Let the Fire Bylsma Watch begin

[JJFIVEOH]

So, how do we all feel about this now? Looks like we have another full week of this roller coaster 

 

He's not getting fired. We're gonna spend the entire offseason bitching about not getting good free agents because nobody wants to play for Goober, then it's be non-stop Goober bashing for each and every loss moving forward. 

[darksabre]

It sounds like TM heard a lot from the players about DDB. What I'm parsing together is that:

-Dan is schizophrenic about what he wants players to do, which is very confusing for them. What he wants one night, isn't what he wants the next night. 

 

-Dan has no idea how to set up a roster/system that plays to each player's strengths 

 

-Dan focuses on the big picture, the "system", a lot, but doesn't actually know how to coach the individual players within that system. Remember when Foligno was practicing in Jack's spot on the PP to show Jack how to play it? It struck me as odd at the time, but now I see that the reason for it is that Bylsma just doesn't know how to coach. Foligno might "get it", but not because it was Dan who showed him. He's just more experienced than Jack. 

 

-Dan doesn't hold players accountable for anything/has no control over the room. Evidently there are players in the room who aren't happy with how some of their teammates have acted this year and expected more from Dan in response. The Reinhart thing was the natural reaction to this, where the players finally had enough and asked GMTM to have Dan to get his sh*t together.. Reinhart ends up being the fall guy just by happenstance, but it's DDB's fault that he was.  

[JJFIVEOH]

There is no way in hell Murray hasn't had discussion with the Pegulas regarding Goober yet. They had to have come up at some point because the last two weeks wasn't a game changer. It's been a topic of discussion for a couple of months. 

 

My point, if it hasn't happened yet, it's not going to happen. 

[TrueBlueGED]

So, how do we all feel about this now? Looks like we have another full week of this roller coaster

I feel better than I have since the season ended. My hope is he's going to bring the player exits to Pegula as support for his decision to move on. Pegula will say okay. And we'll have a new coach next season.

 

The biggest tip off to me was his "Dan is my coach today" phrasing. That sort of language is normally a pretty big tip of the hand.

It sounds like TM heard a lot from the players about DDB. What I'm parsing together is that:

 

-Dan is schizophrenic about what he wants players to do, which is very confusing for them. What he wants one night, isn't what he wants the next night.

 

-Dan has no idea how to set up a roster/system that plays to each player's strengths

 

-Dan focuses on the big picture, the "system", a lot, but doesn't actually know how to coach the individual players within that system. Remember when Foligno was practicing in Jack's spot on the PP to show Jack how to play it? It struck me as odd at the time, but now I see that the reason for it is that Bylsma just doesn't know how to coach. Foligno might "get it", but not because it was Dan who showed him. He's just more experienced than Jack.

 

-Dan doesn't hold players accountable for anything/has no control over the room. Evidently there are players in the room who aren't happy with how some of their teammates have acted this year and expected more from Dan in response. The Reinhart thing was the natural reaction to this, where the players finally had enough and asked GMTM to have Dan to get his sh*t together.. Reinhart ends up being the fall guy just by happenstance, but it's DDB's fault that he was.

At the very least, I don't see how anyone could have listened to that presser and not come away thinking Bylsma had flunked the psychology portion of the coaching equation. Some of us will never agree on systems, but there are clearly very real locker room issues between the coach and players.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I feel better than I have since the season ended. My hope is he's going to bring the player exits to Pegula as support for his decision to move on. Pegula will say okay. And we'll have a new coach next season.

 

The biggest tip off to me was his "Dan is my coach today" phrasing. That sort of language is normally a pretty big tip of the hand.

 

Maybe he's trolling the media and you anti-Dan guys?

[darksabre]

Maybe he's trolling the media and you anti-Dan guys?

Nah. If Dan was definitely going to be the coach next year he would have just said that. "Dan is going to be the coach next year." That's what GMTM would say, no? 

[Thwomp!]

Nah. If Dan was definitely going to be the coach next year he would have just said that. "Dan is going to be the coach next year." That's what GMTM would say, no? 

 

He also said the same thing about himself.  "I'm the GM today."

[darksabre]

He also said the same thing about himself.  "I'm the GM today."

Sure, but that's because he has to play it off like nothing is set in stone. The idea being that nothing about his future or Dan's future has been decided until he meets with Boss Man Terry. 

[Thwomp!]

Sure, but that's because he has to play it off like nothing is set in stone. The idea being that nothing about his future or Dan's future has been decided until he meets with Boss Man Terry. 

 

Well that's what I'm saying and that's why I think he unfortunately remains the coach.

 

Murray basically said nothing's set in stone and compared his situation to Dreary's.  If Dreary was on really thin ice, Murray would have distanced his own situation from Dreary's, not compare them.

[darksabre]

Well that's what I'm saying and that's why I think he unfortunately remains the coach.

 

Murray basically said nothing's set in stone and compared his situation to Dreary's.  If Dreary was on really thin ice, Murray would have distanced his own situation from Dreary's, not compare them.

I disagree. I think he was just being humble and trying not to act like he's untouchable. 

[Thwomp!]

I disagree. I think he was just being humble and trying not to act like he's untouchable. 

 

We'll agree to disagree.  I think it can be summed up as "nobody knows" if Dreary is back or not at this point.  We can only read into Murray's comments and those can be perceived multiple ways.

 

[Randall Flagg]

I think Dan's gone.

[Wyldnwoody44]

I think we should just keep speculation alive for the sake of this becoming a megathread

[Thwomp!]

I think Dan's gone.

 

I think Dan stays although I'm in the "Can Dan!" camp.

[WildCard]

I think we should just keep speculation alive for the sake of this becoming a megathread

I want it dead so desperately 

I think Dan's gone.

Damn you scuba steve

[Derrico]

Randall, True and Dark all think Dan's gone?  Add that to what I thought I heard in the presser and my hope meter jumped from 1/10 to 9/10.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Randall, True and Dark all think Dan's gone?  Add that to what I thought I heard in the presser and my hope meter jumped from 1/10 to 9/10.

 

Don't forget 11.

[StuckinFL]

I packed up my Sabres stuff that was around the house. I'm done watching a Dan Bylsma Sabres team. As long as he is the coach, I'm not a fan.

[Brawndo]

Murray mentioned the disconnect with the players.

 

The fact they spent too much time worrying about other teams and not enough of there own

 

He mentioned the players like things in black and white, probably meaning his system was too hard for the players.

 

He mentioned he does not want to be a chip and chase team, something that DD excels at and preaches as gospel.

( It makes the Defensemen have to go retrieve the puck and causes fatigue in them, I'm paraphrasing DDs quote here)

 

Small glimmer of hope here

[WildCard]

Any idea on when he meets with Pegula? I'm getting antsy

[Brawndo]

Any idea on when he meets with Pegula? I'm getting antsy

Next week, I'm on the West Coast of Florida or I would go ask Terry

[JJFIVEOH]

I know where he parks his boat.  B-)

[WildCard]

Dan is staying. Murray when asked about make or break for the playoffs next season said 'next season', seemingly indicating that next season is make or break. He's not hiring a new guy for a make or break season; the only person this is make or break for is Byslma.

 

Is the 2018 draft any good?

[matter2003]

GMTM basically trashed Bylsma without trashing him..."I think he should spend a little less time worrying about the other team and maybe a little more time with a coffee in his hand walking through the locker room getting to know the players more".

 

That is about as damning a thing to say as you possibly could about a coach.  No matter what you want to believe, coaching and management, in general, is about PEOPLE.  If you cannot build some type of relationships with the people you manage, the chances of you being able to succeed with them are very slim.  It's obvious the players didn't have much of a relationship with him, and when you don't have much of a relationship with them, it's a lot easier to simply put in the "minimum" amount of effort.  To tune him out.  To not go to the wall for him. To just shrug your shoulders and say "Well, today just isn't our day" than to stand and fight when things go bad.

 

 

People want to think this type of thing doesn't matter but it does...a LOT more than most people realize.  This is why great managers and leaders can take over a company and get phenomenal results with 95% of the SAME people the previous manager had who got crappy results.  It's about knowing your people, holding them accountable, putting them in a position to succeed, believing in them when maybe they don't believe in themselves and letting them know you care about them not only as players but also as human beings...you showcase strengths and hide weaknesses, as you work on improving their weaknesses.  

 

The same exact thing happened in Pittsburgh with Bylsma as it is here and if he cannot build some type of relationships with his players it's pretty obvious why.  You cannot be an effective leader when your employees think you don't care about them and they don't know or understand what you want from them. If this is true, there are a lot of frustrated players in that dressing room.

Edited April 13, 2017 by matter2003

[pi2000]

 

GMTM basically trashed Bylsma without trashing him..."I think he should spend a little less time worrying about the other team and maybe a little more time with a coffee in his hand walking through the locker room getting to know the players more".

 

That is about as damning a thing to say as you possibly could about a coach.  No matter what you want to believe, coaching and management, in general, is about PEOPLE.  If you cannot build some type of relationships with the people you manage, the chances of you being able to succeed with them are very slim.  It's obvious the players didn't have much of a relationship with him, and when you don't have much of a relationship with them, it's a lot easier to simply put in the "minimum" amount of effort.  To tune him out.  To not go to the wall for him. To just shrug your shoulders and say "Well, today just isn't our day" than to stand and fight when things go bad.

 

 

People want to think this type of thing doesn't matter but it does...a LOT more than most people realize.  This is why great managers and leaders can take over a company and get phenomenal results with 95% of the SAME people the previous manager had who got crappy results.  It's about knowing your people, holding them accountable, putting them in a position to succeed, believing in them when maybe they don't believe in themselves and letting them know you care about them not only as players but also as human beings...you showcase strengths and hide weaknesses, as you work on improving their weaknesses.  

 

The same exact thing happened in Pittsburgh with Bylsma as it is here and if he cannot build some type of relationships with his players it's pretty obvious why.  You cannot be an effective leader when your employees think you don't care about them and they don't know or understand what you want from them. If this is true, there are a lot of frustrated players in that dressing room.

 

 

This is professional hockey at the highest level.    Coaches are not looked at as friends... as a player if you want a friend, look to the guy in the stall next to you.    The coach is the drill sergeant, the guy you need to respect and follow his instruction.    You think Darryl Sutter gave his players emotional support, you think his players think he cared about their personal well being?  You need a guy who commands respect from his players and they'll play hard for you.  

 

That said, everything you said is true for youth hockey, juniors, etc.. but not at the professional level.