GDT: #19 – Sabres at Blues – Thu Nov 19, 8:00PM ET – MSG-B, Bell TV

[sabresfan129103]

I'm still baffled that Gionta played 21 minutes. WTF Dan.

 

[Mit Yarrum]

Considering how much better they are and how they play a real system now, hating him over his Gionta obsession seems stupid. It's obvious he has a hard-on for Brian, but that doesn't wash out the good he's done in turning this team around.

Precisely.

 

[DazedandConfused]

I get the anger over some player selections... but so far I think Bylsma has done a damn good job.

For what it's worth, I think the changes we want to see will happen, because they're logical and our results haven't been great in OT.

Yeah, when we're officially out of the playoff race.

 

[sabrebuild]

We were terrible for 2 years to get elite talent. We got them, and then didn't use their talents in two of the most obvious "use them and get the extra point l" scenarios.

No Reinhart in OT
No Eichel in SO

Totally unacceptable

And that's on top of season long idiotic deployments of guys like Gionta, Legwand, Franson, weber, etc

Its frustrating short term, but the talent has already displayed enough to trust they will be contenders for the forseeable future. Murray is playing xbox in real life.

How he supports his stars will be fascinating. And he is ice cold enough to boot bylsma in a couple years.

 

[thekenneth]

I'm kind of confused about them allowing that shootout goal.
it likely would have went in anyhow and it wasn't on purpose. but not sure how that was allowed. I have a feeling if a sabres player did it it would be waved off for sure.

 

[CrazyPsycho]

Goodness allen robbed kane too, off his stick..didnt see that the first time

 

[Ralonzo]

Ennis and Larsson. Awful.

Larsson saved Ennis' ass that shift. Ennis kept losing the puck and Larsson kept getting it.

And then just when I;m giving 12 props for making the right play and skating it out of the o-zone to keep possession, he does what? passes it right to a Blue in the middle of a friggin line change.

C'mon Disco.

Every. Single. Sabre. Fan. Can't. Be. Wrong.

 

[Clock]

Nearly 20 games in and on the bubble for a playoff spot. They're also more than holding their own against great teams. I'll take it.

Yeah. The fact that they're right there in most games is awesome.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Has Evander Kane ever passed the puck?

What happened to Ennis..?

 

[Ralonzo]

every time i hear them call fabbri's name i think of branislav fabry. anybody else?

Yes.

Let's hope for no homonyms for Denis Tsygurov.

 

[joshjull]

Considering how much better they are and how they play a real system now, hating him over his Gionta obsession seems stupid. It's obvious he has a hard-on for Brian, but that doesn't wash out the good he's done in turning this team around.

Turning the team around? The turn around of this team from last year to this year was due to the enormous infusion of talent over the offseason. The talent gap between last year's team and this year's is enormous. Particularly the possession skill gap. Thats the work of Tim Murray (and to a lesser extent Darcy) not Bylsma.

Bylsma has them playing hard every night and playing their system well. The tougher part comes during the season when player management (who dresses/who sits each night); in game player usage (who is used in what situation/players ice times/line adjustments) and in game strategy/tactics (aggressive 2-1-2, passive 1-2-2, etc) impact's a teams ability to win or lose. Those are the bigger measures of how good or bad the coach is doing.

The issues most of us have had have been with his in game management (player usage/strategy + tactics). Gionta being a glaring example of that. Nothing remotely stupid about calling him out on it either.

 

[Orvald]

Has Evander Kane ever passed the puck?

What happened to Ennis..?

The same as what is happening to Gus, both are lost while adjusting to a new system.

 

[schpaff]

Considering how much better they are and how they play a real system now, hating him over his Gionta obsession seems stupid. It's obvious he has a hard-on for Brian, but that doesn't wash out the good he's done in turning this team around.

Seems stupid?...lol. That is the only positive you mentioned.

Edit: handled above.

 

[21]

Very excited about Ullmark.

We will see how Lehner reacts on this competition, he is the son of Henrik Lundqvist's coach after all. ;-)

 

[Jame]

Has Evander Kane ever passed the puck?

What happened to Ennis..?

Nothing

 

[Jame]

Turning the team around? The turn around of this team from last year to this year was due to the enormous infusion of talent over the offseason. The talent gap between last year's team and this year's is enormous. Particularly the possession skill gap. Thats the work of Tim Murray (and to a lesser extent Darcy) not Bylsma.

Bylsma has them playing hard every night and playing their system well. The tougher part comes during the season when player management (who dresses/who sits each night); in game player usage (who is used in what situation/players ice times/line adjustments) and in game strategy/tactics (aggressive 2-1-2, passive 1-2-2, etc) impact's a teams ability to win or lose. Those are the bigger measures of how good or bad the coach is doing.

The issues most of us have had have been with his in game management (player usage/strategy + tactics). Gionta being a glaring example of that. Nothing remotely stupid about calling him out on it either.

seconded

Bylsma getting credit when in reality Oreilly, Kane, Eichel, Reinhart, Pysyk, McCabe... hell even Franson, Legwand, McGinn.... it's just a massive roster turnover.

I also agree. Professional system, strong effort... credit to Bylsma. But we are seeing everything that some of us feared.

Any coach can win in the regular season with high end talent and a deep roster (see Lindy Ruff). It's the in game tactics and deployment that sets coaching apart. Bylsma has always lacked in these areas. And we are seeing it, just as some expected.

or... instead of repeating... i'll just say i agree with everything you said...

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Royal Thunder]

I think people need to relax about Bylsma. He is giving the vets minutes while the kids are learning. This team is still really, really young. Is it costing us points? Maybe one or two but I really doubt it will have any long term effect. The old guys will be gone in a year or two, except Moulson.

I will say that Gionta playing pretty much half of the OT is outrageous and I have no defense for Bylsma there. Gio does seem to like extending his shifts though, I notice it a lot..

 

[haseoke39]

Watching this, God, Marty Biron has such piercing grey eyes.

Just devastating. It's like there aren't even pupils in the middle.

 

[cardiffgiant]

Has Evander Kane ever passed the puck?

What happened to Ennis..?

I'd have to watch replays to be sure that he wasn't just shooting the puck sideways.

 

[Revelate]

i feel like Murray is just going to trade Gionta to save Dan from himself.

 

[Sabre the Win]

I get the Bylsma hate for player usage and the Gionta hate for being a turnover liability every shift but lets not forget this team for two years in a row barely finished with 50 points on the season and we are still a couple pieces away from actually having credible depth so instead of making a stink about everything negative we should be happy with the positives we are seeing and continue to build through the draft with another relatively high pick (not tank) but just allow the suck to happen.

 

[Jame]

I get the Bylsma hate for player usage and the Gionta hate for being a turnover liability every shift but lets not forget this team for two years in a row barely finished with 50 points on the season and we are still a couple pieces away from actually having credible depth so instead of making a stink about everything negative we should be happy with the positives we are seeing and continue to build through the draft with another relatively high pick (not tank) but just allow the suck to happen.

Irrelevant

 

[sabrebuild]

i feel like Murray is just going to trade Gionta to save Dan from himself.

Very unlikely. Hard to trade your cap when he is well liked. And who would want him.

 

[Gras]

i feel like Murray is just going to trade Gionta to save Dan from himself.

He has a 35+ NTC