Dan Bylsma new Sabres head coach (now official!)

[dudacek]

What is so frustrating is that four out of every five games we get exactly the same Sabres:

• goaltending that isn't good enough to steal games or bad enough to blame for the losses
• a structured defence where we don't give up a lot of chances or make a lot of turnovers
• a structured offence that rarely takes risks forces breakdowns or creates many open chances
• relatively balanced zone time and scoring chances
• next to no offence in the first period
• next to no offence from the back end
• games that are generally still up for grabs with 10 minutes left
• a lot of long passes that are tipped into the offensive zone or missed and called back for icing
• consistent effort through to the end, but very little animosity or edge
• line choices and ice time based on tactical game-planning rather than player chemistry or actual performance
• no obvious emotional reaction from the coach to his team's performance or the opponents

I like that we are smart and consistent; its way better than last year's beer league hockey.

But I feel like it's the same movie every night. It's by-the-book and predictable. Where is the drama and the art?

We are the hockey equivalent of a dedicated small town accountant.

Edited January 6, 2016 by dudacek

[qwksndmonster]

dudacek, you complete me.

[That Aud Smell]

Good stuff, dudacek. Good stuff.

[Claude_Verret]

IIRC nearly every ardent supporter of the tank acknowledged the risk of swirling into an Oilers like oblivion, yet still were in board and willing to accept that risk versus treadmill of mediocrity. 40 games doesn't even come close to telling the tale one way or the other.

Edited January 6, 2016 by Claude_Verret

[ParkMeadow]

What is so frustrating is that four out of every five games we get exactly the same Sabres:

• goaltending that isn't good enough to steal games or bad enough to blame for the losses
• a structured defence where we don't give up a lot of chances or make a lot of turnovers
• a structured offence that rarely takes risks forces breakdowns or creates many open chances
• relatively balanced zone time and scoring chances
• next to no offence in the first period
• next to no offence from the back end
• games that are generally still up for grabs with 10 minutes left
• a lot of long passes that are tipped into the offensive zone or missed and called back for icing
• consistent effort through to the end, but very little animosity or edge
• line choices and ice time based on tactical game-planning rather than player chemistry or actual performance
• no obvious emotional reaction from the coach to his team's performance or the opponents

I like that we are smart and consistent; its way better than last year's beer league hockey.

But I feel like it's the same movie every night. It's by-the-book and predictable. Where is the drama and the art?

We are the hockey equivalent of a dedicated small town accountant.

 

Excellent post.  First Star of the month!

[SwampD]

What is so frustrating is that four out of every five games we get exactly the same Sabres:

• goaltending that isn't good enough to steal games or bad enough to blame for the losses
• a structured defence where we don't give up a lot of chances or make a lot of turnovers
• a structured offence that rarely takes risks forces breakdowns or creates many open chances
• relatively balanced zone time and scoring chances
• next to no offence in the first period
• next to no offence from the back end
• games that are generally still up for grabs with 10 minutes left
• a lot of long passes that are tipped into the offensive zone or missed and called back for icing
• consistent effort through to the end, but very little animosity or edge
• line choices and ice time based on tactical game-planning rather than player chemistry or actual performance
• no obvious emotional reaction from the coach to his team's performance or the opponents

I like that we are smart and consistent; its way better than last year's beer league hockey.

But I feel like it's the same movie every night. It's by-the-book and predictable. Where is the drama and the art?

We are the hockey equivalent of a dedicated small town accountant.

Good post. Not sure about the last line though, because I'm pretty sure I would rather hang out with SFiNS than watch the Sabres.

[LGR4GM]

Dudacek mic drop.

 

[Stoner]

Dear God, dudacek with an all-time forum post.

 

I would add to the "by the book" point this DD quote from last night:

 

"A lot of it is mental, and being prepared and ready to play the appropriate way. We knew exactly how this game was going to play, how they were going to play. You see us in the 1st period get surprised by the points of execution where we need to be, and we need to be better at."

 

Appropriate? Points of execution? Yuck.

Edited January 6, 2016 by PASabreFan

[dudacek]

 

• games that are generally still up for grabs with 10 minutes left

 

After the past two years, you'd think we should be happy with this.

You know that Bylsma is preaching "stick with it boys, the bounces are eventually going to go our way."

But they aren't.

 

I understand patience, but I also understand the definition of stupid.

Edited January 6, 2016 by dudacek

[That Aud Smell]

Dear God, dudacek with an all-time forum post.

 

I would add to the "by the book" point this DD quote from last night:

 

"A lot of it is mental, and being prepared and ready to play the appropriate way. We knew exactly how this game was going to play, how they were going to play. You see us in the 1st period get surprised by the points of execution where we need to be, and we need to be better at."

 

Appropriate? Points of execution? Yuck.

 

You're pining for the hur-dur-north-south speak of Ted Nolan, aren't you?

 

I understand patience, but I also understand the definition of stupid.

 

Or insanity.

[TrueBlueGED]

Good post. Not sure about the last line though, because I'm pretty sure I would rather hang out with SFiNS than watch the Sabres.

Seconded :lol:

[Stoner]

You're pining for the hur-dur-north-south speak of Ted Nolan, aren't you?

I wouldn't saying pining, but it feels like we took out the Tin Man's heart and gave him a brain. Where is that getting us? I would bet my left nut that Nolan would have this team farther along than Bylsma does. He'd have ingredients. He wouldn't be asked to make MODO's phat fanny with some WWII surplus flour and a rotten egg.

[That Aud Smell]

I wouldn't saying pining, but it feels like we took out the Tin Man's heart and gave him a brain. Where is that getting us? I would bet my left nut that Nolan would have this team farther along than Bylsma does. He'd have ingredients. He wouldn't be asked to make MODO's phat fanny with some WWII surplus flour and a rotten egg.

 

dudacek's post was epic, but also fairly lengthy by message board standards.

 

this pithy thing right here? GLORIOUS.

 

i don't agree with all of it, but that is the soul of wit right there. f'real. especially the tin man heart/brain turn.

[TrueBlueGED]

I wouldn't saying pining, but it feels like we took out the Tin Man's heart and gave him a brain. Where is that getting us? I would bet my left nut that Nolan would have this team farther along than Bylsma does. He'd have ingredients. He wouldn't be asked to make MODO's phat fanny with some WWII surplus flour and a rotten egg.

I guess at your age it doesn't much matter if you're a uniballer :p

[Eleven]

My biggest goal for this team, and especially Bylsma, is that they realize you don't have to enter the zone with a dump and chase every time.

 

Especially when you have good puck-carrying forwards who are strong on the puck.

[WildCard]

What is so frustrating is that four out of every five games we get exactly the same Sabres:

• goaltending that isn't good enough to steal games or bad enough to blame for the losses
• a structured defence where we don't give up a lot of chances or make a lot of turnovers
• a structured offence that rarely takes risks forces breakdowns or creates many open chances
• relatively balanced zone time and scoring chances
• next to no offence in the first period
• next to no offence from the back end
• games that are generally still up for grabs with 10 minutes left
• a lot of long passes that are tipped into the offensive zone or missed and called back for icing
• consistent effort through to the end, but very little animosity or edge
• line choices and ice time based on tactical game-planning rather than player chemistry or actual performance
• no obvious emotional reaction from the coach to his team's performance or the opponents

I like that we are smart and consistent; its way better than last year's beer league hockey.

But I feel like it's the same movie every night. It's by-the-book and predictable. Where is the drama and the art?

We are the hockey equivalent of a dedicated small town accountant.

This drives me up a ###### wall

 

And you can be robotic and successful. Babcock and Belichick have made careers out of it

I wouldn't saying pining, but it feels like we took out the Tin Man's heart and gave him a brain. Where is that getting us? I would bet my left nut that Nolan would have this team farther along than Bylsma does. He'd have ingredients. He wouldn't be asked to make MODO's phat fanny with some WWII surplus flour and a rotten egg.

You'd be down one nut then. Care to venture the right and bring back Ron Rolston? 

Edited January 6, 2016 by WildCard

[Thwomp!]

And you can be robotic and successful. Babcock and Belichick have made careers out of it

 

 

But robotic and unsuccessful is annoying.  This team is so flat too much of the time that I worry that they're mirroring their coach's demeanor.  A little emotion from the coach and team would not be a bad thing.

[nfreeman]

I'm disappointed in this losing streak too, and I'm deeply concerned, as I've said many times before, that the tank will end up making the team worse, not better, in the long run, by ingraining a culture of losing. 

 

However, before we break out the tar and feathers for DDB, we should consider the following:

• The eye test clearly indicates that the Sabres are a zillion times more competitive than they have been for the prior 2 seasons.  The fancystats bear this out.
• ROR and Eichel are young, sure-fire building blocks, with Reinhart and Risto either at the same level or just below.
• The Sabres haven't had their #1 goalie all year.
• We all knew before the season started that the defensemen were questionable.
• 2 of their top 4 forwards and 1 of their top 3 defensemen have missed significant time with injuries.
• They are integrating a ton of new pieces, including 4 of their top forwards and a new coaching staff.
• A number of their important players are very young -- young enough that a franchise like Detroit would still have some or most of them in the AHL.
• Some of the vets they were counting on for both leadership and production (Moulson, Gionta, Bogo, Ennis) have fallen off the table.  Contrast that with, say, what Florida is getting from Jagr, Willie Mitchell and Soupy -- and the risks of giving big contracts to older players become a bit more apparent.

 

My bottom line:  I will be as disappointed as anyone if they end up DFL or close to it, and I will re-assess my expected time frame to get to contender status.  But we're not even half a season into the putative renaissance. 

 

It's far too soon to come to any conclusions.

[That Aud Smell]

^ good stuff.

[wjag]

<------------------- 2015 Style

 

I don't think I went into a Fall sports season with higher expectations for both the Bills and Sabres at the same time.  I was eating up the Rex factor, a DL that had 50 sacks and was drooling over the prospect of Harvin and Watkins with McCoy.  The Sabres brought in new toys of O'Reilly, Bogo, Kane, Lehner, Rheinhart and Eichel.  It is now the turn of the year and yet another Buffalo sport season has turned to dust in from of my eyes.  It was done with a thousand little cuts and a gawd awful loss to Jacksonville, an undisciplined defense and a bazillion penalties.  It was done in by the first period of the Sabres game with a half season long injury to the starting goalie.  I can't believe that Mario and Moulson were busts.  I was gushing about six 20-goal scorers.  Even as prepared, jaded and hardened as I am to Buffalo sports, I did not see this coming.

Edited January 6, 2016 by wjag

[Stoner]

^ good stuff.

You're putative-whipped.

[That Aud Smell]

You're putative-whipped.

 

i no understand.

[Stoner]

dudacek's post was epic, but also fairly lengthy by message board standards.

 

this pithy thing right here? GLORIOUS.

 

i don't agree with all of it, but that is the soul of wit right there. f'real. especially the tin man heart/brain turn.

Except it's phat panny. Oy. I always mix up MODO's pancake and that Queen song.

[Huckleberry]

Has Bylsma been fired yet?

 

He will be before this team has arrived.

 

Bank on that!

 

And lindy rehired :p

[Doohicksie]

I wouldn't saying pining, but it feels like we took out the Tin Man's heart and gave him a brain. Where is that getting us? I would bet my left nut that Nolan would have this team farther along than Bylsma does. He'd have ingredients. He wouldn't be asked to make MODO's phat fanny with some WWII surplus flour and a rotten egg.

 

Isn't that your favorite one?