Phil Housley: Your Feelings After Preseason

[LGR4GM]

How do you feel about Phil Housley now that preseason is over? This isn't how do you think he will be 3 months from now or that we need to be patience, you've seen him work with the team for about a month, how do you feel right this second with him as the coach. 

[Randall Flagg]

Absolutely nothing because we've seen absolutely nothing

[Weave]

The style he wants to play is more entertaining. That is a positive. The rest won't come until the games matter.

[SwampD]

The style he wants to play is more entertaining. That is a positive. The rest won't come until the games matter.

I don't know. We saw an awful lot of stretch passes on Friday. I hear those are bad.  :devil:

 

 

Housley looks like a coach. Let's hope he's a good one.

[Trettioåtta]

Did we win any games this pre-season? I think we possibly won one in overtime? So we were 1 - 5? It made me think we will be a bottom 5 - 10 team, but that's basically normal now. At least the games were more interesting (although we still can't score). Disappointed Eichel had a much quieter one with about 2 points than Laine, Mathews and McDavid who all absolutely dominated.

[Eleven]

The style he wants to play is more entertaining. That is a positive. The rest won't come until the games matter.

 

100% how I feel.

[LTS]

I love the changes I've seen.  The execution of those changes is coming along but the defensive pressure system is awesome.  They are making a point of using the D to keep pucks in the zone and the forwards are coming back hard as back support if the puck gets by the D.  That was never the case before.

 

In the Islanders game I look at the number of off-sides calls they forced the Islanders into and it shows their willingness to hold the blue line entry and pressure the puck and take away the possession entry.

 

In short.. I like what I see.

[Randall Flagg]

Did we win any games this pre-season? I think we possibly won one in overtime? So we were 1 - 5? It made me think we will be a bottom 5 - 10 team, but that's basically normal now. At least the games were more interesting (although we still can't score). Disappointed Eichel had a much quieter one with about 2 points than Laine, Mathews and McDavid who all absolutely dominated.

You feel comfortable making a standings prediction based on preseason standings? Also, Eichel had at least 4 points, and only played 4 games I believe, maybe 3. 

 

I did the analysis elsewhere and over the last two years, the bottom 10 teams during the preseason won from 66% to 75% of all playoff series depending on the year, and contained the SC champ and finalist each time. 

 

It is utterly foolish to make conclusions about how the regular season will go based on preseason record. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

I don't know. We saw an awful lot of stretch passes on Friday. I hear those are bad.  :devil:

 

 

Thanks for the laugh.

 

We are on our 3rd coach and GM combo during this rebuild. It's going to take time. In DD's 1st season the team went 15-22-4 in the 1st half and 20-14-7 in the second half (and still finished 7th in the Atlantic). What we need to hope for is 18-19 wins in the 1st half if we are to have any chance of contending for a playoff spot.

[pi2000]

Just because it's different, doesn't mean it's better.

[WildCard]

I think if we learned anything, it's what Liger has been saying: this is going to take a couple of months to come together. Let's just hope we're not buried by that point

[Trettioåtta]

You feel comfortable making a standings prediction based on preseason standings? Also, Eichel had at least 4 points, and only played 4 games I believe, maybe 3. 

 

I did the analysis elsewhere and over the last two years, the bottom 10 teams during the preseason won from 66% to 75% of all playoff series depending on the year, and contained the SC champ and finalist each time. 

 

It is utterly foolish to make conclusions about how the regular season will go based on preseason record. 

 

Yeah fair point. In all honesty, I'm trying hard to keep my optimism at bay - last year I was so ready for us to take the next big step and we absolutely didn't. I didn't watch a ton of the preseason (staying up till 3am with work the next day for pointless games isn't my thing), but I was just hoping to see this team come out swinging (especially in the scoring department - if we are going to lose, let's at least lose games 5-4 rather than 2-1).

 

That said Colorado were like 4 - 0 in their preseason last year...

 

Plus I like the more active and aggresive D. It feels like there is more chance for a scoring play to develop rather than just give up on the play at first chance

[Randall Flagg]

Yeah fair point. In all honesty, I'm trying hard to keep my optimism at bay - last year I was so ready for us to take the next big step and we absolutely didn't. I didn't watch a ton of the preseason (staying up till 3am with work the next day for pointless games isn't my thing), but I was just hoping to see this team come out swinging (especially in the scoring department - if we are going to lose, let's at least lose games 5-4 rather than 2-1).

 

That said Colorado were like 4 - 0 in their preseason last year...

 

Plus I like the more active and aggresive D. It feels like there is more chance for a scoring play to develop rather than just give up on the play at first chance

A Sabres fan from UK! How many games do you watch on average during the season, with the time difference?

[Trettioåtta]

A Sabres fan from UK! How many games do you watch on average during the season, with the time difference?

 

Maybe half a season at most? I try to watch highlights of every game at the very least.

 

My current job is quite flexible, so my aim is to watch 28 of the first 41 games (annoyingly the Western trip is at a really irritating time for me so i'll miss those).

 

I think this is why I have been quite pessimistic in the last year - i resent missing sleep for poor performances :p

[Samson's Flow]

I'm encouraged by the limited preseason games I have seen. There are still a couple times where the old habit of insta-dump in starts happening, but I think every time I see that the player gives their own Vanek-face and realizes we aren't supposed to do that anymore. It will take time for the new habits to take over for the old crappy hockey, but I am willing to be patient to see how it goes.

 

Plus the Bills coaching hire seems to have gone pretty well, which for some reason is making me optimistic, even though they are only minimally related.

[pi2000]

At 0 regular season games played? Why didn't your patience with Bylsma ever thin?

 

I think Bylsma did everything he could with the hand he was dealt.    Was he the right guy for this particular group?  Maybe not... but that doesn't make him a bad coach.

 

I've seen nothing from this preseason to suggest Housley has them on the right path.    Guys like ROR, Eichel, etc... sleep-walking through pre-season games,  ragged scrambley d-zone play, giving up odd man rush after odd man rush.    Lack of effort and focus... and all Housley has done is heap praise on this group for their work ethic.... well, I for one, don't see any amount of work ethic from anybody.     

 

Who shined in camp?  Nobody.

 

Who took that next step in their development?  Nobody.

 

Who's taken a leadership role?   Nobody.

 

What are the lines going to look like opening night?   Who knows.

 

I don't know Housley personally, but it sounds like he hasn't earned the players respect... maybe he will, maybe he won't.   

 

Just a very underwhelming start....  with low expectations, and excuses aplenty (new coach/system will take time to adjust),  this team is setup for an abysmal start to the season... and I put that on Housley.    Every interview he says things like "It's a process".... "It's going to take some time"..... you know what?  that!    With the talent on this roster, they shouldn't be satisfied with just "making progress".     Housley is giving players a built in excuse to take nights/periosds off.     He has all the hallmarks of a guy that the players are going to take advantage of.... and it's already showing in the pre-season with slow starts and guys under-performing.     I think he's in over his head. 

[Drunkard]

Taking a wait and see approach but right now I'm cautiously optimistic. The 2 things I wanted to see the most was a better system and Reinhart to get a chance at center and so far both have happened so I'm happy. I'm sure it will be a bumpy road at first but at this point I'm happy with Housley so far.

[Randall Flagg]

That is something else. 

[Sabel79]

Pi gonna Pi.

[nfreeman]

The style he wants to play is more entertaining. That is a positive. The rest won't come until the games matter.

 

100% how I feel.

 

Me too.

 

Taking a wait and see approach but right now I'm cautiously optimistic. The 2 things I wanted to see the most was a better system and Reinhart to get a chance at center and so far both have happened so I'm happy. I'm sure it will be a bumpy road at first but at this point I'm happy with Housley so far.

 

This is a more positive view, which I also endorse. 

 

But we shouldn't assume this will work, either.

[WildCard]

I think Bylsma did everything he could with the hand he was dealt.    Was he the right guy for this particular group?  Maybe not... but that doesn't make him a bad coach.

 

I've seen nothing from this preseason to suggest Housley has them on the right path.    Guys like ROR, Eichel, etc... sleep-walking through pre-season games,  ragged scrambley d-zone play, giving up odd man rush after odd man rush.    Lack of effort and focus... and all Housley has done is heap praise on this group for their work ethic.... well, I for one, don't see any amount of work ethic from anybody.     

 

Who shined in camp?  Nobody.

 

Who took that next step in their development?  Nobody.

 

Who's taken a leadership role?   Nobody.

 

What are the lines going to look like opening night?   Who knows.

 

I don't know Housley personally, but it sounds like he hasn't earned the players respect... maybe he will, maybe he won't.   

 

Just a very underwhelming start....  with low expectations, and excuses aplenty (new coach/system will take time to adjust),  this team is setup for an abysmal start to the season... and I put that on Housley.    Every interview he says things like "It's a process".... "It's going to take some time"..... you know what?  ###### that!    With the talent on this roster, they shouldn't be satisfied with just "making progress".     Housley is giving players a built in excuse to take nights/periosds off.     He has all the hallmarks of a guy that the players are going to take advantage of.... and it's already showing in the pre-season with slow starts and guys under-performing.     I think he's in over his head. 

[Eleven]

Just because it's different, doesn't mean it's better.

 

It is qualitatively better.  Whether that translates to more wins, we don't know.  But it's definitely better to watch.

[spndnchz]

I see Housley as taking a more realistic approach with his system and players than previous coaches.

[qwksndmonster]

Just because it's different, doesn't mean it's better.

Actually any approach that's not Bylsma's is better so different is by definition better.

[bob_sauve28]

Just because it's different, doesn't mean it's better.

If he doesn't win Thursday, fire him! 

 

I'm tired of this losing mentality