Sabres @ Capitals 5pm, MSG 11/25/2016

[Beer]

I'm on that bandwagon to now, this can't continue

Who replaces him?

[Stoner]

McDavid lighting it up in EDM. The Leafs score at will. And the Coach who wants to kill analytics has CBJ in a WC Spot. I Hate Everything.

This just about sums it up. For or against the tank, the idea was to win the lottery (literally) and end up with McDavid and then an elite coach. The Sabres missed on both. Then no Stamkos. Then not even Vesey. The result of the tank is that the Sabres should get better over time and perhaps be a playoff team that catches fire one of these years. So... just about where we were pre-tank (or could have easily been with much less than a complete rebuild). Does that make the tank a mistake? I'm not sure. When you factor in the stench of losing that is on this franchise... it leans toward a yes for me.

 

What Torts said about analytics: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/tortorella-hockey-analytics-are-media-driven/

 

Give it 1 week. McDavid will have passed away (body-wide bone failure; Boneless Chicken Syndrome).

Fixed it for you.

Edited November 26, 2016 by PASabreFan

[Jacque Richard]

Who replaces him?

Phil housley

[North Buffalo]

Who replaces him?

Agreed Phil Housley

[Randall Flagg]

Who is the proper person to blame too-many-men penalties on? People often said the coach, especially when Lindy was here. I have a hard time imagining it being anyone but the player's fault though. I feel like the coach says "Larry's line out next" and the players have to wait for their guy to get back before they move. Even if a coach says "go McCabe get out there now" McCabe should be able to see that the LHD is far away, and make a decision then, no?

[Kruppstahl]

Bylsma needs to go...let the Fire Bylsma Watch begin....

Where you been?  I've been leading the charge on that front since last season.

[Eleven]

How about looking at it another way...Lets even count last season (2015-2016) when the team wasn't last in the league in goals...throw that in there:

 

-Over that 3.25 year span:

 

-Dallas leads the league, credited with 808 goals

-Tampa is next with 780

-Calgary is right in the middle with 718.

-New Jersey is 29th with 599

 

-The biggest gap between positions is the gap between 1st and 2nd...the 28 goals between Dallas and Tampa.  From Tampa (2nd) to New Jersey (2nd last) the average drop in the number of goals between teams is right about 10.

 

Till you get to the Sabres. The NHL credits them with 540 goals...a full 59 behind the 2nd last place team.  That is a monumental lack of offense over a 3+ year period...with the last full year and a 1/4 being a time when they WERE NOT trying to be bad.

 

The Sabres should probably look into their coach.

Edited November 26, 2016 by Eleven

[Randall Flagg]

The Sabres should probably look into their coach.

I knew you were going to respond to that part when I read it.

[Eleven]

I knew you were going to respond to that part when I read it.

 

Randall, are you calling me a bore?

[Stoner]

Narrative... troll... bore...

[Eleven]

That's the smoking gun, right there. But I don't see how Murray can fire Bylsma with a straight face. Pegula will have to fire both of them at once.

 

Why not?  He'd hardly be the first GM to fire the coach he picked.

Edited November 26, 2016 by Eleven

[Stoner]

Why not?  He'd hardly be the first GM to fire the coach he picked.

No, but barely into the coach's second season? It would be evidence that the hiring decision was an atrocious one.

The Sabres should probably look into their coach.

Is one playoff series win in three season an indication that Lindy Ruff would be the best guy to replace DB, if Ruff were somehow to become available?

[Jsixspd]

Who replaces him?

Yup.  

 

I'm no Bylsma fan but there has to be someone as good, or better, to take his place first.  Otherwise it makes no sense.  Sort of like when Ruff was fired, and who did they bring in? Ruffton?  How well did that work?  LOL 

Who is the proper person to blame too-many-men penalties on? People often said the coach, especially when Lindy was here. 

I'm biased - I want to blame Bylsma.   I think uncoordinated line changes - heck, that's mostly on the coach - especially such an embarrassing and harmful rash of them. 

[Stoner]

Yup.  

 

I'm no Bylsma fan but there has to be someone as good, or better, to take his place first.  Otherwise it makes no sense.  Sort of like when Ruff was fired, and who did they bring in? Ruffton?  How well did that work?  LOL

Wouldn't you agree that the Bylsma hire was the first serious hire after Ruff? Ron Rolston is not a reason to not fire Bylsma.

 

And of course there are good coaches out there. Even coaches who are better than Bylsma, or will be better soon enough, or if given a chance. That's the art of hiring a coach. Just as there were better coaches than Lindy, although probably not a ton, but certainly lots of guys who were better fits at the time.

[amrupp01]

I read this forum regularly but rarely post.  I see all the fire DD and GMTM (to a lesser extent) talk, but just cannot see the reason why.  This team, and the Bills for that matter, seem to need a little stability instead of kicking the coach and/or GM to the door after a season or two, or even three, of less than stellar results.  Fire DD now and who would be brought in?  NOBODY of any value would take the job.  We should give this staff at least this season, assuming Eichel returns soon, and evaluate in June.  The evaluation should result in whatever players are needed to help supplement the assets already here and build on it, rather than tear it down and start this god forsaken process again for the umpteenth time.   

 

I've watched this team since it's inception, and am as antsy as anyone wanting them to be competitive again.  I attend about 10 games a year, and watch virtually every other game on TV in its entirety.  I want this team to be exciting again as much as anyone.  I just do not think another shakeup will do anything more than set us back to square one.... again..

 

[TrueBlueGED]

No, but barely into the coach's second season? It would be evidence that the hiring decision was an atrocious one.

So? Wasn't Pittsburgh's last coach only on the job for less than two years? Then they fired him and won the Cup. It was Rutherford's first hire there, and he cut bait pretty quickly.

 

I don't think Murray is going to can Bylsma this year, but I don't think it's because it would be admitting a mistake, I think it'll be because the injuries bought Bylsma time.

[Jsixspd]

Wouldn't you agree that the Bylsma hire was the first serious hire after Ruff? Ron Rolston is not a reason to not fire Bylsma.

 

And of course there are good coaches out there. Even coaches who are better than Bylsma, or will be better soon enough, or if given a chance. That's the art of hiring a coach. Just as there were better coaches than Lindy, although probably not a ton, but certainly lots of guys who were better fits at the time.

Well all I meant is - if the only available option at this time is a worse coach than Bylsma (as frankly Rolston was worse than Ruff),  then why bother changing?  

 

 

I'm all for hiring a better coach.  I was absolutely underwhelmed by Bylsma's hire.   I have wondered for some time if it had something to do with Pegula's Pennsylvania connection rather than Bylsma being the best man available for the job?  

 

 As soon as a better (hopefully long term) coach is available, then by all means they should drop Bylsma like a hot potato.  Until that time - might as well keep him.  

[Eleven]

No, but barely into the coach's second season? It would be evidence that the hiring decision was an atrocious one.

Is one playoff series win in three season an indication that Lindy Ruff would be the best guy to replace DB, if Ruff were somehow to become available?

 

At least he gets to the playoffs.

 

The man has won division titles--with two different teams--and he's done it with teams not as talented as the rest of the division, in both cases.

 

No one ever has been able to do more with less.

 

But hey, PA, let's keep Abyslma.  After all, you're one of the guys who advocated for this.

 

We'll be seeing the Sabs on their fourth new coach soon enough.  He'll suck, too.

 

The TSC folks, frankly, were the equivalent of Trumpeters.

Edited November 27, 2016 by Eleven

[Brawndo]

And the Caps are laying a giant egg in TO Tonight

[Stoner]

At least he gets to the playoffs.

 

The man has won division titles--with two different teams--and he's done it with teams not as talented as the rest of the division, in both cases.

 

No one ever has been able to do more with less.

 

But hey, PA, let's keep Abyslma.  After all, you're one of the guys who advocated for this.

 

We'll be seeing the Sabs on their fourth new coach soon enough.  He'll suck, too.

 

The TSC folks, frankly, were the equivalent of Trumpeters.

I never advocated for Bylsma. I did advocate for putting Lindy out of his misery. HE COACHED IN BUFFALO FOR 16 YEARS. He was not wronged; it was not wrong to call for his departure, given the performance of his teams after 2007. He's a very good, maybe even great coach, but he won't go down as the greatest coach in team history. It's not a given that every coach that follows him will suck. Your statement makes you sound like me. Let that sink in!

 

Having said all that, I'm actually still not convinced Lindy was fired at all. I think maybe he got a golden parachute after he figured out the hole the franchise was in and that the fix was not something he was interested in living through. Same with Regier. Just a hunch.