GM Tim Murray - Time for a serious conversation

[Jsixspd]

I get this and want DD gone... But look at torts in the Olympics and then compare the blue jackets this year under the same man, while torts is a hot head and makes some. Questionable decisions, his team is playing well.

I think the Olympics article is relevant to our problems with Bylsma.  The article questions the defensive strategies of Bylsma that he had the team playing in the Olympics - which seems to be falling back to a  "prevent" defense, to borrow the football term.  Same basic principle.   

 

I've often said Bylsma gets the team playing NOT to lose, vs playing to win.   Aggressive offense to start; then he gets the team sitting on its heels.  

 

IF Bylsma really has a fascination with one goal wins, as another article alludes, and intentionally structures the game play to end up with a one goal win,  then he should be fired. That's just inexcusable - what kind of lunacy is that? Or is it something to do with the Vegas 'line'?  Either way, he shouldn't be the coach.   

 

Edited March 10, 2017 by Jsixspd

[GASabresIUFAN]

I didn't know where to post this but in light of GMTM recent admission that the rebuild was going to take more then 3 years he originally predicted and the stupid TBN article that the Sabres are wasting Jack, I went back and looked to see how long the rebuilds of the dominate Cup winning teams really took.

 

Chicago (Cup winners in 2010, 2013  & 2015);  Began their rebuild in 2004 with 17 picks and Cam Barker 3rd overall.  Drafted Toews 3rd in 2006 and Kane 1st in 2007.  Won First Cup at the end of 2009-10 season.  Thus 6 seasons after the rebuild began and 4 season after the got their franchise center in Toews.  In should be noted that the 2 cornerstone D and G were drafted prior to their tank years (Keith in 2002, Seabrook & Crawford in 2003.)

 

Pittsburgh (Cup winners in 2009 and 2016); Began rebuild in 2002 with 11 picks and Whitney drafted 5th overall.  Drafted Fleury 1st overall in 2003, Malkin 2nd overall in 2004, Crosby 1st in 2005 (lockout year) and Staal 2nd in 2006.  Thus 7 years (6 seasons + one lockout) after the rebuild began and 5 years after getting their franchise center in Crosby (6 for Malkin).  They also drafted Orpik in 2002.  Also key players like Goligoski, Letang, Kennedy, and Talbot were all drafted during the tank years.

 

The rebuild most similar to GMTM's apparent plan is LA.  (Cup winners in 2012 & 2014).  Although mediocre for 3 years before the rebuild (which netted them Dustin Brown 13th overall in 2003 and Kopitar 11th  and Quick 72nd in 2005), Their rebuild started similar to ours with 2 1st rd picks in 2006 and then tanking for 3 years after where they picked 4th overall in 2007 (best picks Simmonds 61st and Martinez 95th), 2nd in 2008 (Doughty) and 5th in 2009 (Schenn).  Unlike most rebuilds they traded away assets like Simmonds and Schenn to get young vets like Carter and Richards to get the team to the top.  However their first Cup was 7 years after drafting franchise center Kopitar.

 

The Sabres rebuild to date:

Started in 2012 with the drafting of Grigorenko (12th), Girgensons (14th) and McCabe (44th).  Tank in full swing with 11 picks in 2013 including Risto 8th overall.  Reinhart 2nd overall in 2014, Eichel 2nd in 2015 and Nylander 8th in 2016.  Right now we are only the 2nd season after drafting our franchise center in Eichel.  Looks like 3 more seasons until we should be competing for pucks.

[R_Dudley]

Wow, Good article.

 

"Here’s how Dan Bylsma got his team ready for Canada: By playing four games of overwhelming offense, and then taking a hairpin left turn towards passive, counterpunching defense in the semifinal. It was like training every day to sing Mariah at your “American Idol” audition and opting to warble Nickelback instead."

 

"It was a decision that practically raised the white flag, one that had the Americans genuflecting in front of the reigning gold medalists. It screamed “we can’t hang with you, so we’re going to forgo anything that might put a scare into you offensively, hang here and hope you screw up at some point so we can score.”

 

“I think the [Canada] game took a lot out of us,” said Zombie Bylsma in a low-key postgame press conference. “Took a lot out of us emotionally.”

How many times this season have we heard something similar.

 

This is exactly what we are all seeing with what he is doing with the team.

 

This really puts a damper on hoping to see real hockey anytime soon, this leopard hasnt changed his stripes.

[bunomatic]

Wow, Good article.

 

"Here’s how Dan Bylsma got his team ready for Canada: By playing four games of overwhelming offense, and then taking a hairpin left turn towards passive, counterpunching defense in the semifinal. It was like training every day to sing Mariah at your “American Idol” audition and opting to warble Nickelback instead."

 

"It was a decision that practically raised the white flag, one that had the Americans genuflecting in front of the reigning gold medalists. It screamed “we can’t hang with you, so we’re going to forgo anything that might put a scare into you offensively, hang here and hope you screw up at some point so we can score.”

 

“I think the [Canada] game took a lot out of us,” said Zombie Bylsma in a low-key postgame press conference. “Took a lot out of us emotionally.”

How many times this season have we heard something similar.

 

This is exactly what we are all seeing with what he is doing with the team.

 

This really puts a damper on hoping to see real hockey anytime soon, this leopard hasnt changed his stripes.

Before every game he tells the guys we have to be careful with these guys. Like you said he plays not to lose. Instead of dictating play and letting the other team adjust he allows the other team to dictate play and he tries to adjust and he's not very good at it. All friggin season long. Its the same old same old. He puts the fear of God into his own young team by telling them that theres a good chance we can not beat these guys and we have to play cautious. Loser mentality begets losses.

[Brawndo]

If the Pegula's haven't fired Doug Whaley, Murray is safe for awhile

[Thwomp!]

BUMP!  :ph34r:

 

Mr. ZFG has become Mr. FAC (Fat and Complacent).  Outdated model for building a team, asset management, salary cap management, last offseason's disappointing moves, the trade deadline, the apparent retaining of dreary dan, etc.  The evidence of Murray not being who we thought he was continues to pile up.  I've been off the Dwight Shrute bandwagon for awhile now, but interested to see if we have any new jumpers?

[sabills]

BUMP!  :ph34r:

 

Mr. ZFG has become Mr. FAC (Fat and Complacent).  Outdated model for building a team, asset management, salary cap management, last offseason's disappointing moves, the trade deadline, the apparent retaining of dreary dan, etc.  The evidence of Murray not being who we thought he was continues to pile up.  I've been off the Dwight Shrute bandwagon for awhile now, but interested to see if we have any new jumpers?

This is the offseason for him, IMO. He can make or break his job in the next 6 months. I'm willing to give him that long, but if we start next year with the same coach AND the same roster (on defense especially) then I'll be done with him.

Edited April 11, 2017 by sabills

[LGR4GM]

Before every game he tells the guys we have to be careful with these guys. Like you said he plays not to lose. Instead of dictating play and letting the other team adjust he allows the other team to dictate play and he tries to adjust and he's not very good at it. All friggin season long. Its the same old same old. He puts the fear of God into his own young team by telling them that theres a good chance we can not beat these guys and we have to play cautious. Loser mentality begets losses.

Dan seems like a nice enough person, but he is a loser who coaches not to lose. Listen to what he says, it isn't a winner mentality. Jack Eichel, now there's a winning mentality. 

[darksabre]

This is the offseason for him, IMO. He can make or break his job in the next 6 months. I'm willing to give him that long, but if we start next year with the same coach AND the same roster (on defense especially) then I'll be done with him.

Seconded. 

[kas23]

BUMP! :ph34r:

 

Mr. ZFG has become Mr. FAC (Fat and Complacent). Outdated model for building a team, asset management, salary cap management, last offseason's disappointing moves, the trade deadline, the apparent retaining of dreary dan, etc. The evidence of Murray not being who we thought he was continues to pile up. I've been off the Dwight Shrute bandwagon for awhile now, but interested to see if we have any new jumpers?

You can almost replace Murray's name with Whaley's and it would read the same. In fact, to take the analogy a step further, I bet he wants to fire DD and Pegs is vetoing him. And, like Whaley, he'll be protected when Pegs finally decides to fire DD after next season. The Bills are almost like a crystal ball.

[Radar]

This is the offseason for him, IMO. He can make or break his job in the next 6 months. I'm willing to give him that long, but if we start next year with the same coach AND the same roster (on defense especially) then I'll be done with him.

I'm pretty much here as well in my thinking.

[LGR4GM]

If we do not make the playoffs this upcoming season... it is going to be almost impossible to justify keeping Tim Murray to me, let alone Dreary Dan

[Thorny]

If we do not make the playoffs this upcoming season... it is going to be almost impossible to justify keeping Tim Murray to me, let alone Dreary Dan

They are a package deal to me at this point, Murray saw to that by continuing to hitch his wagon to DB this offseason.

[TrueBlueGED]

They are a package deal to me at this point, Murray saw to that by continuing to hitch his wagon to DB this offseason.

Absolutely. If we open the year with Bylsma as coach (I have a sliver of hope he'll be canned and they're just waiting for press conference day to announce), I no longer believe Murray should get to choose another coach.

[WildCard]

They are a package deal to me at this point, Murray saw to that by continuing to hitch his wagon to DB this offseason.

Agreed. 

 

Absolutely. If we open the year with Bylsma as coach (I have a sliver of hope he'll be canned and they're just waiting for press conference day to announce), I no longer believe Murray should get to choose another coach.

Well, maybe if he was allowed to pick his this one...

Edited April 11, 2017 by WildCard

[TrueBlueGED]

Agreed.

 

Well, maybe if he was allowed to pick his this one...

Man, what did PA do to you? We told you not to get in the van!

[WildCard]

Man, what did PA do to you? We told you not to get in the van!

Man, he had a pinata! Except once we hit it open it was just disappointment. Then he told me this is how life works, and threw me out going down I-90

Edited April 11, 2017 by WildCard

[josie]

Man, what did PA do to you? We told you not to get in the van!

 

Man, he had a pinata! Except once we hit it open it was just disappointment. Then he told me this is how life works, and threw going down I-90

:lol:

[Thwomp!]

I'll be watching the media at Murray's press conference carefully. Will they actually ask him some tough questions? Outside of politics, I've never seen someone accomplish so little yet get such deferential treatment by the media. I don't think he's been asked one tough question in his time here.

[Drunkard]

I'll be watching the media at Murray's press conference carefully. Will they actually ask him some tough questions? Outside of politics, I've never seen someone accomplish so little yet get such deferential treatment by the media. I don't think he's been asked one tough question in his time here.

 

Media a-hole: So, Mr. Murray, how many words are you going to say when you announce Buffalo's top 10 pick this season?

 

TM: Probably 4 again. Gotta leave some space to be able to get under it for the following draft when we get another top 5 pick.

 

Everyone: swoon!

[PASabreFan]

Man, what did PA do to you? We told you not to get in the van!

WildCard is the son I never had. Randall has a fierce streak, but I believe I can contain and control it. qwk, now there's a proud stallion. I might have to show him the glue factory. Once properly tamed and trained, I believe this line can carry on my proud tradition. The kids are all right.

Media a-hole: So, Mr. Murray, how many words are you going to say when you announce Buffalo's top 10 pick this season?

 

TM: Probably 4 again. Gotta leave some space to be able to get under it for the following draft when we get another top 5 pick.

 

Everyone: swoon!

He did play this fan base like a fiddle, you have to give him that.

[Thwomp!]

Media a-hole: So, Mr. Murray, how many words are you going to say when you announce Buffalo's top 10 pick this season?

 

TM: Probably 4 again. Gotta leave some space to be able to get under it for the following draft when we get another top 5 pick.

 

Everyone: swoon!

Perfect! That's more likely unfortunately.

 

How about the self serving change in rebuild timeframe?

 

The obvious huge amount of overpaid and underachieving dead weight on his roster?

 

Why is dreary getting another shot after this season's abomination?

 

How much authority does he have as GM in regard to hiring/firing coaches?

 

I could go on unfortunately none or little of this will be asked

[Jacque Richard]

What did they see in Murray that he got the gig here?

[Thwomp!]

 

He did play this fan base like a fiddle, you have to give him that.

And so has Terry. ????

 

In a way I have to thank them for opening my eyes to the gullibility of myself as a Buffalo sports fan and the Buffalo sports fan in general.

[Drunkard]

WildCard is the son I never had. Randall has a fierce streak, but I believe I can contain and control it. qwk, now there's a proud stallion. I might have to show him the glue factory. Once properly tamed and trained, I believe this line can carry on my proud tradition. The kids are all right.

 

He did play this fan base like a fiddle, you have to give him that.

In our defense, after the fatigue and the "suffering" of Darcy we would have welcomed just about anyone with open arms. I'm still not ready to put the blame of DB on him but I'm getting to the point where I don't care either way. I want a GM who will fight tooth and nail for his own guy, rather than another company man who will let the owner run unopposed and enjoy the job security. Edited April 11, 2017 by Drunkard