Speculation: New Head Coach

[RCDeltaFixer]

Just another guy trying to get attention by saying something that is most likely going to happen but wants to be the first to report it. Nothing new here, he's not reputable.

Pretty much. I've seen other "non-reputable" people saying the same thing, I've also seen some saying Gallant. At this point, nobody knows.

 

[Big Bjugs]

Isn't draft hosted in Florida next year ? I can see trading up into top 5 or to get a player Panthers really want if this upcoming season goes better than expected.

Yea but it might depend how good these kids are in the top 5. Would the teams drafting in that spot want to move that pick? I'm sure the Panthers could get it but at a pretty hefty price.

 

[Mogo]

I'm joining the Bylsma boat. First I was against it because all the "rumours" that he's awful but after reading comments about him from his formers Penguins and ex-penguins players I changed my mind

 

[Egblad]

I'm joining the Bylsma boat. First I was against it because all the "rumours" that he's awful but after reading comments about him from his formers Penguins and ex-penguins players I changed my mind

Yeah, welcome aboard.

Keep in mind that it's HF too, where reasonable, sound analysis of players and or coaches is a rarity, either everybody is tremendously bad or the next Gretzky or Orr, or whatever you want to use. If one reads between the lines, Bylsma seems like a pretty damned good candidate for this position. All the 24/7 stuff I remember watching on Bylsma made me like him too.

 

[Dread Clawz]

I'm sorry but the Pens do not have poor depth. That's not an excuse for Bylsma. Up front they have Neal, Kunitz, Jokinen, Bennett, Dupuis, Goc, Sutter, Stempniak. On D they have Letang, Martin, Maatta, Niskanen, Scuderi, Orpik. That's a good team. Their depth is a lot better than our depth.

 

[Mogo]

I'm sorry but the Pens do not have poor depth. That's not an excuse for Bylsma. Up front they have Neal, Kunitz, Jokinen, Bennett, Dupuis, Goc, Sutter, Stempniak. On D they have Letang, Martin, Maatta, Niskanen, Scuderi, Orpik. That's a good team. Their depth is a lot better than our depth.

They don't have a captain like Jovanovski!

 

[iam76]

I'm sorry but the Pens do not have poor depth. That's not an excuse for Bylsma. Up front they have Neal, Kunitz, Jokinen, Bennett, Dupuis, Goc, Sutter, Stempniak. On D they have Letang, Martin, Maatta, Niskanen, Scuderi, Orpik. That's a good team. Their depth is a lot better than our depth.

And they made the playoffs and lost.. last time I checked so did San Jose Tampa bay Columbus Boston etc etc.. only one team can win it all...

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Yeah, welcome aboard.

Keep in mind that it's HF too, where reasonable, sound analysis of players and or coaches is a rarity, either everybody is tremendously bad or the next Gretzky or Orr, or whatever you want to use. If one reads between the lines, Bylsma seems like a pretty damned good candidate for this position. All the 24/7 stuff I remember watching on Bylsma made me like him too.

But you can see the moves he made (or lack of them). They were objectively bad. Hopefully he'll be less stubborn here, but we'll see. It wasn't just HF on him, TSN, all the local papers, hell even the Toronto Star had an article back in the first round questioning him. It was noticeable.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Its all irrelevant anyways unless drastic improvements are made this off season. Right now thats more important.

 

[Egblad]

But you can see the moves he made (or lack of them). They were objectively bad. Hopefully he'll be less stubborn here, but we'll see. It wasn't just HF on him, TSN, all the local papers, hell even the Toronto Star had an article back in the first round questioning him. It was noticeable.

I understand that, but every coach has baggage -- every one. Perhaps Bylsma will learn, and it's quite simple really -- if he doesn't do a good job here in a time span that Tallon believes is reasonable, then he is gone. It's as simple as that. For now, I'd prefer Bylsma because he has the experience. We'll see how well he can adapt his coaching style if he gets the job.

 

[EvGeno]

I keep hearing that from Pen fans about his cons, but what would you say his strengths as a coach are?

Um...he's a nice guy who was good for the team's morale, especially initially with what had been Therrien's team (i.e., when players compared him to MT). The team also kept chugging when some or all of the big names were out.

................yeah, that's all I've got.

 

[jol]

This. I'm happy with Bylsma or Gallant, but if they hired Gallant I'd become extremely skeptical about the whole "Dale can spend however much money he wants this offseason".

Anybody worrying about this "Dale can spend however much money he wants this offseason"?
He doesn't have his capologist and you cannot dump contracts anymore to minors or Europe.

JOL

 

[Mogo]

Um...he's a nice guy who was good for the team's morale, especially initially with what had been Therrien's team (i.e., when players compared him to MT). The team also kept chugging when some or all of the big names were out.

................yeah, that's all I've got.

Wasn't Therrian team 10th in the East when he got fired?

 

[Dread Clawz]

And they made the playoffs and lost.. last time I checked so did San Jose Tampa bay Columbus Boston etc etc.. only one team can win it all...

Yes, but Bylsma did not keep failing in the playoffs due to poor depth on his roster like some people here are saying. You can definitely rule out poor depth.

 

[GrumpyKelly]

Yes, but Bylsma did not keep failing in the playoffs due to poor depth on his roster like some people here are saying. You can definitely rule out poor depth.

Wasn't their bottom six abysmal when you look at the numbers?

 

[Dread Clawz]

Wasn't their bottom six abysmal when you look at the numbers?

Perhaps that's due to how Bylsma utilized them? I don't really know, but on paper they are definitely not abysmal.

 

[EvGeno]

Wasn't Therrian team 10th in the East when he got fired?

Yes, the players had tuned "Dey Don Care" Therrien out...and then Bylsma came in and everyone commented about how nice it was to have a coach who "always had his door open" and was easy to talk to. Bylsma also added a bit more offense into Therrien's defensive system, and boom...Cup. Of course, after that season once Bylsma fully implemented his "system" (grind 'em down, and...uh...get to our game), and refused to change it or add back any of the defensive structure that won him a Cup, the Pens did jack squat.

Perhaps that's due to how Bylsma utilized them? I don't really know, but on paper they are definitely not abysmal.

Glass and Adams are pretty abysmal (or, as it's said on the Pens board, abylsmal). The thing with DB was, he seemed to think they were great and utilized them over better, younger players--presumably because those two are mirror images of himself as a player (not very good), and DB always would lose his spot to the better, younger players. Young player takes a penalty? Benched the rest of the game. Adams takes a penalty? Right back out there, sometimes with Crosby no less. TV timeout over when Pens are trailing? Adams and Glass time! A minute left and the Pens are winning? Adams and Glass time (often spent in the Pens' zone)! Those two were frequently near the top in ice time (usually over Malkin, who DB seemed to feel was only useful when Crosby was injured).

/rant. That said, good luck, assuming he's the guy!

 

[WayneSid9987]

I keep hearing that from Pen fans about his cons, but what would you say his strengths as a coach are?

He can get a team to the playoffs would be his obvious strength. Very consistent regular seasons with teams that were terribly unhealthy.
And he's quite easy to play for. These guys will love to come to the rink everyday.

Like most here, i agree that Gerard Gallant or DB would be a great pick up. Really like Gerard as well. Followed him closely with the Saint John Sea Dogs when Huby was around.

 

[CanadianPantherFan]

He can get a team to the playoffs would be his obvious strength. Very consistent regular seasons with teams that were terribly unhealthy.
And he's quite easy to play for. These guys will love to come to the rink everyday.

Like most here, i agree that Gerard Gallant or DB would be a great pick up. Really like Gerard as well. Followed him closely with the Saint John Sea Dogs when Huby was around.

That's us in a nutshell
Every season

 

[LUUUUUIS]

He can get a team to the playoffs would be his obvious strength. Very consistent regular seasons with teams that were terribly unhealthy.
And he's quite easy to play for. These guys will love to come to the rink everyday.

Like most here, i agree that Gerard Gallant or DB would be a great pick up. Really like Gerard as well. Followed him closely with the Saint John Sea Dogs when Huby was around.

and that's all we want, currently. I'm willing to ignore all of his faults if he can get us to the dance on a regular basis. If he hasn't learned from his mistakes in 3 years, then we can go shopping for another coach.

 

[GrumpyKelly]

Maybe let's just wait and see what he can do (if he even gets the job). I know there isn't alot going on right now but this predetermined hate is pretty ridiculous.

 

[RCDeltaFixer]

and that's all we want, currently. I'm willing to ignore all of his faults if he can get us to the dance on a regular basis. If he hasn't learned from his mistakes in 3 years, then we can go shopping for another coach.

Yes yes yes. I don't expect a Cup next year, the year after, or anytime in the near future. But if DB can get us to the playoffs consistently, I think we can ignore his faults. Pens fans are in a "win the Cup now" mode. They feel they're wasting Crosby and Malkin's prime. We're far from "win the Cup now" mode, Barkov, Bjugstad, Huberdeau, etc. aren't even in their prime yet. So I think a lot of Bylsma's faults can be overlooked as long as we're a constant playoff team. If we're at that stage, we can always fire him (its not like we're signing him to a 100 year deal) and bring in someone else to push us over the edge into Cup territory.

 

[Ekblast]

^ Breaking news! The Florida Panthers have signed Dan Bylsma to a 100 year deal!

 

[Dread Clawz]

Yes, the players had tuned "Dey Don Care" Therrien out...and then Bylsma came in and everyone commented about how nice it was to have a coach who "always had his door open" and was easy to talk to. Bylsma also added a bit more offense into Therrien's defensive system, and boom...Cup. Of course, after that season once Bylsma fully implemented his "system" (grind 'em down, and...uh...get to our game), and refused to change it or add back any of the defensive structure that won him a Cup, the Pens did jack squat.



Glass and Adams are pretty abysmal (or, as it's said on the Pens board, abylsmal). The thing with DB was, he seemed to think they were great and utilized them over better, younger players--presumably because those two are mirror images of himself as a player (not very good), and DB always would lose his spot to the better, younger players. Young player takes a penalty? Benched the rest of the game. Adams takes a penalty? Right back out there, sometimes with Crosby no less. TV timeout over when Pens are trailing? Adams and Glass time! A minute left and the Pens are winning? Adams and Glass time (often spent in the Pens' zone)! Those two were frequently near the top in ice time (usually over Malkin, who DB seemed to feel was only useful when Crosby was injured).

/rant. That said, good luck, assuming he's the guy!

This is why I want Gallant instead of Bylsma.

 

[EvGeno]

Maybe let's just wait and see what he can do (if he even gets the job). I know there isn't alot going on right now but this predetermined hate is pretty ridiculous.

A lot of the hate (that I noticed/remember in my skimming this thread) was in my post, so it's not predetermined . Hopefully, if he's the guy, DB will have learned from being fired and be more willing to change...and maybe you all don't have fringe NHL vets that he will feel are like his long-lost sons...