I think the biggest concern for me is his love of the less skilled veteran players. I've seen enough of guys like Matt Ellis over the past few years. I'd rather not see them get ice time over guys like Eichel, Reinhart, Risto, Pysyk, etc.
- HonkFortheGoose

I think if any coach puts Ellis over Eichel or Reinhart, someone would throw a spear at that coach.

Cut and dry, your team's star players need to be star players. Last year, Crosby had 1 goal in 13 games. This year he only produced 2 goals in 5 games. Malkin didn't produce a damn thing.

MUST BE THE COACHING, THOUGH. ALL THE COACHES FAULT.
- awildmudkip

This.

And the two before that?
- Homer

I'll help:

08-09 .908
09-10 .891
10-11 .899
11-12 .834
12-13 .883

Really? Every single playoff defeat is Fleury's fault?


How about that series against boston where they scored something like 4 goals total?
- Sabresfan-365

No, not every series. You guys do realize there are other good teams in the league and you're not going to win every series.h.

I'm pretty sure Bylsma wasn't playing 20 mins a game with Crosby and Malkin so the lack of goals wasn't his fault.

Like the earlier poster said, great players need to be great in the playoffs. The coach can only do so much, its about the players way more than the coach.

I'll help:

08-09 .908
09-10 .891
10-11 .899
11-12 .834
12-13 .883
- bobmack13

That's actually worse than I though, and I thought it was pretty bad.

Aside from one 7 game win streak at the start of the season, I fail to see how they didn't. They had several 4 game losing streaks and the second lowest points total of all the playoff teams.

Injuries are a part of the game and 87 was healthy most of the year. They barely made the playoffs. I'd call that struggling for a team with 2 of the top 5 centers in the league.
- DynamicThreads

Crosby can't do it all himself, so even if he was healthy all year, that doesn't mean they're going to finish at the top of the league. Hockey is a team sport. One guy is only going to get you so far. Not having Dupuis all year was a big hit to them. He's a veteran guy that plays his role very well. Losing a guy like that is nothing to brush to the side.

Cut and dry, your team's star players need to be star players. Last year, Crosby had 1 goal in 13 games. This year he only produced 2 goals in 5 games. Malkin didn't produce a damn thing.

MUST BE THE COACHING, THOUGH. ALL THE COACHES FAULT.
- awildmudkip

Again, I NEVER said it's all on Dan. I'm just pointing out his shortcomings. Saying schemes and x's and o's have nothing to do with repeated losing in the playoffs is laughable.

You don't notice at first, but then you get angry seeing better, younger players watching from the press box while Derek Engellend and Mark Eaton suck. Then you see Iggy playing left wing. Then you notice teams trapping it up just waiting for stretch passes and turnovers in the neutral zone. You notice how predictable they are.......and as someone said earlier, how easy they are to defend. Watch that for 5 years and you get a little jaded.

I want Hynes in NJ... you guys can have Disco Dan.

Again, I NEVER said it's all on Dan. I'm just pointing out his shortcomings. Saying schemes and x's and o's have nothing to do with repeated losing in the playoffs is laughable.

You don't notice at first, but then you get angry seeing better, younger players watching from the press box while Derek Engellend and Mark Eaton suck. Then you see Iggy playing left wing. Then you notice teams trapping it up just waiting for stretch passes and turnovers in the neutral zone. You notice how predictable they are.......and as someone said earlier, how easy they are to defend. Watch that for 5 years and you get a little jaded.
- madmike71

To be fair, we had Lindy Ruff for 76 years and that sounds exactly like what I watched that whole time.

To be fair, we had Lindy Ruff for 76 years and that sounds exactly like what I watched that whole time.
- DynamicThreads

I thought it was this the whole time Lindy was here.

To be fair, we had Lindy Ruff for 76 years and that sounds exactly like what I watched that whole time.
- DynamicThreads

You must be really old then!!!!

To be fair, we had Lindy Ruff for 76 years and that sounds exactly like what I watched that whole time.
- DynamicThreads

This is what I think Bylsma is. Another Lindy. Very average coach.

Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't

Good Read, Michael. Also cool to see you reach out to Pittsburgh people for their opinions. I'd have to imagine that as the Interviews go, GMTM is going to hire they guy that says what he wants to hear, not hire someone solely based in his past, good or bad. Murray is already assembling the pieces and if a candidates philosophy doesn't go along with a young team of "Murray Guys," he's just not going to get the job.....

So as some implying, Babcock is a God and Bylsma is somewhere between a bum and decent.

Coach A: 1 Stanley Cup
Made the playoffs every year
Point % per year .649
Playoff winning % .545

Coach B: 1 Stanley Cup
Made playoffs every year
Point % per year .668
Playoff winning % .551

Not much of a difference....oh, and Coach B(ylsma) numbers are slightly better.

So again I ask why is one the most sought after coach maybe ever, and the other is, well, eh.

I think the biggest concern for me is his love of the less skilled veteran players. I've seen enough of guys like Matt Ellis over the past few years. I'd rather not see them get ice time over guys like Eichel, Reinhart, Risto, Pysyk, etc.
- HonkFortheGoose

That has also been said about Babcock, Ruff, Nolan, etc etc.

Seems like a common theme.

This is what I think Bylsma is. Another Lindy. Very average coach.

Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't
- sbroads24

Your team has a very bright future. I don't think Dan kills that. Maybe he's been humbled by his firing.

Because he had guys like Crosby and Malkin playing along the boards chipping pucks deep instead of being allowed to drive possession into the zone on their own.

I never really paid that much attention to them to realize it, but I have read it a few times now.
- sbroads24

I can guarantee you cant show 5 examples of Bylsma forcing Crosby and Malkin to chip pucks in. You are just saying that because you heard it somewhere else. He had the grinders chipping and chasing while he gave the skill players free range to create.

BAHAHAHAHA. And I now just read your last sentence. Case closed.

I can guarantee you cant show 5 examples of Bylsma forcing Crosby and Malkin to chip pucks in. You are just saying that because you heard it somewhere else. He had the grinders chipping and chasing while he gave the skill players free range to create.

BAHAHAHAHA. And I now just read your last sentence. Case closed.
- bjm1717

Read it. From a few people, and some of them like Bylsma

To be fair, we had Lindy Ruff for 76 years and that sounds exactly like what I watched that whole time.
- DynamicThreads

thats exactly what the negative evaluations of Bylsma reminded me of too.

To be fair, we had Lindy Ruff for 76 years and that sounds exactly like what I watched that whole time.
- DynamicThreads

Yet Lindy coached one of the highest scoring teams in the league this year....

You must be really old then!!!!
- HonkFortheGoose

Yet Lindy coached one of the highest scoring teams in the league this year....
- ImThatGuy

They missed the playoffs....haven't won a round in his 2 years there. Sounds like Lindy

So as some implying, Babcock is a God and Bylsma is somewhere between a bum and decent.

Coach A: 1 Stanley Cup
Made the playoffs every year
Point % per year .649
Playoff winning % .545

Coach B: 1 Stanley Cup
Made playoffs every year
Point % per year .668
Playoff winning % .551

Not much of a difference....oh, and Coach B(ylsma) numbers are slightly better.

So again I ask why is one the most sought after coach maybe ever, and the other is, well, eh.
- Homer

I'll continue to wait for an intelligent rebuttal. Facts are tough to argue with sometimes, I know.

They missed the playoffs....haven't won a round in his 2 years there. Sounds like Lindy
- sbroads24

It's been 9 years since Lindy won a round.

They missed the playoffs....haven't won a round in his 2 years there. Sounds like Lindy
- sbroads24

We also took the worst goalie in the NHL off his hands and made him look like a rockstar while he took a solid one off of us and made him look like a civ.
Also sounds like Lindy....."Hey Ryan Miller, ready for your 67th consecutive start? Don't worry Jonas, we'll get you in for at least one before the end of the year..."