Dan Bylsma new Sabres head coach (now official!)

[That Aud Smell]

...while in Buffalo. ?

 

Ah. Okay. Maybe that's it.

[inkman]

I think there's a nuance here that's missing. Saying Moulson is "not in good shape" and thus deserves scorn from the fans and teammates might miss the mark.

 

From WGR:

 

http://www.wgr550.com/Murray-provides-insight-on-Moulson/22533166

 

"how workouts are changing" "How we as an organization are changing" "we've changed his daily routine" (in response to his conditioning)

 

It sounds like half the blame rests with the team for his getting to this point in the first place.

Translated: Moulson needs to lay off the bong hits and get on the booger sugar wagon with Bogo and Kane.

[LTS]

How so?

 

Btw, I am all for anything that gives some hope on Moulson becoming useful again.

 

 

...while in Buffalo. ?

 

 

Ah. Okay. Maybe that's it.

 

Yes.. while in Buffalo.  Clearly they have all known various systems.  Sorry, I was unclear.  I general point was the guys who have been in Buffalo were accustomed to certain things and that has clearly changed.  So the new guys come into the environment and are indoctrinated into the all-new culture immediately whereas those who were around before have to acclimate to it.

[deluca67]

The problem with Matt Moulson is Matt Moulson. He has always been a decent scorer, not a dynamic offensive performer in the sense that he creates a ton of offense on his own, he is an accent piece. What the Sabres need from him is something that Moulson is unable to and is ill equipped to provide and that is creating offense on his own and for others. Moulson is a cleaner, he picks up what others create. The Sabres just do not have enough players that can create the type of offense needed for Moulson to increase his point production.

 

And frankly, Moulson, IMO, is not a top priority in my eyes. At this point he has played himself into the role of roster filler. He has three years left on his contract which works well for the Sabres, they can keep him around until they need that roster spot for one of the kids.     

[DR HOLLIDAY]

I have a feeling the term "out of shape" for an NHL player isn't the same "out of shape" for an Internet message board poster.

 

True enough, and maybe an injury of some sort kept him from getting to be in tip top shape.......just throwing that out there.

Edited March 5, 2016 by DR HOLLIDAY

[inkman]

The problem with Matt Moulson is Matt Moulson. He has always been a decent scorer, not a dynamic offensive performer in the sense that he creates a ton of offense on his own, he is an accent piece. What the Sabres need from him is something that Moulson is unable to and is ill equipped to provide and that is creating offense on his own and for others. Moulson is a cleaner, he picks up what others create. The Sabres just do not have enough players that can create the type of offense needed for Moulson to increase his point production.

 

And frankly, Moulson, IMO, is not a top priority in my eyes. At this point he has played himself into the role of roster filler. He has three years left on his contract which works well for the Sabres, they can keep him around until they need that roster spot for one of the kids.

Wouldn't he be perfectly suited for a player like Eichel. Jack does all the work, Matty Mo scoops in the rebound or finishes off the pass into an open net?

[That Aud Smell]

@deluca: His cap hit requires that he return to usefulness, if this team is going to make the playoffs next year. For that reason, I think it's a priority to get him into form. If he can get there.

[dudacek]

Wouldn't he be perfectly suited for a player like Eichel. Jack does all the work, Matty Mo scoops in the rebound or finishes off the pass into an open net?

Everyone has seen this but Bylsma.

 

Add Girgs to do the dirty work and you should have a decent line.

Trouble is it has only been tried occasionally and has been abandoned almost immediately.

 

Matty Mo's confidence is so shot at this point, he'd need to ride shotgun for at least two or three weeks to start feeling comfortable again. He also needs to fill McGinn's role on the PP.

 

If the Sabres are serious about reclaiming him, this needs to start now.

[kas23]

Michael Babcock:

 

There's no slipperiness about you, you're honest every day with your effort and how you treat people and the respect you have for the game and for your family, all those things together.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/14901485/nhl-mike-babcock-begins-grooming-toronto-maple-leafs-future

 

Am I still bitter about this? Course not.

[dudacek]

Most of us are frustrated with a lot of Dan's tactics.

I was interested in some of the references in this piece as to what he is trying to do big picture, things that have helped us improve.

 

http://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/rough-season-taking-its-toll-on-sabres-coach-dan-bylsma/#more

[Huckleberry]

That's helpful context, I suppose.

 

Great. Now I'll have THIS in my head all day.

 

 

I really need to watch that movie again :D

Last time I saw it was like 20 yrs ago.

[Randall Flagg]

This team regularly starts games flat, and after ending that terrible first period stretch a while ago, it's back, they haven't scored in the first for seven or eight games. How much of this is on Disco?

Also, what are the chances that they don't practice 5 on 3 power plays? They're going to finish this season without scoring on one.

[darksabre]

This team regularly starts games flat, and after ending that terrible first period stretch a while ago, it's back, they haven't scored in the first for seven or eight games. How much of this is on Disco?

 

Also, what are the chances that they don't practice 5 on 3 power plays? They're going to finish this season without scoring on one.

Pre-game cross stitching just doesn't seem to get the boys fired up.

[Randall Flagg]

Pre-game cross stitching just doesn't seem to get the boys fired up.

:lol:

 

As we continue to look like , I'll add something else. Eichel-Kane has failed the eye test hard, since their first shift together. The WOWY shows no other meaningful pairing of those two players playing worse than that one. Why the are they still together every game. 

[K-9]

This team regularly starts games flat, and after ending that terrible first period stretch a while ago, it's back, they haven't scored in the first for seven or eight games. How much of this is on Disco?

Also, what are the chances that they don't practice 5 on 3 power plays? They're going to finish this season without scoring on one.

I'd say it's a direct reflection on the head coach. 

 

GO SABRES!!!

[Randall Flagg]

I'm now going to balance out my bitching with some things I like about Bylsma. 

 

-He seems like a really good guy.

 

-Remember when our players kept going offside, and we lost like ten goals because of it? When was the last time that happened? I wouldn't be surprised if they practiced zone entries on the rush for a while, because we haven't had to deal with that for months.

 

-Whatever he did/had his assistant coach do to the PK worked very well. They were bottom two for at least a month to start the season and somehow climbed to the top ten.

 

-Sure, he didn't have Gionta or Larsson in the right spot to start the year, but he found the right combo and has stuck with it for many games now, and with Foligno they make an excellent third line that does what he needs them to do very well.

 

-I've liked his defense pairs overall. We all flipped over the Bogo-Risto pairing but it worked while he did it, and when it stopped he went to something else. I expected much worse than what we got this year, as far as team defense goes. (Just checked, and we are in the middle-third of the league in "goals allowed". I think 18th, but the "new and improved" freaking NHL.com doesn't put numbers next to the teams in their standings anymore, so if you scroll to the middle of the ranking, the list goes above and below the screen and you have no idea what place any team on the screen is.)

[Randall Flagg]

Oh, and these boys never quit.

[dudacek]

You have to wade through some Babcock love to get there, but some interesting bits on Bylsma's philosophy and impact.

http://www.torontosun.com/2016/03/08/new-coaches-leaving-their-mark-on-leafs-sabres

[LTS]

You have to wade through some Babcock love to get there, but some interesting bits on Bylsma's philosophy and impact.

http://www.torontosun.com/2016/03/08/new-coaches-leaving-their-mark-on-leafs-sabres

 

Good stuff.  I think one particular item really caught my attention.  The concept of getting pucks north.You’ve gotta know what situation you’re in. If you have no play, it’s get the puck north and go to work. And, if there is a play to make, you’ve gotta make it. It kind of puts the onus in everyone’s hands.”

 

it sounds like they are supposed to observe the blue line defense and then either carry it or dump and chase.  They might not be perfect at making those reads but it would seem to fit what I see a lot of.  Almost like the field possession game in football.  When you can't carry it down the field yourself you need to know you should punt it and then put pressure on them in their end.

[Beer]

This team regularly starts games flat, and after ending that terrible first period stretch a while ago, it's back, they haven't scored in the first for seven or eight games. How much of this is on Disco?

Also, what are the chances that they don't practice 5 on 3 power plays? They're going to finish this season without scoring on one.

How much of this is on Chef's for the pre-game meal?

[deluca67]

This team has trailed going into the 3rd period this season 35 times and won 6, tied for fourth most in the NHL. Last season they trailed going into the 3rd 42 times and won only 3 times, tied for 19th. It's just one stat in a league of many stats, another sign the franchise is in good hands going in the right direction. 

[Eleven]

Let me know when they're not starting the 3d trailing 35 times.

[deluca67]

Nothing wrong with driving to the Grand Canyon and enjoying the ride.

 

35 times the Sabres have trailed going into the third period. Not a good number no matter how you look at it.

 

Here is one thing to take away from it.  37%. 37% of the time the Sabres came back and tied the game. They won six, lost three in OT and 4 times they tied the game to end up losing the game.

 

That's a decent stat to build some positivity on. You add in games they trailed by a couple of goals and made it a one goal game. This team has some comeback kids in them. I hope it's a trend that continues during the rebuilding of the franchise.  

[...]

I have this in the can...

 

@FireDiscoDan

 

Just in case I finally lose it with this guy.

[Brawndo]

Craig Custance interviewed Murray and got his thoughts on DB, it's in insider so cannot be shared directly.

 

Murray states DB has done a good job with the team in light of the teams injuries and youth.

 

It goes on to say that Murray is a big proponent of analytics, he studies them and that the Sabres invest heavily in them.

 

He expects DB to use the information given to him and utilize it in terms of offensive and defensive zone starts. He mentions that the matchups are not always correct. As long as he realizes that putting the Sabres in the right position to succeed against opponents, the Sabres are heading in the right direction.

 

He thinks the early criticism is not warranted....yet.