Prediction time (DDB) II -- Following GMTM's Presser, Will DDB Get Canned this Week?

[TrueBlueGED]

Murray also said the players have valid complaints about him (Murray). It was a PC way of saying we're all in this together.

 

All this kind of feels like a skit put on for the benefit of the fans. I suspect the decision to retain Bylsma was made a while back. Why not add a little suspense, have everyone act upset and contrite, trudge down to Boca and then... "It was a difficult decision, but Dan deserves more time. We didn't give him enough tools to finish the job." I believe in the end Terry will win out. "Panic doesn't seem to be working."

So the fans want a coaching change, and in order to do something for the fans, the organization is going to serve up a heaping helping of false hope, and pull the rug out at a later date? That strikes me as quite a bit worse for the fans than simply making a decision they'll be mad about.

[Thorny]

So the fans want a coaching change, and in order to do something for the fans, the organization is going to serve up a heaping helping of false hope, and pull the rug out at a later date? That strikes me as quite a bit worse for the fans than simply making a decision they'll be mad about.

Undoubtedly. Let's hope it doesn't happen this way.

[PASabreFan]

So the fans want a coaching change, and in order to do something for the fans, the organization is going to serve up a heaping helping of false hope, and pull the rug out at a later date? That strikes me as quite a bit worse for the fans than simply making a decision they'll be mad about.

I'm honestly not sure that a representative sampling of Sabres fans would favor a coaching change. This board? Sure. There are many casual fans who would very fairly say, hey, it's only been two years and look where he started and how crummy the roster still is.

[I-90 W]

I honestly think that DB and GMTM have until about Christmas break next season. Ever since Pegula bought the Bills it just kind of feels like the Sabres are an after thought. Haven't heard any cup talk from tpegs since. For the record I do like Pegula alot.

Edited April 16, 2017 by Saratoga Sabres Fan

[Beer]

I think DD will be let go. GMTM's presser didn't do much to make m think otherwise.

[GASabresIUFAN]

FYI:  Harrington has a whole article about this issue today. http://buffalonews.com/2017/04/15/inside-nhl-will-terry-say-tim/

[WildCard]

FYI: Harrington has a whole article about this issue today. http://buffalonews.com/2017/04/15/inside-nhl-will-terry-say-tim/

No offense but Harrington is a moron

I'm honestly not sure that a representative sampling of Sabres fans would favor a coaching change. This board? Sure. There are many casual fans who would very fairly say, hey, it's only been two years and look where he started and how crummy the roster still is.

The fans here follow and know much more than the casual fan though

[grinreaper]

Watching the playoffs has been a real pleasure. It's the way hockey should be played. The Sabres are capable of playing with this intensity. They just have to be down by 2 goals with 10 minutes left in the 3rd period as we saw numerous times this year. This is the fault of team leadership that they rarely started a game this way and nearly every game had a wasted period. Whose fault is this if not the head coach?

[LGR4GM]

I don't think he'll fire bylsma this off-season. He should but he won't.

 

Only outside shot would be Murray is targeting an assistant coach who's currently on a playoff team so he's waiting.

Which is reasonable. But to think that he's going to keep Bylsma to gain an extra year of his own employment seems absurd. If he truly doesn't believe this team should have been in the playoffs & he isn't sure he'll assemble a team that will be there next year says he doesn't have faith in his own ability & that he should be fired now anyhow. Keeping a "I'll keep the coach for now & can him at Thanksgiving" (ours or the Canadian one, either works here ;)) card in his pocket to get to stay the GM through '18-'19, results of '17-'18 be damned, says he isn't a ZFG guy & shouldn't have this job at present.

 

BTW, there is a Dean Lombardi waiting to get hired by somebody. Wonder how he'd like to trade Malibu's sunsets over the water for the view from Mickey Rats Beach Bar? They're comparable, right? :p

No to lombardi and no to Sutter

[WildCard]

Lombardi is a garbage GM

[Radar]

No offense but Harrington is a ###### moron The fans here follow and know much more than the casual fan though

You're assuming this, of course. I posed a similar question in another post. I am not sure the most vocal are the most knowledgeable. Forums and talk shows attract the vocal but that's not proof of being more knowledgeable. While I don't follow Harrington or read the News I find myself agreeing with most everything he wrote.

Edited April 16, 2017 by Radar

[Taro T]

Lombardi is a garbage GM

He built the Snarks up & built the Kings into 2 time SC Champions. Not a bad effort; imagine what those 2 teams could've done if he weren't "garbage." ;)

[TrueBlueGED]

I'm honestly not sure that a representative sampling of Sabres fans would favor a coaching change. This board? Sure. There are many casual fans who would very fairly say, hey, it's only been two years and look where he started and how crummy the roster still is.

 

Though I'm reasonably confident a representative sample of Sabres fans would not see things as we here on Sabrespace do, I'm hesitant to try to predict in which direction the discrepancy would manifest. On the one hand, I'm pretty sure "Joe fan" wouldn't be able to break down the coaching like we do here, but on the other hand, I also feel that "Joe fan" is more prone to knee-jerk "fire everybody" opinions. 

[Jacque Richard]

Better they sit in the stands or in their living room not earning their check than they stand behind the bench not earning them.

Paying for Rex Ryan, Greg Roman and now disco.

[WildCard]

You're assuming this, of course. I posed a similar question in another post. I am not sure the most vocal are the most knowledgeable. Forums and talk shows attract the vocal but that's not proof of being more knowledgeable. While I don't follow Harrington or read the News I find myself agreeing with most everything he wrote.

Fair point, but the posters here, on both sides, have done far, far more work than Harrington has in this argument. And he gets paid to. He doesn't even respond coherently to those that disagree with him, and I've quoted thoughts of his that have were not only originally laughable, but then proven wrong. He's a joke

 

He built the Snarks up & built the Kings into 2 time SC Champions. Not a bad effort; imagine what those 2 teams could've done if he weren't "garbage." ;)

I'll admit, I don't know anything that he did with the Sharks. Care to detail?

[nfreeman]

Most of Harrington's opinions were reasonable enough IMHO (although I don't think the team views how Eichel interacts with the media as indicative of his leadership abilities or lack thereof). But, as always with Harrington, there was zero we didn't know already. No inside perspective -- because I think he has zero sources in the organization or the locker room.

[WildCard]

Most of Harrington's opinions were reasonable enough IMHO (although I don't think the team views how Eichel interacts with the media as indicative of his leadership abilities or lack thereof). But, as always with Harrington, there was zero we didn't know already. No inside perspective -- because I think he has zero sources in the organization or the locker room.

Personally, I expect the media to have more informative articles than observations that the most casual fan can muster. 

[North Buffalo]

I voted no, but I want yes...  part of my problem with GMTM though I have many.  If it doesn't turn around this year... foget about it. send him back to scouting.

[PASabreFan]

Personally, I expect the media to have more informative articles than observations that the most casual fan can muster. 

The mini-bombshell that Harrington revealed, based on his inside position, is that the media has covered up Eichel's immature lockerroom behavior for two years. His column might signal that the gloves will be off next season, now that Eichel treated the media with a measure of disrespect on clean-out day. Nice player, but the evidence is mounting that he's a pretty big DB. Hates to lose or just an immature person?

[Huckleberry]

The mini-bombshell that Harrington revealed, based on his inside position, is that the media has covered up Eichel's immature lockerroom behavior for two years. His column might signal that the gloves will be off next season, now that Eichel treated the media with a measure of disrespect on clean-out day. Nice player, but the evidence is mounting that he's a pretty big DB. Hates to lose or just an immature person?

 

Just read the article and to be honest I want my star player to question the coach and his tactics.   A good coach can handle that.

Maybe he could use some media training, but calling a 19 year old kid out about that is kind of dumb.

 

 

 

Or make veiled comments about teammates, like Eichel clearly has about Josh Gorges more than once when referencing players who speak but don't perform on the ice.

 

And this well, If he did say those things, he didn't say anything different than most on this board.

[Randall Flagg]

The mini-bombshell that Harrington revealed, based on his inside position, is that the media has covered up Eichel's immature lockerroom behavior for two years. His column might signal that the gloves will be off next season, now that Eichel treated the media with a measure of disrespect on clean-out day. Nice player, but the evidence is mounting that he's a pretty big DB. Hates to lose or just an immature person?

What was the bombshell? Eich's interview was not disrespectful.

[LGR4GM]

The mini-bombshell that Harrington revealed, based on his inside position, is that the media has covered up Eichel's immature lockerroom behavior for two years. His column might signal that the gloves will be off next season, now that Eichel treated the media with a measure of disrespect on clean-out day. Nice player, but the evidence is mounting that he's a pretty big DB. Hates to lose or just an immature person?

He hates to lose but that spin you got going... 

 

 

As for the article, if you are going to drop the "mini-bombshell" about the media being nice to Jack, give an example or two. Harrington sounded all pissy that Jack was frustrated about the season ending. I love how he tossed out the 2million$ bonus thing. I will go back and look but did anyone ask Jack anything about that? 

 

Harrington's article had some decent points to it but to much speculations and hinting and crap without any meat to back it up. If Jack Eichel is a masshole then let him be our masshole. I don't care as long as we win. 

 

Oh and Eichel was right, Gorges has no room to talk after his abysmal season. Sam Reinhart can't play center if the coach won't let him. Finally Reinhart was statistically better this year but I think we just saw his sophomore slump. Does Eichel need to mature, absolutely. But sections of this come off as a hit piece written by a reporter who wasn't shown enough respect "by a kid" during his end of year interview. 

[PASabreFan]

What was the bombshell? Eich's interview was not disrespectful.

His demeanor was unprofessional and immature. He laughed at a reporter's question (the same reporter Murray went after for asking about Okposo, so maybe it's the team's new media strategy; what's next, Sean Spicer up there when he gets fired?). He answered a question about what has to change by saying "win more games."

 

He's been late to a meeting. He put on a tirade after a game that one media person, Hammy, thought was staged for the benefit of his audience. By all accounts (I didn't see the games), he pulled the chute on his coach in the last six games. How much does he hate to lose?

 

It's year three now. Time to grow up. And if he doesn't, I guess that's OK, because he'll still be good. But captain material? No way. Not yet. He doesn't seem to have grown much from, "I'm coming for ya." Hitting the town with Kane? Blech.

[Taro T]

Fair point, but the posters here, on both sides, have done far, far more work than Harrington has in this argument. And he gets paid to. He doesn't even respond coherently to those that disagree with him, and I've quoted thoughts of his that have were not only originally laughable, but then proven wrong. He's a joke

 

 

I'll admit, I don't know anything that he did with the Sharks. Care to detail?

Lombardi had been w/ the No Stars prior to the Gunds splitting the team and went to SJ as an assistant GM. They had essentially a 3 headed GM-ship initially & then a 2 man crew w/ him becoming the sole GM by '96. Team had 6 consecutive improved regular seasons through '01-'02. People expected them to challenge for the Conference title in '03 but they disappointed that year (sounds a lot like the Snarks since he left as well ;)) badly as the team came out of the gate sluggishly primarily due to a Nabokov contract holdout. He replaced Sutter mid-season w/ Ron Wilson but the change was too late to improve things. Doug Wilson replaced him at the end of the season.

 

Those early Shark teams were typically good for a 1st round upset (or a good scare at minimum) of much stronger opponents. Not bad for what was essentially an expansion team. And Lombardi assembled teams always have excellent goaltending.

 

If I have some time tonight, I'll try to go into more detail.

[Randall Flagg]

His demeanor was unprofessional and immature. He laughed at a reporter's question (the same reporter Murray went after for asking about Okposo, so maybe it's the team's new media strategy; what's next, Sean Spicer up there when he gets fired?). He answered a question about what has to change by saying "win more games."

 

He's been late to a meeting. He put on a tirade after a game that one media person, Hammy, thought was staged for the benefit of his audience. By all accounts (I didn't see the games), he pulled the chute on his coach in the last six games. How much does he hate to lose?

 

It's year three now. Time to grow up. And if he doesn't, I guess that's OK, because he'll still be good. But captain material? No way. Not yet. He doesn't seem to have grown much from, "I'm coming for ya." Hitting the town with Kane? Blech.

I didn't have a problem with his demeanor or anything he said. I didn't think he disrespected anyone there. Hamilton has bad hockey opinions, I hear them every time he comes on the morning show. The O'Reilly practice stuff was ludicrous (the coaches shut down the extra practice) and he brought no evidence to the table to defend his character assassination of Reinhart (he never once verified that Reinhart was spending his extra time from not going to ROR's practice doing anything lazy or bad, and he was at the real regular practice anyway!). That was an embarrassing display by him that lost all of his credibility for me, and makes me laugh at the "Eichel Staged freak out" story line.

 

Oh and poor Josh gorges being bullied by the mean Sabres rookies.

 

Was Eich's benching for being late to a meeting or not back checking? Was it ever reported or just speculated? I've heard both. Is Calgary in immature hands because they had to bench Gaudreau and Monahan at the same time because they were both late to/skipping a meeting? Mehhhhhhh.