Roster Speculation part XXII

[AustonsNostrils]

As a flyers fan I'm impressed by what the GM Tim Murray and head coach Dan Bylsma have built to become contenders once again.

Not sure how I feel about Bylsma, how many more points would we have had last season had Babcock been the coach? Is Bylsma just a median caliber NHL coach or if there was a WAR stat for coaches would Bylsma be on the plus side?

 

[Aladyyn]

Not sure how I feel about Bylsma, how many more points would we have had last season had Babcock been the coach? Is Bylsma just a median caliber NHL coach or if there was a WAR stat for coaches would Bylsma be on the plus side?

Can you imagine the shock for players going from Nolan to Babcock? I think Bylsma is a transition coach, Babcock would have been a long term comittment from the start.

 

[brian_griffin]

I like what Buffalo is doing for their line up. If the Sabres can sign Vesey, and If Kane doesn't get suspended the Sabres will be able to roll 3 dangerous speedy lines, and have a good grinder 4th line.
Also the defense is pretty respectable as well, although the Sabres front office could add another veteran defenseman at the deadline for depth down the stretch run into the playoffs.
The only concern I see is the goaltending which in most part isn't really much of a concern right now that's if Robin Lehner can stay healthy.Buffalo shouldn't have no trouble making the playoffs this season, and could actually surprise everyone by going deep into the playoffs.
As a flyers fan I'm impressed by what the GM Tim Murray and head coach Dan Bylsma have built to become contenders once again.

Many of us aren't worried at all about goaltending. Team possession and team shot differential are far more important than save %, and goalies don't contribute to possession and/or shot differential unless they have really poor rebound control. Aggregate save % of 0.910 or better is perfectly fine (which I believe BUF will easily have), and teams can win with less, especially with a positive team shot differential.

I think the only place goaltending has mattered the past 20+ years has been - get ready for it -...Philadelphia

Thanks for the optimism on the Sabres playoff chances. We'll see.

Flyers defense should be good for a while with Ghost and soon Sanheim up in the NHL.

 

[Beerz]

Can you imagine the shock for players going from Nolan to Babcock? I think Bylsma is a transition coach, Babcock would have been a long term comittment from the start.

You don't pay a transition coach 3 million a year. Murray and Sabres are committed to Bylsma

 

[Reddawg]

Not sure how I feel about Bylsma, how many more points would we have had last season had Babcock been the coach? Is Bylsma just a median caliber NHL coach or if there was a WAR stat for coaches would Bylsma be on the plus side?

Bylsma is the second-winningest active NHL coach in the regular season (250+ games min), behind only Boudreau. He's an excellent coach, we'll see that shine through this year.

 

[Paxon]

Bylsma is the second-winningest active NHL coach in the regular season (250+ games min), behind only Boudreau. He's an excellent coach, we'll see that shine through this year.

Things like that don't really say much imo. It just says Bylsma spent his entire career coaching a team most would agree would have great regular season results under any coach, because of Crosby+Malkin+etc.

 

[BananaSquad]

Things like that don't really say much imo. It just says Bylsma spent his entire career coaching a team most would agree would have great regular season results under any coach, because of Crosby+Malkin+etc.

Well to be fair, Crosby and Malkin were always hurt, and the Pens still finished tops in the east with J Staal playing 1C.

 

[joshjull]

Why do you think this and what role do you think they will have?

The role I see many setting aside for the FLG line for next season is the one they ended the season with. That being our top match up line getting 14+min a night at ES. Meaning Disco tried to get them out as much as possible vs the other teams best line. That is the role I don't see them having next year. I think that will go back to ROR who had the role until his injury.

I'm also not sure that line survives as a line by the end of our offseason. Not that I think any get traded but that all 3 won't stay together.

 

[1972]

Things like that don't really say much imo. It just says Bylsma spent his entire career coaching a team most would agree would have great regular season results under any coach, because of Crosby+Malkin+etc.

Meh one of Crosby and Malkin were seemingly always hurt, and he did an amazing job that one year when both went down. He's a solid coach.

 

[Husko]

The role I see many setting aside for the FLG line for next season is the one they ended the season with. That being our top match up line getting 14+min a night at ES. Meaning Disco tried to get them out as much as possible vs the other teams best line. That is the role I don't see them having next year. I think that will go back to ROR who had the role until his injury.

I'm also not sure that line survives as a line by the end of our offseason. Not that I think any get traded but that all 3 won't stay together.

It's survive the end of the offseason. Now whether it survives camp or even the first game...

 

[joshjull]

Well to be fair, Crosby and Malkin were always hurt, and the Pens still finished tops in the east with J Staal playing 1C.

Meh one of Crosby and Malkin were seemingly always hurt, and he did an amazing job that one year when both went down. He's a solid coach.

If we're going to be fair then lets be accurate. One season Disco was without Crosby and Malkin at the same time for an extended period of time. That would 10-11 when they both missed the last 35 games. The Pens were 29-14-4 at the point and did well going 20-11-4 in the last 35gms. That was the only time in Disco's tenure both were out together for an extend period of time. Crosby missed 22 games the following year but Malkin played in 75gms. Crosby played in 90% of the regular season games in the next two seasons and Malkin played in 70%. Needless to say having one of them gives the Pens a great chance to win any night let alone both.

 

[joshjull]

It's survive the end of the offseason. Now whether it survives camp or even the first game...

What?

 

[Husko]

What?

It will survive the end of the offseason*. As in, I think the idea of breaking up something that is working (see: ROR-Reinhart, Eichel-Reinhart) is just not something Bylsma will consider doing until it stops working. So I think we'll go into camp with FLG as a line. However, I wouldn't put him past it to break it up by day 2 of camp if he doesn't like what he sees.

 

[sabresfan65]

Great, now 3 pages on what constitutes the end of the "off-season"

 

[OkimLom]

The role I see many setting aside for the FLG line for next season is the one they ended the season with. That being our top match up line getting 14+min a night at ES. Meaning Disco tried to get them out as much as possible vs the other teams best line. That is the role I don't see them having next year. I think that will go back to ROR who had the role until his injury.

I'm also not sure that line survives as a line by the end of our offseason. Not that I think any get traded but that all 3 won't stay together.

Gotcha.

I think Bylsma just rolls the lines with very little "care" on who they are out there against, with 4th line getting very minimal ice-time, or maybe skipped shifts depending on who is on the line or the circumstances of the game.

I think the cycle will go(with Center as representative)

ROR, EICHEL, LARSSON, GIRGENSONS.

ROR and Eichel lines will be given much longer shifts than normal to capitalize on the young legs they have. I think the importance of matchups will not mean much, unless it involves Girgs vs a teams #1 line. Otherwise I think Bylsma just rolls the lines. I think Dan feels comfortable with ROR, Eichel, and Larsson against tough matchups. Mostly for different reasons.

ROR - Centered by a vet who has the most complete game and last showed he can handle most if not all the tough matchups.

Eichel - Part of his and Reinhart's development. Much like last year when ROR went out, Eichel was forced to handle guys like Kopitar, and Getlaf due to matchups from the other coaches.

Larsson - A good mixture of youth and vet, the Larsson line matchups when they were against the likes of Crosby, and other tough matchups must've given Dan some confidence in his guys for this line, and having your captain out there helps as well. Maybe not for the offensive output, but trusted with stifling quality chances from the better teams.

He's only going to get matchup opportunities when at home and on a few icing chances, he needs to be able to trust his 3 top lines to be able to play against anybody which will help in the development of their games.

 

[flashsabre]

Things like that don't really say much imo. It just says Bylsma spent his entire career coaching a team most would agree would have great regular season results under any coach, because of Crosby+Malkin+etc.

Show me a great coach from any sport that didn't have great players. The only place Bowman didn't have top players was in Buffalo and we saw how that worked out. Babcock's team finished 30th in a 30 team league. Is he a terrible coach now or did he not have the top players to execute the game plan and get results?

 

[joshjull]

It will survive the end of the offseason*. As in, I think the idea of breaking up something that is working (see: ROR-Reinhart, Eichel-Reinhart) is just not something Bylsma will consider doing until it stops working. So I think we'll go into camp with FLG as a line. However, I wouldn't put him past it to break it up by day 2 of camp if he doesn't like what he sees.

I was trying to say with that phrase that with the Okposo signing, Ennis returning and possibly other moves, I don't necessarily see those 3 staying together as a line next season. Which is the same thing you're saying. I probably should have been clearer

Disco broke up more than a few successful combos last year before they started faltering. The most prominent one being Kane/Eichel/Reinhart. They played 7 games together. The last 3 they had tore it up and were no where near tailing off. If anything they appeared to be heating up. But the minute ROR returned, they were no more.

 

[joshjull]

Gotcha.

I think Bylsma just rolls the lines with very little "care" on who they are out there against, with 4th line getting very minimal ice-time, or maybe skipped shifts depending on who is on the line or the circumstances of the game.

Thats simply not true at all. He assigns roles to each line. ROR's line handled the top matchups, Eichel's line handled the role of top offensive line and the 3rd line started off as the back/secondary matchup line. There was a shift late in the year with the 3rd line becoming more of the primary shut down line.

I think the cycle will go(with Center as representative)

ROR, EICHEL, LARSSON, GIRGENSONS.

ROR and Eichel lines will be given much longer shifts than normal to capitalize on the young legs they have. I think the importance of matchups will not mean much, unless it involves Girgs vs a teams #1 line. Otherwise I think Bylsma just rolls the lines. I think Dan feels comfortable with ROR, Eichel, and Larsson against tough matchups. Mostly for different reasons.

ROR - Centered by a vet who has the most complete game and last showed he can handle most if not all the tough matchups.

Eichel - Part of his and Reinhart's development. Much like last year when ROR went out, Eichel was forced to handle guys like Kopitar, and Getlaf due to matchups from the other coaches.

Larsson - A good mixture of youth and vet, the Larsson line matchups when they were against the likes of Crosby, and other tough matchups must've given Dan some confidence in his guys for this line, and having your captain out there helps as well. Maybe not for the offensive output, but trusted with stifling quality chances from the better teams.

Thats not how that works. You want to take advantage of young legs you give them more shifts not longer ones. Extending shifts is not something a coach would want to do. Coaches always want short hard intensity shifts.

He's only going to get matchup opportunities when at home and on a few icing chances, he needs to be able to trust his 3 top lines to be able to play against anybody which will help in the development of their games.

Also not true. Its certainly much harder to get the matchups on the road. But coaches still work to get those matchups by using a few tactics, like quick changes after a face off.

 

[1972]

Show me a great coach from any sport that didn't have great players. The only place Bowman didn't have top players was in Buffalo and we saw how that worked out. Babcock's team finished 30th in a 30 team league. Is he a terrible coach now or did he not have the top players to execute the game plan and get results?

No kidding...the guy won a Stanley Cup, he knows what he is doing.

 

[sabrebuild]

No kidding...the guy won a Stanley Cup, he knows what he is doing.

So every coach who wins a championship at some point must know what he is doing?

Does that mean they are competent or above average?

 

[Revelate]

Competent is above average.

 

[Samsonite23]

Competent is above average.

A synonym of competent is average. So not really.

 

[TehDoak]

Dang this thread is still kicking?

I'd be near shocked if we saw any movement other than the Risto and Girgenson's contracts before September.

 

[Revelate]

A synonym of competent is average. So not really.

Not really. If the majority isn't competent, than being competent is above average.

 

[Samsonite23]

Not really. If the majority isn't competent, than being competent is above average.

Ok. That pretty bold saying the majority of NHL coaches are bad at coaching hockey.