I agree... Those are the 3 story lines. It's widely reported management and ownership love Bylsma. Whether you like him or hate him, it can't be argued that he hasn't been given the talent to win in the post season. Like I said earlier, I think the team could use a fresh set of eyes.
- madmike71

You gotta wonder the dynamic there... Mario & Burkle are seeing a lot of money spent and not a whole lot of playoff success (although the team is making money for them), and Shero is stocking the cupboards and gave up assets to acquire a guy like Iginla, who isn't being utilized all that well by his coach.

There has to be some sort of internal assessment done to figure out if they are giving their organization the best chance of winning.

If Bylsma stays, I am guessing that you see Todd Reirdon and Gilles Meloche go.

You gotta wonder the dynamic there... Mario & Burkle are seeing a lot of money spent and not a whole lot of playoff success (although the team is making money for them), and Shero is stocking the cupboards and gave up assets to acquire a guy like Iginla, who isn't being utilized all that well by his coach.

There has to be some sort of internal assessment done to figure out if they are giving their organization the best chance of winning.

If Bylsma stays, I am guessing that you see Todd Reirdon and Gilles Meloche go.
- rival22

I don't think Shero will fire Bylsma, but Mario might.

I don't think Shero will fire Bylsma, but Mario might.
- Gunner Staal

That is an interesting dynamic too... Throughout his career Mario butted heads with coaches who didn't let Mario be Mario. It seems that he would like to play under a coach like Bylsma. Can he separate in his mind that a somewhat more hardline coach might be better for the team even though he knows he wouldn't like to play for one?

Agreed. One of the best games I have seen in a while. Marchand and Rask have cemented themselves as the 2013 versions of Cammalleri and Halak.
- Rawdog9755

Different feel to this, though. The Habs felt like a fluke even while it was happening. Boston is a really good team.

Edit:

nevermind

just a curiousity question........why doesn't bylsma play letang with orpik or martin. it seems like if he had a defensively responsible partner, his defensive mistakes wouldn't be so devastating. have a guy who likes to stay back more, allowing letang to take risks, and drive the puck up the ice.........i always wondered that, felt he and orpik would be a good pairing

Different feel to this, though. The Habs felt like a fluke even while it was happening. Boston is a really good team.
- MadCap2008

I get that same feeling from the MTL series all over again every time they show Marchand's face.

I don't think Shero will fire Bylsma, but Mario might.
- Gunner Staal

I was thinking the same thing except Mario has been loath to get involved in ANY personnel decisions. From all I've read, he's basically a rubber stamp when the GM comes calling.

One thing is for sure, Mario didn't shed any tears when several coaches were canned while he was playing. I think he's mellowed with age however...

just a curiousity question........why doesn't bylsma play letang with orpik or martin. it seems like if he had a defensively responsible partner, his defensive mistakes wouldn't be so devastating. have a guy who likes to stay back more, allowing letang to take risks, and drive the puck up the ice.........i always wondered that, felt he and orpik would be a good pairing
- sensarmy_11

For some reason Orpik and Letang don't work well together.

Orpik seems to work best with great positional guys (Gonchar/Martin). When his partner is freelancing, he tends to run around as well to try to cover for him. And having Orpik back there seems to make Letang feel like he can do whatever he wants, and it's odd man rush city.

Letang has seemed to work best this season with Simon Despres as his parter. Not sure if it's the french thing, or just if Letang plays more disciplined knowing that a rookie is back there... But Bylsma doesn't trust rookie defensemen, so that isn't an option.

I get that same feeling from the MTL series all over again every time they show Marchand's face.


- Rawdog9755

Yeah, that's understandable.

For some reason Orpik and Letang don't work well together.

Orpik seems to work best with great positional guys (Gonchar/Martin). When his partner is freelancing, he tends to run around as well to try to cover for him. And having Orpik back there seems to make Letang feel like he can do whatever he wants, and it's odd man rush city.

Letang has seemed to work best this season with Simon Despres as his parter. Not sure if it's the french thing, or just if Letang plays more disciplined knowing that a rookie is back there... But Bylsma doesn't trust rookie defensemen, so that isn't an option.
- rival22

makes sense.

i know that when maclean paired karlsson with methot, a lot of people were skeptical, but it ended up being a great pairing ( pre-injury )..........they compliment eachother very well

thought the same might apply with letang/orpik.......guess not

Different feel to this, though. The Habs felt like a fluke even while it was happening. Boston is a really good team.
- MadCap2008

Yeah that is unfair to Boston, they are a terrific team.

For some reason Orpik and Letang don't work well together.

Orpik seems to work best with great positional guys (Gonchar/Martin). When his partner is freelancing, he tends to run around as well to try to cover for him. And having Orpik back there seems to make Letang feel like he can do whatever he wants, and it's odd man rush city.

Letang has seemed to work best this season with Simon Despres as his parter. Not sure if it's the french thing, or just if Letang plays more disciplined knowing that a rookie is back there... But Bylsma doesn't trust rookie defensemen, so that isn't an option.
- rival22

Bylsma doesnt trust young players period. I think that is an error in this day in age. Players are better prepared at a younger age than ever before. Last night was another example on why it has been borderline criminal for Beau Bennett to not be in the lineup every night.

We just need Rask to wake up from his dream. He is a super goalie, but not this good.
- Oneonta Penguin

dude. you have no clue. harp on your own team and quit regurgitating mark maddenisms. rask has been great all year. 53 saves bro. no dream. reality.

Potentially all gone. I couldn't fault the Penguins for moving on from any of them.
- Gunner Staal

Concur. I think trading MAF, like most guys who seem to be candidates for a buyout, will be difficult though.

Going to be an interesting summer

Alain Vignault..and fast!
- Orpik44

So you want to fire HCDB and hire a coach who couldn't get it done with the nucks? No thank you.

Bylsma doesnt trust young players period. I think that is an error in this day in age. Players are better prepared at a younger age than ever before. Last night was another example on why it has been borderline criminal for Beau Bennett to not be in the lineup every night.
- Gunner Staal

Bennett and 5 shots and seemed to create a scoring chance just about every shift out there, yet only Joe Vitale had less ice time than he did.

Bylsma doesnt trust young players period. I think that is an error in this day in age. Players are better prepared at a younger age than ever before. Last night was another example on why it has been borderline criminal for Beau Bennett to not be in the lineup every night.
- Gunner Staal

His bizarre treatment of Despres was downright awful. I don't think it was a coincidence that the kid played worse and worse after each time he was yanked from the lineup. I would understand if there were better options, but there was not. So it boiled down to... Don't make a mistake or you'll sit and we'll play somebody that is older and allowed to make mistakes. No way to develop a potential very good player IMO.

Agreed. One of the best games I have seen in a while. Marchand and Rask have cemented themselves as the 2013 versions of Cammalleri and Halak.
- Rawdog9755

Except, you know, they have a proven track record of sucess.

I agree... Those are the 3 story lines. It's widely reported management and ownership love Bylsma. Whether you like him or hate him, it can't be argued that he hasn't been given the talent to win in the post season. Like I said earlier, I think the team could use a fresh set of eyes.
- madmike71

It might be the one thing that buys him time.

It would be one thing if they lost in a series where the games were contested and they played well. It's another thing entirely when you're losing series because the team plays the way it did in game 2. That effort was, unfortunately, not an anomaly with this team

Yeah that is unfair to Boston, they are a terrific team.
- Gunner Staal

Im not trying to say that MTL team is better than this Boston team by any stretch. In all honesty though, the precision with which they both have neutralized our offense is scarily similar. Boston is just doing it even better than MTL did. The blueprint to beating us is and has been out for some time. It is just like the Patriots showing everybody how to beat the Steelers in the early 2000s, and having other teams adopt that blueprint when playing us. Some just have better personnel to do it than others.

Bylsma doesnt trust young players period. I think that is an error in this day in age. Players are better prepared at a younger age than ever before. Last night was another example on why it has been borderline criminal for Beau Bennett to not be in the lineup every night.
- Gunner Staal

He's old school in that regard, much to the detriment of the team and potentially the development of the players.

Im not trying to say that MTL team is better than this Boston team by any stretch. In all honesty though, the precision with which they both have neutralized our offense is scarily similar. Boston is just doing it even better than MTL did. The blueprint to beating us is and has been out for some time. It is just like the Patriots showing everybody how to beat the Steelers in the early 2000s, and having other teams adopt that blueprint when playing us. Some just have better personnel to do it than others.
- Rawdog9755

Just looking at some ice times from last night, and Craig Adams logged 7:09 of ice time on the penalty kill! Holy crap...

Just looking at some ice times from last night, and Craig Adams logged 7:09 of ice time on the penalty kill! Holy crap...
- rival22

and had one loud clang off the pipe.. Always liked that guy. Fellow Ivy Leaguer