Speculation: Coaching Search - Part III: Dan Bylsma deal "imminent"

[Doug Prishpreed]

I'm confused on Bylsma. Before he took over in Pittsburgh he was 35-16-1 in the AHL . He coached under Todd Richards as an assistant in the AHL before that. He never missed the playoffs. Won a cup.

I don't get the hate. He is also young enough to adapt.

Players love to play for him but he trusts hard working grinder vets over young talent, he never changes his plan or system, no matter how poorly it's working, etc.

Here's one fan's analysis:

"Good to great motivator. One of the few NHL coaches that will risk innovation (which isn't to say his innovation works...our D spent 6 years getting just destroyed by forecheckers in the name of trying to get the puck up ice quicker...funnily enough, Mike Babcock actually adopted DB's puck retrieval scheme for a few months). Stubborn as all Hell. Arrogant to a fault. Believes that his ideas are infallible so much that if another coach comes up with a direct counter to something he does (for fun, go find a Bylsma Pens game against Pete DeBoer's Devils and watch how the Devil's forecheck paralyzed us), he just chalks it up to his own guys not wanting it enough, rather than admit an X and O failure."

 

[Zip15]

For a guy playing checkers against someone playing chess, Bylsma's 8-5-1 record vs Babcock is nothing to sneeze at.

 

[Paxon]

I don't want to make it seem like Bylsma is the worst coach in the world, but he's the opposite of what I want. A few posts up referenced it, but Sabretip's excellent post yesterday drove it home: Bylsma is a slicker model of Ted Nolan. No thanks.

 

[Myllz]

Players love to play for him but he trusts hard working grinder vets over young talent, he never changes his plan or system, no matter how poorly it's working, etc.

Here's one fan's analysis:

"Good to great motivator. One of the few NHL coaches that will risk innovation (which isn't to say his innovation works...our D spent 6 years getting just destroyed by forecheckers in the name of trying to get the puck up ice quicker...funnily enough, Mike Babcock actually adopted DB's puck retrieval scheme for a few months). Stubborn as all Hell. Arrogant to a fault. Believes that his ideas are infallible so much that if another coach comes up with a direct counter to something he does (for fun, go find a Bylsma Pens game against Pete DeBoer's Devils and watch how the Devil's forecheck paralyzed us), he just chalks it up to his own guys not wanting it enough, rather than admit an X and O failure."

Again, what young talent was he supposed to play in Pittsburgh? He didn't have any to play.

 

[Zip15]

I don't want to make it seem like Bylsma is the worst coach in the world, but he's the opposite of what I want. A few posts up referenced it, but Sabretip's excellent post yesterday drove it home: Bylsma is a slicker model of Ted Nolan. No thanks.

A lot of Sabretooth's post--not Sabretip's--that was largely based on anecdotal evidence was largely refuted soon thereafter, FWIW. I guess people hear and see what they want to hear and see.

Also, can't believe Bylsma was just put in the same sentence as Ted Nolan. From you, no less.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Sabre Dance]

I still like Randy Carlyle, he had that Leafs team humming, he had Bozak playing 1C when he's a 2C at best but succeeding and sitting at the top of the conference until Kessel disappeared and Bozak couldn't keep the pace and the depth wasn't good enough to be relied upon. This happened many seasons and Toronto got fed up with it but players disappearing wasn't the coaches fault. Kessel has been doing that his whole career and Toronto has traded all their talent away and left themselves in a hole. There's only so much you can do with limited talent and I think Carlyle did a pretty good job.

On a side note it would be great spanking and eliminating the Leafs year in and out with Carlyle.

Me too. I would love this hire.

 

[Moskau]

The Babcock situation really made people lose focus that 2 months ago most of us were talking about a 2-3 year coach and not a "forever coach" like everyone seems to want now.

Bylsma is 50/50 around here but he may actually be the best fit. He's a glorified Ted Nolan without the baggage. He's got the "hoo rah rah" aspect down but he also has some x's and o's in him. Is he the ideal coach to take us to the cup? Probably not but he wouldn't be a terrible coach for the next few years. He's not my 1st choice but it wouldn't be the end of the world if it was him. I think a lot of people dislike him more for how terrible he screwed up the Olympics than his actual NHL track record.

Plus imagine the press conferences with him and Tim Murray wearing the same eye glasses.

 

[radar493]

1) Julien
2) Hitchcock
3) Bylsma
4) Dineen

After that, anyone but Torts.

I like your list and Torts is a cannon looking to explode.

 

[Myllz]

The Babcock situation really made people lose focus that 2 months ago most of us were talking about a 2-3 year coach and not a "forever coach" like everyone seems to want now.

Bylsma is 50/50 around here but he may actually be the best fit. He's a glorified Ted Nolan without the baggage. He's got the "hoo rah rah" aspect down but he also has some x's and o's in him. Is he the ideal coach to take us to the cup? Probably not but he wouldn't be a terrible coach for the next few years. He's not my 1st choice but it wouldn't be the end of the world if it was him. I think a lot of people dislike him more for how terrible he screwed up the Olympics than his actual NHL track record.

Plus imagine the press conferences with him and Tim Murray wearing the same eye glasses.

People really need to stop saying that.

 

[Moskau]

Also, can't believe Bylsma was just put in the same sentence as Ted Nolan. From you, no less.

I'd say he's 50% Ted Nolan, 50% coach that knows how to actually coach the game.

 

[Moskau]

People really need to stop saying that.

Why? He's a player's coach. He's a motivational coach first but unlike Ted Nolan he also has some in game awareness. Hence the term glorified or polished Ted Nolan.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Players love to play for him but he trusts hard working grinder vets over young talent, he never changes his plan or system, no matter how poorly it's working, etc.

Here's one fan's analysis:

"Good to great motivator. One of the few NHL coaches that will risk innovation (which isn't to say his innovation works...our D spent 6 years getting just destroyed by forecheckers in the name of trying to get the puck up ice quicker...funnily enough, Mike Babcock actually adopted DB's puck retrieval scheme for a few months). Stubborn as all Hell. Arrogant to a fault. Believes that his ideas are infallible so much that if another coach comes up with a direct counter to something he does (for fun, go find a Bylsma Pens game against Pete DeBoer's Devils and watch how the Devil's forecheck paralyzed us), he just chalks it up to his own guys not wanting it enough, rather than admit an X and O failure."

The guy won a lot though. Just as much as Babcock. Babcock a great X and O guy with great players didn't have more success.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[LetsDoughBuffalo]

Bylsma is wayyyyy down there on my list.

I was hoping for Terry Murray, or Kevin Dineen.

But, Bylsma....ugh

 

[Myllz]

Why? He's a player's coach. He's a motivational coach first but unlike Ted Nolan he also has some in game awareness. Hence the term glorified or polished Ted Nolan.

Because it's a terrible way to paint the caliber of coach Bylsma is. Even if they have similar styles, they're not on anywhere near the same level.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Saying it makes me vomit in my mouth. But the only person I REALLY want to coach the Sabres is Laviolette.

 

[Zip15]

Because it's a terrible way to paint the caliber of coach Bylsma is. Even if they have similar styles, they're not on anywhere near the same level.

But it's inflammatory and scares the **** out of people, and if they can get more people to say "do not want Bylsma," they feel like they're winning.

 

[Moskau]

Because it's a terrible way to paint the caliber of coach Bylsma is. Even if they have similar styles, they're not on anywhere near the same level.

Not really. You're taking it was too personal for some reason. Saying he's a much better version of Ted Nolan is not a bad thing and may be exactly the type of coach the team needs right now. The team will still be outclassed almost every single night and will need a good motivational coach as well as a guy who can teach them the game.

 

[TalkingProuder]

Tim Murray, "I talked to people before Babcock, during, and after interested in this job."

 

[Zip15]

Tim effectively confirms they've asked permission to speak with Bylsma. That was the worst denial I've ever heard.

 

[Myllz]

Tim effectively confirms they've asked permission to speak with Bylsma. That was the worst denial I've ever heard.

Tim, can you confirm you've asked the Pens for permission to speak with Bylsma?

"Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..." *5 seconds of silence*

 

[Zip15]

Tim, can you confirm you've asked the Pens for permission to speak with Bylsma?

"Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..." *5 seconds of silence*

That was the best. Followed by a "no, I won't confirm that."

 

[Moskau]

Did Murray just say Boston is going to sign Julien to a pretty big contract or was he referencing his previous contract.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Tim effectively confirms they've asked permission to speak with Bylsma. That was the worst denial I've ever heard.

Looks like no more leaks.