Archives for October 29, 2015

‘“There will be emotions. I’m not going to be moved to tears but it’s going to be emotional,” Bylsma said. “Even right now, I look at the empty seats and I’m gonna know 50 faces in the stands tomorrow where they sit. I know where my family sat when they were here. There’s certainly going to be emotions.”’

‘“I watch a lot of hockey and I’m well aware of young guys coming in.” Crosby told Pittsburgh reporters here Tuesday before the Penguins left for Thursday’s game in Washington. “I get excited to compete every night, regardless of whether it’s against a younger guy or a guy who has played for 10 or 15 years. But, yeah, there are always those matchups. I definitely get excited for those.”’

‘“I don’t think there needs to be any reconciliation,” Bylsma said this afternoon inside the Consol Energy Center. “I got the opportunity to coach a great team, great group of players and a great organization.”‘

‘“That’s pretty impressive,” Sabres defenseman Cody Franson said about Johnson’s save. “That had a little bit of Dominik Hasek flair to it. That save gets us an extra point, plain and simple. If he doesn’t make that save, we don’t get the overtime goal. He played well all night last night. He made a lot of big saves at key times.”’

‘“There will be emotions,” Bylsma said after his team practiced Wednesday at Consol Energy Center. “I don’t know exactly if emotional means I’ll be moved to tears. It’s going to be emotional. Looking at the empty seats. I’m going to know 50 faces in the stands tomorrow, where they sit. I know where my family sat when they were here. There’s certainly going to be some emotions.”’

‘Left winger Chris Kunitz volunteered that “the longer you’re in the league, you play against other people [you know], ex-teammates or coaches or assistant coaches,” and spoke warmly of playing for Bylsma. “I enjoyed my time [under him]. I kind of [accelerated] my career playing under his system, and the situations he put me in.’

‘“I’ve gotten used to the blue and yellow. I’ve gotten used to wearing those colors and I’m looking forward to tomorrow night’s game.”’

Dan Bylsma returns to Pittsburgh tonight as Buffalo Sabres coach (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
Players attach little significance to Dan Bylsma’s return (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
Former Penguins Coach Dan Bylsma Makes First Return Since His Release (KDKA-TV)
Sabres-Penguins Preview (AP)
Sabres coach Bylsma set to face Penguins (NHL.com)
The Inside Scoop: Game Day (Pens vs. Sabres) (PittsburghPenguins.com)

‘Many can’t believe that Bylsma doesn’t hold a grudge, but he said, “I don’t begrudge anybody. I knew after we lost to the Rangers that I wasn’t going to be back, whether that was four weeks later or whatever that was. We needed to win a Stanley Cup and we didn’t and I’m alright with that.”’

‘”I think with anything it’s only going to work if the players buy in or believe that you know what you’re doing,” Shero said. “That was a concern … but I think it was after a week, I still remember as clear as day, I was walking out to watch practice one day and [Crosby] was trying to come back into the locker room and I was just walking through and I said, ‘Hey, how are you doing.’ And he says, ‘Fine.’ And I ask, ‘Is everything OK?’ And he says, ‘I’m just getting gloves.’ And walking out, he goes, ‘Hey Ray, by the way, Dan; he’s really good.’ And I say, ‘Oh, that’s good to hear.’ So I walk out of the room and say to myself, ‘Thank God!’… If he right away just saw Dan and didn’t believe or didn’t buy what he was selling or didn’t think he had an idea what he was talking about, that would’ve been a very difficult process.”‘