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

[Jame]

So...we're all in on Claude being let go by Boston?

Yea, I mean... to me that's a perfect fit. He checks all the boxes for me.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

1. Heavily prefer Claude Julien
2. if it can't be Julien, please let it be someone with experience developing talent and implementing an effective system in today's game
3. but definitely not Blysma or Guy Boucher
4. If it has to be a newbie, at least it's not Blysma or Guy Boucher

Please please please don't be these guys. I'm hopping back on the Richardson train if these are the only other options. Have a feeling Julien won't be available.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

I feel like the only reason Jame hates Boucher is that he made Tampa a ***** to watch for a couple seasons. If the reports about him refining his process in the Swiss league are true, I'm not against seeing what he can do.

 

[Moskau]

I'd ultimately prefer a young up and coming coach, but there's so much risk with that. The ol' risk/reward. We all want a Jon Cooper, but chances are more likely you get a bust or a medicore coach that way.

I don't want to take a stab at a Jon Cooper for the Sabres, I want to find our Jon Cooper for the Amerks. I think finding a good coach for the Amerks this season is almost as important as the NHL coach. We have a HUGE 2013 draft class that will be graduating this season and next season. Develop those prospects while we develop a coach in the AHL.

 

[TalkingProuder]

Do you think that Murray already has another short list or are we going to cast a wide net?

 

[Deevo]

Let's get Bylsma

 

[Sabretip]

Holland's press conference yesterday revealed that, while Blashill may be the leading contender, Holland still intends to interview 2-3 others and will discuss it with Blashill next week. When a reported mentioned Bylsma's name as a possibility, Holland hinted that he may be one of the others Detroit interviews.

So I'm not ready to let go of hope that Blashill may still become available. With all of the reports of near certainty that came out about Babcock just to be proven wrong in the end with the surprise ending, who knows if the no-brainer assumption everyone has about Blashill replacing Babcock also takes an unexpected turn? What if Holland hires Bylsma? One would think that Blashill would see that as a closed door just like he would have if Babcock had returned.

What about Paul MacLean? His record declined in Ottawa but in his first two years as head coach he was nominated for the Jack Adams Award twice, and won it the second time. Also, he had some pretty young and inexperienced talents on his rosters and they've turned out pretty good (Karlsson, Zibanejad, Silverberg, Stone...

The guy has experience, seems to develop talents (or atleast not destroy them) and has a cool 'stache. He's perfect.

For all of the evidence supporting the Richardson scenario because of his history with Murray, Maclean has 6 years of experience working with Murray (3 in Anaheim when Maclean was Babcock's assistant and then 3 in Ottawa). So I would think that Maclean would be an even more comfortable option in Murray's mind than Richardson is, if familiarity is a key criteria.

Not sure how much of a factor the desire to bring Babcock's puck-possession system to Buffalo was in their wooing of Babcock but if they talked to McLellan previously, maybe Murray wants the Sabres to play that way....in which case, Maclean (and Blashill) certainly know Babcock's systems.

 

[radar493]

Do you think that Murray already has another short list or are we going to cast a wide net?

I think Murray has his list in hand and even a graded list. Won't take long for him to start working it. Wouldn't surprise me that he may already know who he might want.

 

[TalkingProuder]

I think Murray has his list in hand and even a graded list. Won't take long for him to start working it. Wouldn't surprise me that he may already know who he might want.

I hope so. I also hope he is open to someone farther down the list wowing him.

 

[couture23]

Lots of us are torn on Byslma.

I have no idea how to evaluate a head coach. It's tough.

 

[Jame]

I feel like the only reason Jame hates Boucher is that he made Tampa a ***** to watch for a couple seasons. If the reports about him refining his process in the Swiss league are true, I'm not against seeing what he can do.

That's correct. I dislike him because I experienced his coaching **** show up close. Not only was it **** on the ice, but the players hated him.

 

[Zip15]

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

After that, anyone but Torts.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Which players? One of the most overpaid, worst defensive forwards in the league? The general whiner who would demand a trade within a season or so? The vets from the 2011 run, of which none remain?

And I'm floored you have Ron Wilson anywhere near this list. His one high point since the lockout is the 2010 Silver...

 

[radar493]

Let's get Bylsma

Even though there seems to be a few anti Bylsma people here I think he would be fine. He seems to be respected by hockey guys. What happened in Pittsburgh is not all on him.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Let's get Bylsma

I asked for some feedback about him on the Penguins board. They all mostly think he's a bad fit for buffalo...they basically describe him exactly how everyone here describes Ted Nolan...almost to a T.

 

[TehDoak]

I leave it in Murray's hands at this point.

Murray's shown he can blow a team up and keep a coach on he knew was going to fail.

He's swung and missed at choice #1

Time to prove you can build a team and winning culture from the ground up. It's going to be alot harder than tearing a team down.

 

[Jame]

I don't want to take a stab at a Jon Cooper for the Sabres, I want to find our Jon Cooper for the Amerks. I think finding a good coach for the Amerks this season is almost as important as the NHL coach. We have a HUGE 2013 draft class this will be graduating this season and next season. Develop those prospects while we develop a coach in the AHL.

EXACTLY

The Sabres don't even have the opportunity to take a stab at a Jon Cooper. Cooper is a great tactician, but a huge component of his success is that he was already grooming this team before he took over the Lighning. Tyler Johnson, Palat, Kouch, Namestnikov, Brown, Killorn, Palat, Paquette... Gudas before they traded him.... these are the guys he groomed in Norfolk.

I completely agree.

That's why I want an experienced coach at the NHL level... and I'm with you, lets find the next Cooper for Rochester.

 

[radar493]

I asked for some feedback about him on the Penguins board. They all mostly think he's a bad fit for buffalo...they basically describe him exactly how everyone here describes Ted Nolan...almost to a T.

I think he is a much better hockey mind than Ted. Personality wise don't know. I know I would prefer him to Nolan. Liked Ted as a fan but don't think he is that great a coach at the NHL level.

 

[Sabre Dance]

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.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Bylsma Highlights List of Sabres Coaching Candidates

Matthew Coller

So no Babcock.

With Mike Babcock electing to become the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Buffalo Sabres will now kick their coach search into top gear.

Considering they were a finalist for in the Babcock sweepstakes – one that turned into a LeBron James-esque “decision” – it makes sense to suggest that the Sabres’ brass would be interested in the next biggest name: Dan Bylsma.

Posted this earlier, but it's better suited to this thread.

 

[Zip15]

I asked for some feedback about him on the Penguins board. They all mostly think he's a bad fit for buffalo...they basically describe him exactly how everyone here describes Ted Nolan...almost to a T.

Bruins fans said the same about us and Julien. Things don't usually end well, else they wouldn't end. Bylsma's purported and mostly untrue preference for vets--seriously, look at Malkin's, Crosby's, and Letang's ice times under Bylsma--is confused for the fact that Shero did an awful job of giving him young forwards to work with. Shero drafted two forwards in the top-60 of Bylsma's entire tenure:

Beau Bennett
Teddy Blueger (just finished junior season at Minn-Mankato)

That's awful. That's how you end up with Craig Adams playing more than you should; there was nobody coming up to displace those vets, and Shero did terribly in UFA, as well.

 

[Jame]

Even though there seems to be a few anti Bylsma people here I think he would be fine. He seems to be respected by hockey guys. What happened in Pittsburgh is not all on him.

what?

 

[Afino]

1. Heavily prefer Claude Julien
2. if it can't be Julien, please let it be someone with experience developing talent and implementing an effective system in today's game
3. but definitely not Blysma or Guy Boucher
4. If it has to be a newbie, at least it's not Blysma or Guy Boucher

I have never agreed with a Jame post more than I do this one, top to bottom

 

[Sabre the Win]

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.

 

[vcv]

Bruins fans said the same about us and Julien. Things don't usually end well, else they wouldn't end. Bylsma's purported and mostly untrue preference for vets--seriously, look at Malkin's, Crosby's, and Letang's ice times under Bylsma--is confused for the fact that Shero did an awful job of giving him young forwards to work with. Shero drafted two forwards in the top-60 of Bylsma's entire tenure:

Beau Bennett
Teddy Blueger (just finished junior season at Minn-Mankato)

That's awful. That's how you end up with Craig Adams playing more than you should; there was nobody coming up to displace those vets, and Shero did terribly in UFA, as well.

I don't want Bylsma because it's too much of an unknown for me. You're dead on that Shero gave him dog **** for depth. He did have top end talent, but the team was already really good, a contender, when he got them. The top end talent there was already enter, or in, their prime.

What did he do to develop players in Pittsburgh and make that team better? I have no freakin' clue.