This team has much bigger problems than this.
- buffalofan19

yeah a coach playing moulson more than jack

yeah a coach playing moulson more than jack
- homiedclown

One has scored 30 goals multiple times and one hasn't.

Said Dan Byslma in his head reasoning for actually doing this.

You don't bench a 20-year old, second year player in a season where the playoffs are now completely out of the question.

I know this is a crazy concept, but you COACH him and let him play 20+ minutes a night at his rightful position, 1st line center.

I'm not a fan of this tough-love, bench a player because he's the least sucky player we have. It's old-fashioned mentality coaching and it needs to die.

Jack's defensive game is not bad. He isn't a 2-way forward. You don't punish your best playmaker, who also happens to be your best sniper AND your best skater because a puck bounced off his foot and your goalie watched it fly between his legs.

I absolutely disagree with it. Look at what Lindy did to Afinogenov, then tell me that it's good to bench Offensive players because of turnovers and 'force' them to play a defensive style.

It'd be like breeding the best mule possible to compete in the Kentucky derby and then lashing the poor thing when it came in last.
- BeadyEyedDouche

Part of coaching someone IS benching them when they screw up
Let's the player know there are consequences
Laine got benched a couple times earlier this year
Coaches do that with young players A LOT

And it sends a good message to the team
Jack isn't above getting benched when he screws up...
so get your games in line too

What you're saying to do with Eichel (coach him while he plays) has presumably been happening all year
At some point, you've gotta draw a line
I'm not saying to scratch him
Or even to bench him every time he screws up
But there's no harm in getting tough on him here n there

yeah a coach playing moulson more than jack
- homiedclown

But Moulson isn't an important part of our future success

Jack being able to be defensively responsible when he's against Stamkos, Matthews, etc... well that's VERY important imo

It's not like we are in the playoff race still

But Moulson isn't an important part of our future success

Jack being able to be defensively responsible when he's against Stamkos, Matthews, etc... well that's VERY important imo

It's not like we are in the playoff race still
- jdfitz77

put the captain on his wing, to teach him these things

then move reinhart on ror's line so ror can teach him things


don't handcuff the kids

http://www.buffalohockeyb...still-one-of-sabres-best/

put the captain on his wing, to teach him these things

then move reinhart on ror's line so ror can teach him things


don't handcuff the kids
- homiedclown

It's not like Jack is getting scratched for the rest of the season
or even a full game...

Your ideas are fine, I like line the suggestions
But Bylsma sitting jack for a little is "sending a message"
Happens with young players a lot
Heck, even with Vets sometimes!

If that's what Bylsma thought its come to with Jack,
I have zero issue

Let's see if it works...

http://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/ray-sheppards-rookie-season-still-one-of-sabres-best/
- homiedclown

Nice read

Nice read
- jdfitz77

after reading and listening to the eichel/disco sucks thing

I wanted to look up why they gave ray away for $1

It's not like Jack is getting scratched for the rest of the season
or even a full game...

Your ideas are fine, I like line the suggestions
But Bylsma sitting jack for a little is "sending a message"
Happens with young players a lot
Heck, even with Vets sometimes!

If that's what Bylsma thought its come to with Jack,
I have zero issue

Let's see if it works...
- jdfitz77

I am more curious to see how the other 17 skaters respond


do they play their a$$ off or quit on the coach

Part of coaching someone IS benching them when they screw up
Let's the player know there are consequences
Laine got benched a couple times earlier this year
Coaches do that with young players A LOT

And it sends a good message to the team
Jack isn't above getting benched when he screws up...
so get your games in line too

What you're saying to do with Eichel (coach him while he plays) has presumably been happening all year
At some point, you've gotta draw a line
I'm not saying to scratch him
Or even to bench him every time he screws up
But there's no harm in getting tough on him here n there
- jdfitz77

Okay, but it's a recent trend now at a time when he's been by far our best player and other players deserve that benching more.

Everyone else gets rewarded for playing like poop except Eichel? Benching him only teaches everyone else that it doesn't matter how they play. I could give 2 craps about a player's age. If we're benching players, there's about 10 other guys on the team who should be riding the pine.

http://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/ray-sheppards-rookie-season-still-one-of-sabres-best/
- homiedclown

I always forget Clark Gillies actually played for the Sabres. This just doesn't look right...

When you're so bad at catching smurfs you need a real job ...
- homiedclown

I lol

The Flash is a wussy. That is who you're talking about right?
- Wetbandit1

Hey bro you take that back

I bailed on that show after 3 episodes

I think it's

you really love it, or it's meh
- homiedclown

You missed all the twists and turns after that was the best season

Okay, but it's a recent trend now at a time when he's been by far our best player and other players deserve that benching more.

Everyone else gets rewarded for playing like poop except Eichel? Benching him only teaches everyone else that it doesn't matter how they play. I could give 2 craps about a player's age. If we're benching players, there's about 10 other guys on the team who should be riding the pine.
- BeadyEyedDouche

Well u can't bench everyone

And going forward, Eichel is the biggest key to our success
So we need for Jack to be defensively responsible when he's out there against guys like Matthews & Stamkos

Make sense?

it's gotten to a point where Bylsma feels he needs to be tough on Jack
I'm ok with that

If Sam is next (like you've suggested),
That's cool too!

But idc about the 10 guys that aren't part of the future
Focusing on developing these young guys is priority #1 for the rest of the season
And that starts with Jack

I am more curious to see how the other 17 skaters respond


do they play their a$$ off or quit on the coach
- homiedclown

Good point
I guess we will see

Hey bro you take that back
- GERBE!!!75PTS

Nope. I think for your punishment when the Sabres don't pick first is you're going to tape yourself eating 3 doughnuts and post it here.

Rob Ray would be rolling in his grave if he heard this

2:35

Rob Ray would be rolling in his grave if he heard this

2:35


- Wetbandit1

Those guys are a far cry from Domi & Probert though
I'm not terribly upset about that
Those guys probably go way back
U don't have to "hate" the guys u play against

You missed all the twists and turns after that was the best season
- GERBE!!!75PTS

This season has been super annoying
Every character is making the worst decisions possible,
and none of them are learning from the others' mistakes

I'll finish this season out
But they better get it together with the writing for next season or I'm out

Those guys are a far cry from Domi & Probert though
I'm not terribly upset about that
Those guys probably go way back
U don't have to "hate" the guys u play against
- jdfitz77

True. But this is the fighting I could do without. And I'm all for fighting, but these throw 3 punches, wrestle a bit, have a laugh about how they need to work on their cardio, fights serve no purpose.

The really funny thing is I saw that on a UPI article. I didn't even know they were still a thing.

In 2008, UPI began UPIU, a journalism mentoring platform for students and journalism schools, that allows recent college graduates to post their work on the site, but does not pay for stories. https://en.wikipedia.org/...nited_Press_International

True. But this is the fighting I could do without. And I'm all for fighting, but these throw 3 punches, wrestle a bit, have a laugh about how they need to work on their cardio, fights serve no purpose.
- Wetbandit1

I agree
But it doesn't bother me either

[quote=BeadyEyedDouche]You don't bench a 20-year old, second year player in a season where the playoffs are now completely out of the question.

I know this is a crazy concept, but you COACH him and let him play 20+ minutes a night at his rightful position, 1st line center.

I'm not a fan of this tough-love, bench a player because he's the least sucky player we have. It's old-fashioned mentality coaching and it needs to die.

Jack's defensive game is not bad. He isn't a 2-way forward. You don't punish your best playmaker, who also happens to be your best sniper AND your best skater because a puck bounced off his foot and your goalie watched it fly between his legs.

I absolutely disagree with it. Look at what Lindy did to Afinogenov, then tell me that it's good to bench Offensive players because of turnovers and 'force' them to play a defensive style.

It'd be like breeding the best mule possible to compete in the Kentucky derby and then lashing the poor thing whe

I would assume that's Bylsma is in fact Coaching him on his defensive game, Andy the importance of having a solid defensive skill set that is emplôyed on a regular basis.
it could be that Jack is ignoring it, I don't know, nor does anyone else on this board.
IF Jack is purposely ignoring the Coaching he is receiving, then benching is about the only tool a Coach has to drive his point home.

I never got what the big deal was about Bylsma being tough on Eichel. He's still producing at a great clip offensively, so it doesn't seem to be hurting him that much. It would be one thing if this team was winning games, but they aren't, largely because this team is a mess defensively. And Eichel certainly isn't improving the team in that regard.

I do go back to Pittsburgh in 2009 where a young Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin pushed Michel Therrien out (ironically for Dan Bylsma) and ended up winning a cup. But even then, that team had been to the conference finals the year before. They had won games, big games before. Nobody on this team has anywhere near that kind of pedigree with the exception of Brian Gionta.
- buffalofan19

Come on.... It's easy.....

Bylsma is a scapegoat. Any and everything he does will be blamed for losses.