[News] Penguins extend Bylsma through 2015/2016

[Huntingwhale]

I don't see why there is such backlash from people. The guy just took his team to the conference final, where the PLAYERS crapped the bed. Why is there no talk of shipping out Crosby, Letang or Malkin when THEY are the ones who didn't show up? Does anyone really think that hiring a new coach for a team that just made the final 4 will really push them over the edge?

The fact is, Bylsma plays a system that caters to the teams' strengths. Other then round 3, the team was dominant all season long. Why change the system when it clearly works?

Firing Bylsma IMO would have been a huge mistake. It's not his fault his core of superstars thought they could coast against Boston.

[Miniac]

^^^
Easier to fire Bylsma than shipping out Crosby, Letang or Malkin...
But at the end of the day Bylsma gets a 2nd chance.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

I don't see why there is such backlash from people. The guy just took his team to the conference final, where the PLAYERS crapped the bed. Why is there no talk of shipping out Crosby, Letang or Malkin when THEY are the ones who didn't show up? Does anyone really think that hiring a new coach for a team that just made the final 4 will really push them over the edge?

The fact is, Bylsma plays a system that caters to the teams' strengths. Other then round 3, the team was dominant all season long. Why change the system when it clearly works?

Firing Bylsma IMO would have been a huge mistake. It's not his fault his core of superstars thought they could coast against Boston.

Well, you either blame the players for not showing up or you blame the coach for not getting the players to show up. Considering the moves the Pens made to stack their team, anything short of winning the cup is going to be a big disappointment.

Also, making it to the ECF was not really all that impressive for the Pens. All they had to do was beat the #8 and then #7 ranked teams in the conference. And truthfully, if Vokoun hadn't stepped in and picked the team up I am not convinced that the Pens would have made it out of the first round.

[Jake]

Fleury obviously needs to go, but I agree with keeping Bylsma. I don't think you should fire a coach that got you to the conference finals, even if they had a terrible showing in them. He deserves another chance, just like a couple of the Flames coaches probably did back when we were respectable.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

I don't see why there is such backlash from people. The guy just took his team to the conference final, where the PLAYERS crapped the bed. Why is there no talk of shipping out Crosby, Letang or Malkin when THEY are the ones who didn't show up? Does anyone really think that hiring a new coach for a team that just made the final 4 will really push them over the edge?

The fact is, Bylsma plays a system that caters to the teams' strengths. Other then round 3, the team was dominant all season long. Why change the system when it clearly works?

Firing Bylsma IMO would have been a huge mistake. It's not his fault his core of superstars thought they could coast against Boston.

Had a difficult series with the #8 seed Islanders and beat the # 7 seed Senators that were injury riddled and overachievers just to get to the playoffs. Not very impressive when you consider how they got steamrolled by the only cup contender they faced.

I can't expect that Blysma survives either an early playoff exit or another conference final exit where they get embaressed. May be tough to do if they don't do something about the goaltending situation.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Iggy needs to get out of their. ASAP.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

Iggy needs to get out of their. ASAP.

lol just like he needed to get out of here ASAP?

Blysma mis-used him, just like Babcock also mis-used him?

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

lol just like he needed to get out of here ASAP?

Blysma mis-used him, just like Babcock also mis-used him?

Blysma did misuse him vs the Bruins. Yeah he didn't play well but he could have at least put him with Crosby to see if they could get it going. I'm sure Iggy will stay but i have a feeling it's going to end up the same as this year next season.

[CSharp]

All that talent on one team and not even a conference final championship once since he won the cup as a rookie head coach. That was his fluke one time shot and he made the best of it. He'll be fired at the end of next season after the Pens get trounced again. Everyone should know how to play them now. Heck, even the Islanders almost beat them in the first round, for crying out loud!

[trackercowe]

Told ya'll he wasn't going anywhere. Stanley cup winning coaches are incredibly hard to fire. I can only think of a few recent coaches who've won the cup that aren't a head coach somewhere currently (Crawford and maybe the Devils' coaches being the only ones).

[nfotiu]

The fastest way to turn a contender into a tenth place team is to make drastic moves every time you have a bad playoff series. The regular season is a much better gauge of the team. Playoffs sample sizes are too small. People read way too many patterns into a quick playoff exit or even a couple when really a bad bounce in a game or two, a hot goalie or a bad matchup is the difference between a cup and a first round exit. Good on Pittsburgh for not over reacting.

[CSharp]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

I don't see why there is such backlash from people. The guy just took his team to the conference final, where the PLAYERS crapped the bed. Why is there no talk of shipping out Crosby, Letang or Malkin when THEY are the ones who didn't show up? Does anyone really think that hiring a new coach for a team that just made the final 4 will really push them over the edge?

The fact is, Bylsma plays a system that caters to the teams' strengths. Other then round 3, the team was dominant all season long. Why change the system when it clearly works?

Firing Bylsma IMO would have been a huge mistake. It's not his fault his core of superstars thought they could coast against Boston.

Crosby and Malkin showed up, but they were double and triple shadowed through that conference finals series. Instead of putting the right people to on the lines with the two superstars, Bylsma used players like Matt Cooke explicitly on the second line. Cooke didn't do anything but moved his mouth and gave the opposition the stupid stare. And notice that there was no fights and Crosby kept getting knocked down? The first two lines and the defensive core was running around scared most of the time. Crosby and Malkin, by 4th game is probably bruised and battered so bad that they had nothing left after Bylsma overused them to get something going. There were tougher guys in the lineup that could've help the Pens get through that series. Just that Bylsma didn't use them enough. Management saw from previous years that the Pens were not tough enough and that's what they went out to get during the trade deadline. But, Bylsma relied only on his two superstars to try and get to the Cup Finals.

[CSharp]

I also think Crosby's prime days are over. If he's double covered like that and no line mate does their job, he's not gonna score very many goals. As well, being checked hard like that, I just think he might end up concussed earlier than later. If Pen's management is smart, they'd ship out Crosby for like 4 first round draft picks and start reloading now. Fire Bylsma and go with someone who knows how to match up lines. Bylsma is only lucky to get a cup because that Pen's team was gonna win it but they had no focus or drive before he got there. Sometimes a change of coaching does help to refocus a team. I think a guy like Tortorella would get them further, but then, it might go the other way as well. Imagine if Babcock was coaching that team? I also wondered if the Pens had better goalies in net for the start of the playoffs, would that make a difference? So, Bylsma did do one thing right by replacing Fluery with Vokoun in net - but both goalies look shaky.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by CSharp

I also think Crosby's prime days are over. If he's double covered like that and no line mate does their job, he's not gonna score very many goals. As well, being checked hard like that, I just think he might end up concussed earlier than later. If Pen's management is smart, they'd ship out Crosby for like 4 first round draft picks and start reloading now. Fire Bylsma and go with someone who knows how to match up lines. Bylsma is only lucky to get a cup because that Pen's team was gonna win it but they had no focus or drive before he got there. Sometimes a change of coaching does help to refocus a team. I think a guy like Tortorella would get them further, but then, it might go the other way as well. Imagine if Babcock was coaching that team? I also wondered if the Pens had better goalies in net for the start of the playoffs, would that make a difference? So, Bylsma did do one thing right by replacing Fluery with Vokoun in net - but both goalies look shaky.

You can't be serious? Even if they where dumb enough to do this i highly doubt any other team would want to take on a $8.7M contract up to 2025.

[moon]

Originally Posted by CSharp

I also think Crosby's prime days are over.

Just to be clear you are talking about the guy that badly outscored every other player in the league in terms of PPG and almost won the scoring title despite missing half the season and then put up the 3rd best PPG in the play-offs after coming back from a serious injury?

That is the guy who's prime days are over?

Sorry if I missed the obvious green text but it did seem somewhat serious.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

You can't be serious? Even if they where dumb enough to do this i highly doubt any other team would want to take on a $8.7M contract up to 2025.

Calgary would take Crosby tomorrow for our first round picks in this draft. We would be stupid not to. So would every other team in the league. Calgary could raise ticket prices 20% the day Crosby arrived.

And how can pittsburgh be both dumb to do it meaning it would be a terrible deal, and it be an untradeable contract.

[moon]

There would be a rush of teams trying to find ways to fit that contract on their team.

You want to see a rush of buyouts, and possibly of guys that may even be useful, have Crosby on the market and teams will bend over backwards.

[sun]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

You can't be serious? Even if they where dumb enough to do this i highly doubt any other team would want to take on a $8.7M contract up to 2025.

Wait, PIT would be dumb to ship him out, but all other teams would be dumb to take him in?

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by sun

Wait, PIT would be dumb to ship him out, but all other teams would be dumb to take him in?

I didn't mean it like that. I was just saying that while landing Crosby would be incredible for any team there still are risks with adding his contract. Especially if he comes down with another bad concussion. Besides it's all pointless talking about this seeing he'll for sure be a Pen until the day he hangs them up.

[d_phaneuf]

a bit of overreaction to those comments about MAF

what do you expect him to say? we are moving him? buying him out?

these end of season GM PC's are treating like big revelations of news, but even a team planning massive changes won't say anyone is available