Dan Bylsma new Sabres head coach (now official!)

[Doohicksie]

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.

 

I read dudacek's post and mostly nodded.  I read the above-quoted post and thought to myself, Hellyeah!  And then I looked at the author and I was surprised.  Maybe I'm coming around..... but yeah, nfreeman, that's how I feel about this team. 

 

And frankly we all know this team is a few pieces away from being competitive.  Fortunately a couple are on the way with the imminent returns of Lehner and Pysyk.

[dudacek]

I pretty much agree with everything Freeman posted too, but this is the Dan Bylsma thread.

So far, for me, he's been a mixed bag.

 

He's got ROR and Risto in line for career years and the rookies seem to be on track.

Add that to the team's discipline and put it in the context Freeman supplied and for me he gets a pass.

 

But you have to admit there are a lot of question marks.

[LGR4GM]

I am willing to give Bylsma the rest of this year and next.  We are the youngest team in the league and have been garbage for 2 years.  I don't think anyone on the planet could fix this team in 40 games.

[Eleven]

I am willing to give Bylsma the rest of this year and next.  We are the youngest team in the league and have been garbage for 2 years.  I don't think anyone on the planet could fix this team in 40 games.

 

I'm willing to give him half of next season.  If this team is in this position this time next year, he should be gone.

[LGR4GM]

I'm willing to give him half of next season.  If this team is in this position this time next year, he should be gone.

I think that is fair. I also think GMTM needs to make at least 1 move this offseason to bring in a real top 4 NHL defender.

[That Aud Smell]

If this team is in this position this time next year, he should be gone.

 

Oh, Lord, yes.

[Eleven]

Inspired by the Zemgus thread, I think he is misusing several players.  Zem, Moulson, Larsson, and Gionta among them.

[LGR4GM]

Inspired by the Zemgus thread, I think he is misusing several players.  Zem, Moulson, Larsson, and Gionta among them.

You don't like Larsson as the 3rd line center?

 

I think I agree.  When Kane was with Eichel we all sat there for weeks being like WTF! and finally Bylsma moved on.  I never understand how coaches don't look at players strengths and weaknesses and find other players that compliment those.

[Eleven]

You don't like Larsson as the 3rd line center?

 

I think I agree.  When Kane was with Eichel we all sat there for weeks being like WTF! and finally Bylsma moved on.  I never understand how coaches don't look at players strengths and weaknesses and find other players that compliment those.

 

I don't like Larsson on the power play.

[TrueBlueGED]

You don't like Larsson as the 3rd line center?

 

I think I agree. When Kane was with Eichel we all sat there for weeks being like WTF! and finally Bylsma moved on. I never understand how coaches don't look at players strengths and weaknesses and find other players that compliment those.

Why so seemingly smart people tolerate a hot significant other if they treat them like garbage? Physical infatuation. I think he was purely infatuated with the size/speed combo and couldn't get free of it for awhile.

[beerme1]

You don't like Larsson as the 3rd line center?

 

 

 

Larsson doesn't like Larsson as the 3rd line center lol. Fancies himself top six for sure.

[LGR4GM]

I don't like Larsson on the power play.

Ah, yes I agree. Larsson doesn't really have the offense for that.

Why so seemingly smart people tolerate a hot significant other if they treat them like garbage? Physical infatuation. I think he was purely infatuated with the size/speed combo and couldn't get free of it for awhile.

Which is crazy.  Kane - ROR - Reinhart would be a better line because ROR and Reinhart can feed Kane pucks to fire into the goalie and then collect his rebounds.

 

Moulson - Eichel - Zemgus would make tons more sense.

[TrueBlueGED]

I don't like Larsson on the power play.

Maybe, but not like there are a ton of options for that second unit, especially with Ennis out.

Which is crazy. Kane - ROR - Reinhart would be a better line because ROR and Reinhart can feed Kane pucks to fire into the goalie and then collect his rebounds.

 

Moulson - Eichel - Zemgus would make tons more sense.

Which is exactly my point--the physical allure was overriding all other contradictory reasoning.

[LGR4GM]

Maybe, but not like there are a ton of options for that second unit, especially with Ennis out.

 

Which is exactly my point--the physical allure was overriding all other contradictory reasoning.

This message board shouldn't be smarter than the coach we hired an entire month before the season even started.

[WildCard]

I'm willing to give him half of next season. If this team is in this position this time next year, he should be gone.

Gone? I don't want to become the Browns of the NHL

[Eleven]

Gone? I don't want to become the Browns of the NHL

 

Yes.  Gone.  If the Buffalo Sabres are in 29th place on January 7, 2017, tell me why he should stay.

[WildCard]

Yes. Gone. If the Buffalo Sabres are in 29th place on January 7, 2017, tell me why he should stay.

GM gives him the same roster

 

2018, gone. 2017, pissed, but I'm not in favor of continual change.

[TrueBlueGED]

Yes. Gone. If the Buffalo Sabres are in 29th place on January 7, 2017, tell me why he should stay.

Because we miss Angry Eleven :p

[Eleven]

GM gives him the same roster

 

2018, gone. 2017, pissed, but I'm not in favor of continual change.

 

He should be doing better with this roster.  People are patient because they think the players are still learning his system, that he's still learning his players, and because the players need time to jell.  Those are fine excuses 40 games in, but not 120 games in.

[Brawndo]

Umm....

 

Dan Bylsma sending practice message to Rasmus Ristolainen? D-man, who has no goals in 11 games and is minus-6 in last five, skating as extra

[WildCard]

He should be doing better with this roster. People are patient because they think the players are still learning his system, that he's still learning his players, and because the players need time to jell. Those are fine excuses 40 games in, but not 120 games in.

Honeslty I'm not patient for any of those reasons. I'm only patient because Jack and Sam are 19/20 in their rookie years, Pysyk and McCabe are basically rookies too, and GMTM didn't give him much to work with on the back end.

[Thwomp!]

Umm....

 

Dan Bylsma sending practice message to Rasmus Ristolainen? D-man, who has no goals in 11 games and is minus-6 in last five, skating as extra

 

Somewhere GoDD is gloating a bit.

[TrueBlueGED]

Umm....

 

Dan Bylsma sending practice message to Rasmus Ristolainen? D-man, who has no goals in 11 games and is minus-6 in last five, skating as extra

Paging PA and 11, it's time to convene and name our anti-Bylsma alliance. I vote for the triumvirate. This is not a drill.

[LTS]

I'm willing to give him half of next season.  If this team is in this position this time next year, he should be gone.

 

The Sabres won't be in this position by the end of this season.  So I'm good with that. :)

 

 

You don't like Larsson as the 3rd line center?

 

I think I agree.  When Kane was with Eichel we all sat there for weeks being like WTF! and finally Bylsma moved on.  I never understand how coaches don't look at players strengths and weaknesses and find other players that compliment those.

 

I think that's a rather interesting statement. You don't think guys who have made a living in the game of hockey don't look at players strengths and weaknesses?  I can't buy that.  There's just so many factors that go into why things work and don't work.

 

This message board shouldn't be smarter than the coach we hired an entire month before the season even started.

 

It's not.  Not by a long shot. 

[Weave]

Paging PA and 11, it's time to convene and name our anti-Bylsma alliance. I vote for the triumvirate. This is not a drill.

 

It seems so obvious.  The Rebel Alliance.