Bylsma on Crosby "Sid is not the best player in the world skill-wise"

[ColePens]

Why does anyone care? Sid isn't the best skilled player in the game. He never has been. The best skilled players are not the best in the game. Sid is the best hockey player for everything else he brings.

I don't know the context of what he's talking about, but the quote is saying basically Sid is not the best skilled player. Okay. Cool. That doesn't change anything and nobody should be shocked.

Unless DB is actually trying to say he's not the best in the world - i don't give 2 shits. But I read this way different. Some of the most skilled players in the world can't even crack the NHL because it takes more than skill.

 

[Turin]

Yeah, I always interpreted the "best grinder to play the game" comments as a reflection of his mentality/play style, not the actual level of skill that he possesses which is, as you said, obscenely high.

As the pinnacle of modern hockey, Crosby might be the most technically skilled player of all time. People think skill means one on one deking ability but that’s obviously just one skill. Who had better hand-eye? Who had a better backhand? Who was better on the wall? Who used their edges better? He’s arguably the most skilled hockey player ever at somethings, and the rest of his game was simply elite.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Why does anyone care?

I saw a chance to take a shot at Bylama and I took it. The rest that was mentioned was more interesting and it’s cool to get a look at some of the wreckage to figure out just what happened under him.

 

[DegenX]

And you thought Milbury and Eddie O set the bar low ...

 

[Gurglesons]

And you thought Milbury and Eddie O set the bar low ...

At least they can get on the semi-national broadcast. Bylsma is like the person that gets regular feature spots on the NHL Network right after a rare vagina disease lawsuit commercial.

 

[PensandCaps]

Bylsma says obvious thing.

We all know this.

McDavid,Guadreau,Kane,Malkin,Kucherov and alot others are all more skilled.

 

[madinsomniac]

I mean Bylsma hated skilled players so this was probably the most praise he could give to a star player....

And isn't interviewing Bylsma about hockey related things kind of like interviewing that dude who flunked out of school but won the lottery on education related things...

 

[Turin]

Bylsma says obvious thing.

We all know this.

McDavid,Guadreau,Kane,Malkin,Kucherov and alot others are all more skilled.

In what way? Because they deke on breakaways?

 

[Human]

f*** Dan Bylsma!

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

And you thought Milbury and Eddie O set the bar low ...

They did.

Bylsma then took the bar and ground it down into powder.

 

[imouttahereEdWinger]

What is a skill anyway? Isn't deflecting pucks on insane angles a skill? Is owning the puck along the boards using great skating, your stick, and feet a skill?

I think sometimes we just get an idea that if a player can do 3 things like snipe, deke, and quickly skate around a guy then he's skilled and then ignore other less traditional things that are skills in and of themselves. Crosby has skills that other players who do the more traditional "pretty" things often lack. Like Semin's comment a few years ago implying that if you aren't flying down the wing and sniping to get your hockeying done then you're lesser somehow when there's plenty of other skills that players can perform that end up with the puck in the net instead. There's no asterisk on your Rocket trophy that 30 of your goals weren't just blowing it by the goalie picking a corner.

 

[EVGENIMERLIN]

Maybe no the best, but certainly top 4 in the NHL and has been for his whole career? His vision is elite, he makes incredible plays even on off nights (watch him take the puck and just work some of the best defenders in the game like rag dolls with his edged work), he has a plethora of highlight reel high end talent goals...I mean am I crazy? Even being "the best grinder" takes talent.

 

[EVGENIMERLIN]

What is a skill anyway? Isn't deflecting pucks on insane angles a skill? Is owning the puck along the boards using great skating, your stick, and feet a skill?

I think sometimes we just get an idea that if a player can do 3 things like snipe, deke, and quickly skate around a guy then he's skilled and then ignore other less traditional things that are skills in and of themselves. Crosby has skills that other players who do the more traditional "pretty" things often lack. Like Semin's comment a few years ago implying that if you aren't flying down the wing and sniping to get your hockeying done then you're lesser somehow when there's plenty of other skills that players can perform that end up with the puck in the net instead. There's no asterisk on your Rocket trophy that 30 of your goals weren't just blowing it by the goalie picking a corner.

You said what I was thinking in a more eloquent way

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

What would Bylsma know about skill anyways??

He was a scrub player and the luckiest fraud to ever coach his way a Cup thanks largely to someone else's system and having 2 generational talents.

Generational talents in which he still stupidly ruined a large chunk of their primes shortly afterward due to his ego and a bullshit unwillingness to change what was going wrong.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

He’s comments on Crosby on the actual interview aren’t that bad. Basically says Crosby learns and makes himself better than everyone.

What he says about Malkin and comparing him to.. wait for it.. Brooks Orpik is completely lolworthy.

Also, his arrogance really comes through when talking about the stats “ he looks at it.”

He's been fired twice now, largely for the same reason (idiotic refusal to adapt). I think it's safe to say Bylsma's ego's getting the better of him these days.

 

[Brandinho]

What would Bylsma know about skill anyways??

He was a scrub player and the luckiest fraud to ever coach his way a Cup thanks largely to someone else's system and having 2 generational talents.

Generational talents in which he still stupidly ruined a large chunk of their primes shortly afterward due to his ego and a bull**** unwillingness to change what was going wrong.

The best coaches in any sport are typically subpar players so I don't think Bylsma's skill at playing the game has anything to do with his ability to evaluate skill in others.

Bylsma's bad at two different things, but he's not bad at one because he was bad at the other.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

He's been fired twice now, largely for the same reason (idiotic refusal to adapt). I think it's safe to say Bylsma's ego's getting the better of him these days.

What's growing faster?? His ego or his bald spot?

 

[Speaking Moistly]

He's been fired twice now, largely for the same reason (idiotic refusal to adapt). I think it's safe to say Bylsma's ego's getting the better of him these days.

Idk, I lean towards him not being smart enough to adapt. He has an ego but it’s looking more and more like he’s an idiot of a coach and that’s probably worse than his ego.

 

[pokey10]

And it could be said that Bure was more skilled than Fedorov. Or Forsberg was more skilled than Jagr. But i'd still take the latter of the two examples on my team any day.

 

[EightyOne]

Crosby relative to his customary level of play isn't even close to that this season. Currently no, he's not the best player in the world skill wise or in any other way for that matter.

I'd say he's still the most hockey smart versus any other player in the league.

 

[Tom Hanks]

And you thought Milbury and Eddie O set the bar low ...

Love the Buffy gifs

 

[Crosbyfan]

Dan might not be the sharpest tool in the box, but when you're a hammer why would you need to be?

 

[XanderCrews34]

I’ve always found the distinction between “best” and “most skilled” to be a little silly.

I always thought the players that played the best were the most skillful.

But I suppose if FHCDB says otherwise, then it’s time to re-evaluate.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I’ve always found the distinction between “best” and “most skilled” to be a little silly.

I always thought the players that played the best were the most skillful.

But I suppose if FHCDB says otherwise, then it’s time to re-evaluate.

I get it, in a sense. Hornqvist is not very traditionally skilled, but he's the best at what he does in the NHL.

But FHCDB is dumb.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Bergeron is also not the most skillful but i consider him one of the best players in the world.
I don't really have a problem with what DB said about Sid here.