheet if he had a hot babe... I lost my train of thought.

Apparently, a few stations ago. :p

 

:beer:

[Stoner]

Sure, but only if it's Dan's, and it pisses him off enough that it causes him to drop his well mannered executive/professor appearance and demeanor and runs after me angrily screaming and yelling every vulgar word/phrase that exists.

 

I'm a team player after all...  :P

I'm glad you get the way I was drifting. Keep in mind, Eleven knows people in legal circles, so you shouldn't be behind bars too long. The idea is to get the story in the paper and have Bylsma be so angry that he makes an anti-Buffalo comment, which will anger the Pegulas to no end. It will be the beginning of the end. But we have to bide our time. Terry doesn't fire coaches after one disappointing season. In the meantime, GED will be working up the analytics assaults. I'll be handling propaganda. Hopefully Swamp can come through with protest songs in the disco style (dump-dump-dump-dump-dump-and chaaaase). They'll be jokes at first, but they'll plant the seeds of discontent. You seem like middle management plumber material. Our G. Gordon Liddy. Recruit your underlings and minions now. There's stuff happening in Dallas, too. Grassy knoll .

Apparently, a few stations ago. :P

 

:beer:

And I screwed up the quote.

[Thwomp!]

I'm glad you get the way I was drifting. Keep in mind, Eleven knows people in legal circles, so you shouldn't be behind bars too long. The idea is to get the story in the paper and have Bylsma be so angry that he makes an anti-Buffalo comment, which will anger the Pegulas to no end. It will be the beginning of the end. But we have to bide our time. Terry doesn't fire coaches after one disappointing season. In the meantime, GED will be working up the analytics assaults. I'll be handling propaganda. Hopefully Swamp can come through with protest songs in the disco style (dump-dump-dump-dump-dump-and chaaaase). They'll be jokes at first, but they'll plant the seeds of discontent. You seem like middle management plumber material. Our G. Gordon Liddy. Recruit your underlings and minions now. There's stuff happening in Dallas, too. Grassy knoll ######.

 

 

I like "the Plan".  Sounds like even wjag wants in.  They'll never see us coming.  

 

pssst....I don't think Swamp is in yet.  

[K-9]

What's the SECOND shortest honeymoon on record?

 

GO SABRES!!!

[Randall Flagg]

Dan lost me a few weeks ago when we needed a goal in the third and went on the power play and Franson/Moulson/Gionta were on for well over a minute. Forget which game it was, but it was horrifying. And not because I don't like those guys, but because they were put in that position and embarrassed by the coach. And don't tell me that when we pulled the goalie against the Blues (I think) with 19 seconds left, that Jack dumped the puck in the corner when he hit the blue line at full speed because it was his instinct; he was coached to do that, and we didn't touch the puck again.

[Sabel79]

There's a possibility that the transition from Ron "I have no business coaching at this level" Rolston to Ted "Just do it Harder" Nolan to DDB was never going to be an easy one.  Add corrective re-education for the old players, adding new players and rookies in, and the coach himself adjusting to the new team and you've got a recipe for difficulty.  Perhaps. 

 

We do genuinely look a ton better 95% of the time.  There's just no actual options at RW, we're down a starting goalie (who may or may not even be the genuine article), and the D short one top four player.  It has to improve. 

[qwksndmonster]

Bylsma pros: We match up well on the road, and we're tough to play against. The goalie rotation has been handled very well.

 

Cons: Last change at home doesn't seem to gain us any tactical advantage. Eichel was leaned on too hard consistently despite playing terribly for an extended stretch. Line combinations have been subjected to similar inflexibility. Like Blue, my instinct seems to be Bylsma's last resort.

 

The bottom line is that Bylsma is a pretty good coach, but hasn't displayed any high end awareness or tactics.

[Stoner]

What's the SECOND shortest honeymoon on record?

 

GO SABRES!!!

We're still on honeymoon with Dan. He's just having a little, uh, problem getting going.