The Bylsma System
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Matt Ress
Don't sleep on me
There's usually one F down low, one high and one floater. I assume either the weakest or fastest up high with the best defensive F down low. They do play relatively low but I don't see them varying too much from that until next season.
I think Bylsma, in some weird world, someone gets the most of average players - However system wise, theres no such thing as lockdown in his playbook.
brian_griffin
"Eric Cartman?"
You seem to assert the Sabres are unable to generate offense (without defining what that means) because they have fewer ("stretch") breakouts.
Granted, these are inclusive stats and not just ES 5v5, but this year's Sabres are taking 5-6 more shots per game, and giving up 5-6 fewer shots per game, than last year (~30/30 per game this year vs. ~24/36 per game last year). That is a huge improvement. Probably the biggest year-over-year improvement in the league.
I am using shots, not Corsi or Fenwick, but I believe those numbers would show similar improvements (more shots/attempted shots for, fewer shots/attempts against).
If, by generating offense, you mean goals and not shots/shot attempts, the conversation should include shooting %. Buffalo's shooting percentage is well below NHL median (7.7%). If they had NHL median shooting % of 8.7%, they'd have 0.3 more goals per game, and 14 more total goals for the season, squarely putting them in the median of the NHL teams in goals-for for the season. I therefore infer the issue behind their offensive woes is shooting percentage (largely luck) and not, e.g., shot opportunities.
Sabres have played 16 games where they've shot 4.0% or less. Record is 1-14-1, with the win a shootout win.
Sabres have played 30 games shooting below the league median of 8.7%, with a record of 5-22-3. (this includes the 16 game subset above).
Sabres have played 17 games shooting above the league median of 8.7%; record is 14-2-1.
Their team save % is league median. It's their shooting % which is responsible for their under-performance. I posit that's largely luck.
To the specific question of D-zone breakouts, I have no desire to return to the last couple year's "system" of forwards leaving the zone early, and routinely hearing RJ's mantra of "cleared, but not out".
PunchImlach is Alive
Registered User
I also think Dan is playing his forwards low and I don't see him rushing to change that system just yet. Outside of a frustrating offensive game, I'm ok with this young team getting a sound defensive game beaten into their instincts for a bit. I highly doubt Bylsma comes out next season talking again about how he wants Jack to focus more on the defensive aspects of his game.
I do like the small details and creative setups Bylsma is using on face-offs and he's clearly a coach enjoying the spoils of an overabundance of centers. Their play is crisp when it starts in the offensive zone. Lots of pretty setups and the PP has been rewarded for it.
Their neutral zone work could use a little more creativity but that will come. So far our plan is 40% Kane individually muscles his way over the blue line. And that's awesome and all but yadda yadda where are the rest of our wingers grumble grumble. When we aren't starting in the offensive zone, it seems we just struggle to get a cycle going once we can finally enter the zone.
Now that Risto has really been finding his game, I'd like to see him put in even more situations to lead rushes up the ice. But I think Bylsma won't unleash the jets on Risto unless he's confident he's got plenty of players who can cover for him effortlessly.
I do like the small details and creative setups Bylsma is using on face-offs and he's clearly a coach enjoying the spoils of an overabundance of centers. Their play is crisp when it starts in the offensive zone. Lots of pretty setups and the PP has been rewarded for it.
Their neutral zone work could use a little more creativity but that will come. So far our plan is 40% Kane individually muscles his way over the blue line. And that's awesome and all but yadda yadda where are the rest of our wingers grumble grumble. When we aren't starting in the offensive zone, it seems we just struggle to get a cycle going once we can finally enter the zone.
Now that Risto has really been finding his game, I'd like to see him put in even more situations to lead rushes up the ice. But I think Bylsma won't unleash the jets on Risto unless he's confident he's got plenty of players who can cover for him effortlessly.
The Sabres were horrible in almost every area other than goaltending last year.
This year they are better at reducing goals against, and also on the power play and the penalty kill. The goaltending has about caught up to the tending we got last year.
You can't rebuild Rome in a day.
This year they are better at reducing goals against, and also on the power play and the penalty kill. The goaltending has about caught up to the tending we got last year.
You can't rebuild Rome in a day.
The team has improved in every area over last year. Still, remember last year was the WORST team since the 04-05 lockout. Abysmally bad. Like the other guy said, Rome wasn't built in a day.
I just came back from the Detroit game. You have Moulson, who hasn't scored since November, on the 1st line. You have Eichel paired with Cal and McGinn on the 2nd line. Then you have Larsson on the 3rd line with only ONE goal this year. Hey, while we're at it, you have three of your top 6 forwards out on injury: Ennis, Reinhart, and Girgs.
I don't think it's the system. I think there's remnants from last year that need to be buried in Rochester, traded, or bought out.
I just came back from the Detroit game. You have Moulson, who hasn't scored since November, on the 1st line. You have Eichel paired with Cal and McGinn on the 2nd line. Then you have Larsson on the 3rd line with only ONE goal this year. Hey, while we're at it, you have three of your top 6 forwards out on injury: Ennis, Reinhart, and Girgs.
I don't think it's the system. I think there's remnants from last year that need to be buried in Rochester, traded, or bought out.
The Red Helmet
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- Dec 19, 2007
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But the people demand their instant gratification NOW!
The majority of fans have been very patient during the rebuild and the majority are not complaining now. In fact I have heard very little complaining from fans this season.
This post reminds me of when the WGR morning show takes one waked out caller and tries to apply that one person's opinions to the rest of the fan base. Please show me where there is a good portion of fans criticizing the front office right now.
Sabretooth
Registered User
This is a good point, but shooting% isn't just luck or necessarily even mostly luck. Good players have better % than poorer players. We have a lot of poor players.
It might be luck if a lot of our players have % under their career avgs substantially, but in general poor shooting % doesn't automatically mean bad luck.
Snippit
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- Dec 5, 2012
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Last time I checked, our ES goals per game has barely improved. It's been like, 10 periods or something since we scored ES.
That's pretty damn concerning when you're adding ROR, Kane, Eichel, Reinhart, McGinn. That's almost an entirely new top six.
Not a fan of the Bylmsa system.
That's pretty damn concerning when you're adding ROR, Kane, Eichel, Reinhart, McGinn. That's almost an entirely new top six.
Not a fan of the Bylmsa system.
McGinn wouldn't crack the top 6 on any respectable team. Kane's been injured often. Reinhart and Eichel are the future, but still boys amongst men, and their playing against other team top 6 night in and night out. There's going to be growing pains. And RoR has been a stud.
How about the bottom 6? Larsson with one goal. Girgensons with a complete down year. Moulson hasn't scored since November. Ennis has been out most the year.
Yeah, blame it on the system.
TheStorm
Registered User
You haven't been reading enough of this forum then. There's been a lot of complaining that there hasn't been enough winning.
pigpen65
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- Jul 25, 2011
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Bylsma's system is exactly the same as Nolan's system. cover for weak goaltending by using extra forwards in the D zone. Funny thing is that Bylsma is considered an X's and O's guy while that was used as the big critique of Nolan. And the end result is exactly the same.
Heraldic
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- Dec 12, 2013
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No, it's not.
But there have been games (too many for my liking) that we look like that. Those games are usually games against "known" fast, transition based teams. It seems that the coaching thinks that we need to focus solely on just clearing the puck and creating from forechecking or else we will get scored against by turnovers. In those games the team looks nothing like those games the team is aggressive, active and when gets the puck on it's own zone, actually tries to do something else than just to clear it over the blueline. And that's the team I would like to see more. I like that they don't take too many risks on n- and o-zone, but I hate when they refuse to do anything with the puck on d-zone.
pigpen65
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Paxon
202* Stanley Cup Champions
Bylsma's system is very different. Normally I wouldn't appeal to authority, but in this case it's pretty clear the players would know whether things are different or not. There are at least a dozen comments from players about there actually being a system under Bylsma. It's not really disputable that the difference is major. The most obvious element of Bylsma's system is having forwards down low to support the defensemen.
Jim Bob
RIP RJ
Without even looking at the advanced stats that show that this year's team is playing way better than last year outside of the crease, the simplest counting stat of them all shows it:
The Sabres have 11 more points in the standings after 48 games this year compared to last year (42 to 31).
joshjull
Registered User
I'm not really sure what you mean by this. We've played basically a box with one forward shadowing the puck all year. Its not a static box like a PK. Its dynamic and moves as the puck moves in our zone. So we may have the two "high" forwards not shadowing the puck down low in their zones of coverage at times. But we don't have a strategy of specifically keeping the forwards low.
But what does that have to do with "playing for breakouts" as you put it?. As soon as we gain control of the puck the team shifts into a breakout. You're talking about how we defend in our zone without the puck. We're not supposed to be in a breakout setup in that situation. We transition to that once we gain the puck.
I don't see this as being much of a factor in our ability, or rather our inability, to score 5 on 5.
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