Tonight's game showed me how little Bylsma has progressed with his "system."
It's in shambles and the Flyers just make him look more incompetent. When Sid & Geno aren't in beast mode and Bylsma actually has to coach, he's no better than when we had Therrien.
Why? Because I'm not going on name recognition or as I can now clearly see, the fact that Ruff isn't Bylsma?
Missing the playoffs an average of every 2nd year for the last decade impresses you?
Since we're all on player development, what's happened to Vanek who was one of the better natural scorers in the league? Why is Connolly considered one of the bigger underachievers in the league? What's happening to Tyler Myers who went from rookie of the year to struggling mightily this year?
I'm with you on not wanting Ruff (or Maurice). If you don't like Disco hockey then I think Ruff brings more of the same... even though he's better at the same style.
Small, quick teams that move their legs a lot and want to stay in motion. They're good from face off dot to face off dot but lack something from face off dot to the end boards on both sides of the puck.
While I like a quick transition and gaining the blue line ASAP, I would rather see a system thats about puck management and poise. Something with a little more set up for a better end result and a little less scrambley in the defensive zone.
To be honest I want to give Disco a break because I think there are a **** ton of holes on this team but I do think Shero is trying to put together a team that fits this hyper system. That hyper system is really hard to play in and make goal scorers like Poni and Sykora flat out garbage. I also think people forget just how new Bylsma is to coaching. Its not like he was putting in long years in the minors before he got his shot in Pittsburgh. So I always feel that he's learning a bulk of his craft as he goes. While he does add a new wrinkle ever year, he doesn't address the same mistakes we see year after year.
Nolan is a good mention. I like everything about his game but hate how he conducts himself off the ice. Tocchet, Boughner and King could be good fits too.
My personal choice is Ulfie. I'm not sure of his contract with Modo but the 'yotes used to rave about him. I always though he had a great hockey mind.
To be honest I want to give Disco a break because I think there are a **** ton of holes on this team
We are ONE genuine top 6 winger away from having the best line in hockey 2011/2012 be our second line and having a third line of Cooke - Sutter - Kennedy. Say what you want about Kennedy, but that is NOT a problem. Its just not as much of a strength as we would like it to be.
Our defense has very, very nice young players rotating to be 7th D, and the one and only issue (apart from actually letting those guys run with their great performances, which we most assuredly are not after Niskanen's return) is that Niskanen - a nice player himself, for sure - is paired with Letang on a pairing that will blow up in exactly the games we don't want it to. As is what happens when two undersized and extremely similar players are on the same 1st pairing in the NHL. Go figure.
Ie. we already have the in-house solution to the D, at least until the deadline/playoffs.... and we are one forward short. ONE.
Show me an NHL coach with that kind of roster problem and I show you a guy with a permanent smirk on his face. Well, Quenneville notwithstanding... although he would also like a 2nd/3rd line center and more guarantees in goal.
Btw. IHWR.... respecting your opinion and all, how do you feel about your original post right about now when it is actually possible?
I still think my OP was right on the mark.
If we don't make it past the first round we'll probably make a coaching change and Ruff is far and away the best coach available...just depends if he's still unemployed.
Sick bump by the way...man, I forgot how much I laid into that dope on page 3.
We are ONE genuine top 6 winger away from having the best line in hockey 2011/2012 be our second line and having a third line of Cooke - Sutter - Kennedy. Say what you want about Kennedy, but that is NOT a problem. Its just not as much of a strength as we would like it to be.
Our defense has very, very nice young players rotating to be 7th D, and the one and only issue (apart from actually letting those guys run with their great performances, which we most assuredly are not after Niskanen's return) is that Niskanen - a nice player himself, for sure - is paired with Letang on a pairing that will blow up in exactly the games we don't want it to. As is what happens when two undersized and extremely similar players are on the same 1st pairing in the NHL. Go figure.
Ie. we already have the in-house solution to the D, at least until the deadline/playoffs.... and we are one forward short. ONE.
Show me an NHL coach with that kind of roster problem and I show you a guy with a permanent smirk on his face. Well, Quenneville notwithstanding... although he would also like a 2nd/3rd line center and more guarantees in goal.
Bylsma has NO excuses this season. None.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not all rainbows and lollipops over Bylsma. I've seen the same garbage for far to long. Its just that I think Shero should get some blame too.
- Still not a skilled winger for Sid.
- Malkins line is incomplete.
- Size and toughness is an issue. How do you watch your star centers get pushed around all year and do nothing about it. Even last year Lucic talks trash to Sid and directly says "What are you going to do about it?"... It makes me want to vomit. Mario is in on this candy ass image too. The league punked him and the Pens out by calling out their image and they simply changed while the rest of the league didn't. Did the Pens really think the rest of the league was going to go light on Sid???
- Partner for Letang.
- Defense, defense, defense when drafting adds to problems up front. How great would it be to be talking about Silfverberg or Tatar right now?
- The Yotes are the only team interested in Zib. Give me a break. That was a huge trading asset gone like a fart in the wind.
- Waiting on big names like Parise and Sutter. Sure its nice to land a big name FA but if the Pens need stars like that then we might as well have Travis Zajac at center.
Can't hurt to bring in a fresh perspective who has played against your team?
Have our good cop bad cop scenario?
Why would he take an assistant job, though? He's absolutely going to be hired again as a head coach in the NHL, and it likely won't be too long before he's employed again. I don't see any chance he takes an assistant coaching gig anywhere.
Why would he take an assistant job, though? He's absolutely going to be hired again as a head coach in the NHL, and it likely won't be too long before he's employed again. I don't see any chance he takes an assistant coaching gig anywhere.
Because he knows Bylsma is probably on a short leash and there's no chance anyone other than Ruff would be given the job if / when Disco is canned? I don't think there's any chance Shero would do it, but I think it would be a healthy move IMO. Sends a clear message to everyone in the room and gives us the best insurance policy money can buy at the moment.
LOL, I was reading through this like "Why the **** are people talking about MT and Yeo???? Our PP is like 2nd in the league... huh? Those guys don't even play in Buffalo anymore"
Then I looked at the dates / last post.
Apparently, I was ******** about Bylsma 17 months after the cup win. Apparently, for the same reasons I am now. Thank goodness all that has happened since has shown how outlandish my concerns from 27 months ago were.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chancellor Vitale
Because he knows Bylsma is probably on a short leash and there's no chance anyone other than Ruff would be given the job if / when Disco is canned? I don't think there's any chance Shero would do it, but I think it would be a healthy move IMO. Sends a clear message to everyone in the room and gives us the best insurance policy money can buy at the moment.
IMO, that's just a mess right now. The time to have hired a guy like Ruff as an assistant-- the guy to play bad cop and tactician to make up for Bylsma's weaknesses there-- was when there were openings and Byslma went for his versions of McMahon's stooges.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not all rainbows and lollipops over Bylsma. I've seen the same garbage for far to long. Its just that I think Shero should get some blame too.
- Still not a skilled winger for Sid.
- Malkins line is incomplete.
- Size and toughness is an issue. How do you watch your star centers get pushed around all year and do nothing about it. Even last year Lucic talks trash to Sid and directly says "What are you going to do about it?"... It makes me want to vomit. Mario is in on this candy ass image too. The league punked him and the Pens out by calling out their image and they simply changed while the rest of the league didn't. Did the Pens really think the rest of the league was going to go light on Sid???
- Partner for Letang.
- Defense, defense, defense when drafting adds to problems up front. How great would it be to be talking about Silfverberg or Tatar right now?
- The Yotes are the only team interested in Zib. Give me a break. That was a huge trading asset gone like a fart in the wind.
- Waiting on big names like Parise and Sutter. Sure its nice to land a big name FA but if the Pens need stars like that then we might as well have Travis Zajac at center.
Agreed totally.
The whole pens organization is a Mickey Mouse operation. People have jobs because of their relationship with Mario. It's a joke that Jay Caulfield is on tv, Errey and Steig only have jobs because mario likes them. Craig Patrick was kept on too long because of his friendship with Mario.
This mentality is felt throughout the organization. We've had the same stale roster for years. It's like this organization is afraid of change.
Because he knows Bylsma is probably on a short leash and there's no chance anyone other than Ruff would be given the job if / when Disco is canned? I don't think there's any chance Shero would do it, but I think it would be a healthy move IMO. Sends a clear message to everyone in the room and gives us the best insurance policy money can buy at the moment.
It's a right the ship kind of move, and it's not like they'd hold Ruff back if he was offered a HC-job. That's the one thing this team is, very fair with it's employees.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not all rainbows and lollipops over Bylsma. I've seen the same garbage for far to long. Its just that I think Shero should get some blame too.
- Still not a skilled winger for Sid.
- Malkins line is incomplete.
- Size and toughness is an issue. How do you watch your star centers get pushed around all year and do nothing about it. Even last year Lucic talks trash to Sid and directly says "What are you going to do about it?"... It makes me want to vomit. Mario is in on this candy ass image too. The league punked him and the Pens out by calling out their image and they simply changed while the rest of the league didn't. Did the Pens really think the rest of the league was going to go light on Sid???
- Partner for Letang.
- Defense, defense, defense when drafting adds to problems up front. How great would it be to be talking about Silfverberg or Tatar right now?
- The Yotes are the only team interested in Zib. Give me a break. That was a huge trading asset gone like a fart in the wind.
- Waiting on big names like Parise and Sutter. Sure its nice to land a big name FA but if the Pens need stars like that then we might as well have Travis Zajac at center.
The whole pens organization is a Mickey Mouse operation. People have jobs because of their relationship with Mario. It's a joke that Jay Caulfield is on tv, Errey and Steig only have jobs because mario likes them. Craig Patrick was kept on too long because of his friendship with Mario.
This mentality is felt throughout the organization. We've had the same stale roster for years. It's like this organization is afraid of change.
We've needed wingers for 7 years.
Wake up
I wasn't aware that Pens fans consider him a joke? I personally like him and think he does a good job.
I wasn't aware that Pens fans consider him a joke? I personally like him and think he does a good job.
Oh man, I really appreciate everyone's opinion but Jay???You've got to be kidding please tell me you are kidding, or if you do not what is it you like about him (I know it's off the topic but this rally intrigues me)
I wasn't aware that Pens fans consider him a joke? I personally like him and think he does a good job.
He does a decent job with his telestration stuff, but he just sounds like a doofus and not in an endearing way. Any time I'm watching the Root Feed on Center Ice, I change the channel during intermission.
We are ONE genuine top 6 winger away from having the best line in hockey 2011/2012 be our second line and having a third line of Cooke - Sutter - Kennedy. Say what you want about Kennedy, but that is NOT a problem. Its just not as much of a strength as we would like it to be.
Our defense has very, very nice young players rotating to be 7th D, and the one and only issue (apart from actually letting those guys run with their great performances, which we most assuredly are not after Niskanen's return) is that Niskanen - a nice player himself, for sure - is paired with Letang on a pairing that will blow up in exactly the games we don't want it to. As is what happens when two undersized and extremely similar players are on the same 1st pairing in the NHL. Go figure.
Ie. we already have the in-house solution to the D, at least until the deadline/playoffs.... and we are one forward short. ONE.
Show me an NHL coach with that kind of roster problem and I show you a guy with a permanent smirk on his face. Well, Quenneville notwithstanding... although he would also like a 2nd/3rd line center and more guarantees in goal.
Bylsma has NO excuses this season. None.
our defense looked best this year with Letang-Despres, Martin-Orpik, England-Bortuzzo.
Niskanen has some skills but he's easily pushed around and really doesn't bring much for us other then some insurance if someone goes down. I'd trade Niskanen in a second as part of some package to get us a legit winger. Let Eaton ride the pine as our veteren insurance if someone gets hurt. Heck Dulomin should get some kinda look this season, if just to give him some exposure. Let a lone Morrow. Seems like trading Nisky away (and he has not been bad at all) solves more problems then it causes. Despres has looked pretty good and there he is rotting away on the pine. Sure could've used his big body last night
As a Sabres fan who watches a LOT of Pens games and likes the Pens a lot, trust me - you don't want this.
Talent aside, tell us what the difference would be in how the Pens will start playing should he take over?
It's not happening first off, but just as a hypothetical, I really want to know your opinion based on how we play now, and what changes would happen if he took over.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not all rainbows and lollipops over Bylsma. I've seen the same garbage for far to long. Its just that I think Shero should get some blame too.
- Still not a skilled winger for Sid.
- Malkins line is incomplete.
- Size and toughness is an issue. How do you watch your star centers get pushed around all year and do nothing about it. Even last year Lucic talks trash to Sid and directly says "What are you going to do about it?"... It makes me want to vomit. Mario is in on this candy ass image too. The league punked him and the Pens out by calling out their image and they simply changed while the rest of the league didn't. Did the Pens really think the rest of the league was going to go light on Sid???
- Partner for Letang.
- Defense, defense, defense when drafting adds to problems up front. How great would it be to be talking about Silfverberg or Tatar right now?
- The Yotes are the only team interested in Zib. Give me a break. That was a huge trading asset gone like a fart in the wind.
- Waiting on big names like Parise and Sutter. Sure its nice to land a big name FA but if the Pens need stars like that then we might as well have Travis Zajac at center.
This, this, and also that.
In hindsight, the organization wanting to take the lead on reducing headshots and speaking out against the brawl game (even though they were right) forced them to have to pacify the way we play.
There's a bad mixture of players here and like Kirk said, I agree with everything 100%
Lindy would be more of the same. He got fired because Buffalo can't play any semblance of defense, which is exactly what Bylsma is eventually going to get fired for.
In hindsight, the organization wanting to take the lead on reducing headshots and speaking out against the brawl game (even though they were right) forced them to have to pacify the way we play.
There's a bad mixture of players here and like Kirk said, I agree with everything 100%
You've got to admit that the give and take from 27 months ago is pretty funny and eerily reminiscent.
