The Definitive NHL 2012-2013 Season Thread - Page 18

Sohel · #**426** Today, 02:56 AM

@Beamer: Bylsma is a great young coach with emphasis on "young". Granted I'm partial to Michiganders (even when they beat us in game 7 at the Joe to lift the Cup), but he IS a great one in the making. Just look at everything he has done right so far in his career with the Pens. Of course having proven performers like Malkin, Crosby, Iginla, Morrow, Kunitz, Neal, Letang and Orpik can make one feel more invincible than he is and that can lead to careless tactical adjustments. Water under the bridge if he can learn from it.

He has had early success and that also may have contributed to some of the awkwardly timed tactical experiments we've seen in the series, including the one you've pointed out. MacLean was mentored by Bowman and knows how to play his lines according to what he has and what's out there. Bylsma, as you pointed out, must be at his best to match him in critical situations even with far superior players.

Handling the press with poise is an important part of one's development at this stage. I hope we're not witnessing another Marc Crawford type scenario in the making after he had won the Cup with Sakic, Forsberg, Kamensky, Keane, Deadmarsh, Yelle, Claude LeThug, Foote, Krupp and Roy. I don't think Mario is likely to make the mistake the Avs made back then, and will persist with Bylsma who like Bowman, can learn from his mistakes and become the stuff of legends. Persisting with a great coach, provided he learns from his mistakes, is integral to building a dynasty. Yawl have the players, fans, GM, owner AND the coach to do it in a great American city.

Sohel · #**427** Today, 06:32 AM

Thinking about the Leafs as we've already begun to end our rivalry with Chicago one way or another. Looks like the Leafs haven't had a Cup appearance since 1967, or even been relevant through the league's many expansions. Not sure how that's even possible really. Odds are because there are only 30 teams any team should make the cup final about once every 15 years. How they haven't been there in almost 50 years is hilarious.

Hilarious and also a statistical anomaly. As was the epic meltdown of this years game 7. No team has ever blown a 3 goal lead in the third period in game 7 of the playoffs. EVER. Looking forward to next year guys

Beamer · #**428** Today, 08:57 AM

Bylsma is a quality guy. He is a good guy. I wish him success but at the same time he needs to smarten up. His players love him. He never whines about refs ( though our superstars do from time to time : ). He is great with media. He treats them with respect. He never engages in war or words with other coaches. He massages egos well. He has all the qualities. But, tactically he is lacking. Hopefully, like you said, he will learn in time, because he must. Ownership, Shero, Players love him. But, he needs to educate himself. In the end, we are in the business of winning. After watching Wings last night ( first full game I saw of Wings ), I am more than convinced that Babcock is the best coach in business. He has a plan for Chicago. Q is just reacting. Bylsma gets outcoached too often. Capuano did it to him too. Sure we are talented and have won a lot of games in regular season under him. But, in a seven game series, a coach needs to adjust because you are seeing the same team over and over again. In regular season, its a different team every day and how much home work a team does before they face each other? not that much. Bylsma won the cup with MT system. After the cup we won in that summer, he ditched it and implemented his north-south-dump-chip-of the wall-stretch pass system. That gave us - Loss to Montreal in game 7, loss to Tampa in game 7 following year ( minus Crosby or Malkin though, so he gets a pass ) and then last year loss to Philly in 6. This is unacceptable . So, great regular season each year, followed by sad exits in playoffs, every year since he has been in charge of a full season.

Beamer · #**429** Today, 09:50 AM

That non-call that led to Kane goal ( brilliant move BTW ) was brutal. I thought the offending team can not touch the puck once a player lay prone on the ice. Of course, they have to call the penalty first, which they didn't. There is no consistency. Every ref calls differently. But, that was as clear a boarding call as there is. He hit him right between the numbers when he couldn't ( Franzen ) protect himself.

Towes is frustrated. I have not seen him barking at the refs in years past, though he can and has the right to talk to refs because he wears the 'C', if he dislikes something. I don't have a problem with a captain trying to talk to refs during a game. Its part of the game and little gamesmanship is needed from time to time. All captains have the privilege. He is frustrated because Babcock has a plan for him. He has been denied time and space and also at the end of some physical beating. Plus, Zetterberg is possibly the best defensive two way forward in game, with all due respect to Bergeron. He is hounding him. He has done that to Crosby. 21 yr old Crosby was frustrated beyond in the SCF, but, we had Malkin and Jordan step up that year. Hawks need Hossa/Kane etc to step if they fancy themselves moving on.

Beamer · #**430** Today, 10:04 AM

Another lunacy of Bylsma :

A HOF worthy RW named Iginla has been moved to LW for the first time in his career. He looks lost out there. To accomplish that brutal decision, he also moved James Neal to LW, a 40 goal scoring RW last year. So, neither is producing with Geno anchoring the line. Shero got Iggy to play RW with Sid with this in mind : Dupuis-Sid-Iggy, Kunitz -Geno-Neal ( best line last year ). This year Kunitz-Sid-Dupuis has been money, but we are sacrificing two potentially dynamic goal scorers in Neal and Iggy by misplacing them. Complete head scratcher. Iggy, the ever professional has been a true soldier and still having a good playoffs, but Neal looks lost, and that line has become a -/minus machine, because guys simply get confused where they are supposed to be.

All right..my Bylsma rant for the day appears to be over. But, he is way over his head. He has become stubborn. He has a few favorites and he will play them no matter what at the expense of younger players who are clearly better. He treats Joe Vitale with contempt. Best face off guy, speedstar, plays with ton of energy in 4th line. Didn't play him first four games vs Isles. Finally, to counter speed with speed, he inserted him in Game 5-6 - both wins. First two games vs OTT he played- both wins, then for some reason only known to him, he sat him down last game for his favorite Tanner Glass. We lost the game. Lost the face-off battle. Lost a good penalty killer. He continues to hamper Simon Depres. He is Letang 2.0. But, Bylsma hates him...

Beamer · #**431** Today, 11:31 AM

Just saw the replays of the events from last night. Clearly the refs dropped the ball. The Kane goal should have never happened. It was a boarding, and if it wasn't if you argue that Franzen was trying to move sideways, it is cross-checking in that case. Either way, the whistle should have been blown dead. To make up for that, I think refs awarded the no goal to Shaw. It was interference by letter of the law, but Shaw wasn't touching Howard, and I have seen plenty of goals awarded in such a situation. I have also seen goals nullified. So, it was a make up call. In the end, if all the correct calls were made, the game still ends in a 3-1 W for Wings. Kane goal never should have happened. Shaw goal probably a go ! So, move on Chicago ..