Michael Pachla: This is no reason to keep head coach Dan Bylsma.

from last blog...

Murray has made bad trades no question but I believe that Pegula hired Bylsma or at the very least heavily influenced Murray. I see the problem more as a coaching issue and forcing players into a system that doesn't work. They both should be in trouble and one could understand the concern with Murray's next trade.
- mhp

If Pegs forced the hire, I wouldn't think Murray would want another year of Bylsma, or even 2 months of it into next year.

oh...and I agree with you Pach

Nice post Mike!

Michael Pachla: This is no reason to keep head coach Dan Bylsma.
- Michael Pachla

The players don't like the coach, whether it's at the end of the season, middle of next year, it's coming. There's no point trying to salvage it, we need a fresh start next year

Everybody is calling for it, so they probably wont do it. Smug a-holes.

Apparently you have better hockey mind than many other people who thought we won the trade.

https://thepuckunderthesu...tion-kulikov-pysyk-trade/ (Florida blogger hates trade)
- Der Kaiser[PS he's a a 13 year old kid and a 8th year Panther fan so maybe you do have a better hockey mind).

http://thehockeywriters.c...v-deal-defensive-upgrade/ (neutral writer says Asplund tips the deal in our favor)

https://twointhebox.com/2...im-murrays-trade-history/ (gives the trade a "B" grade)

Value of the trade is not the problem for me. The real issue lies in what they thought they were getting and what kind of impact it would have on the team.

i think the pegula's need to hire a vp of hockey (and vp of football for the bills). Them hiring the gm's and coaches obviously isn't working. It's been said, at least on the football side, taht the gm and coach both go directly to pegula, not coach > gm > pegula. there is an obvious disconnect there.

I'd imagine the Sabres are similar on the hockey side, Murray probably can't fire Bylsma, and likely didn't directly hire him. Get a VP of hockey who knows how hockey works and thus can hire management/coaching that meshes together, instead of just throwing money at "big name" coaches and first-time GM's and hoping the experience and "new ideas" balance out and work.

from last blog...


- Whatnot78

Murray has made bad trades no question but I believe that Pegula hired Bylsma or at the very least heavily influenced Murray. I see the problem more as a coaching issue and forcing players into a system that doesn't work. They both should be in trouble and one could understand the concern with Murray's next trade.
- mhp


If Pegs forced the hire, I wouldn't think Murray would want another year of Bylsma, or even 2 months of it into next year.

if Pegula was the driving force behind Bylsma then Pegula needs to take responsibility for the hire and eat the rest of the contract

still not sure why they didnt wait till after this year to decide on a murray's extension. Wouldn't you want to see how the product looks before committing him for another 3 or 4 years?

i think the pegula's need to hire a vp of hockey (and vp of football for the bills). Them hiring the gm's and coaches obviously isn't working. It's been said, at least on the football side, taht the gm and coach both go directly to pegula, not coach > gm > pegula. there is an obvious disconnect there.

I'd imagine the Sabres are similar on the hockey side, Murray probably can't fire Bylsma, and likely didn't directly hire him. Get a VP of hockey who knows how hockey works and thus can hire management/coaching that meshes together, instead of just throwing money at "big name" coaches and first-time GM's and hoping the experience and "new ideas" balance out and work.
- mehetmet

They had a guy like that, hes the one who hired Timmy. But in general i agree with you.

Lets be clear. There are 1,000 millions in a billion.

TPegs has 4.2 Billion, so he has 4,200 millions.

If anybody - even a dope like me without an investment advisor - invested 1 Billion in a tax free municipal bond, it would generate 30 million a year TAX FREE.

So Pegula could generate income of $30Million every year TAX FREE without even committing 3/4 of his wealth to any risk whatsoever.

He will not worry about the $3Million he will have to expense if he fires Bylsma. Especially if it makes the Sabres more profitable by generating additional playoff revenue and merch sales.

I think, sometimes.

Value of the trade is not the problem for me. The real issue lies in what they thought they were getting and what kind of impact it would have on the team.
- Sabresfan-365

Murray was determined to do something and couldn't make a deal for Fowler so he took a shot on a guy who he thought looked great in the playoffs. I love GMTM's aggressive nature but it can backfire

i think the pegula's need to hire a vp of hockey (and vp of football for the bills). Them hiring the gm's and coaches obviously isn't working. It's been said, at least on the football side, taht the gm and coach both go directly to pegula, not coach > gm > pegula. there is an obvious disconnect there.

I'd imagine the Sabres are similar on the hockey side, Murray probably can't fire Bylsma, and likely didn't directly hire him. Get a VP of hockey who knows how hockey works and thus can hire management/coaching that meshes together, instead of just throwing money at "big name" coaches and first-time GM's and hoping the experience and "new ideas" balance out and work.
- mehetmet

if that were to happen, and i'm for it having blogged on that same subject, a good fit might be those who were forced out in florida--dale tallon and Gerard gallant...those two seem to fit right in with what murray has tried to build in buffalo

Murray was determined to do something and couldn't make a deal for Fowler so he took a shot on a guy who he thought looked great in the playoffs. I love GMTM's aggressive nature but it can backfire
- mattmoulson

if this is about Kulikov, i'm of the very strong opinion that the World cup and his tailbone/back injury totally derailed his season

Murray was determined to do something and couldn't make a deal for Fowler so he took a shot on a guy who he thought looked great in the playoffs. I love GMTM's aggressive nature but it can backfire
- mattmoulson

His inability to manage expectations will be his undoing imo.

Lets be clear. There are 1,000 millions in a billion.

TPegs has 4.2 Billion, so he has 4,200 millions.

If anybody - even a dope like me without an investment advisor - invested 1 Billion in a tax free municipal bond, it would generate 30 million a year TAX FREE.

So Pegula could generate income of $30Million every year TAX FREE without even committing 3/4 of his wealth to any risk whatsoever.

He will not worry about the $3Million he will have to expense if he fires Bylsma. Especially if it makes the Sabres more profitable by generating additional playoff revenue and merch sales.
- Der Kaiser

I think it's less about actual dollars, and more about not looking foolish, paying a bunch of people to not work for him.

if this is about Kulikov, i'm of the very strong opinion that the World cup and his tailbone/back injury totally derailed his season
- Michael Pachla

This may be true but derailing it meant going from 3rd pair guy to looking like gorges.

He went from stink to stank, doesnt really absolve murray of blame for bringing that guy to play top pair minutes and thinking its a good enough d group for the playoffs.

We go from almost bankrupt as a team and having no money to spend on players not even 20 years ago, and making the wrong decisions when the wallet finally dropped, to having so much money to spend on a team that it's being thrown around like tootsie rolls at the Holland Tulip Festival parade and none of it is paying off.

Value of the trade is not the problem for me. The real issue lies in what they thought they were getting and what kind of impact it would have on the team.
- Sabresfan-365

Wait.

Pretend Kulikov is a racecar. Pretend Murray says, "Our driver is going to win all the races this year because our racecar is so fast." And then the car blows an engine, and doesn't race.

You can't really say, "I knew we weren't going to win any races because the car really wasn't that fast." You can't really say "Even though the car never really raced the guy should be fired for thinking it would win when it did."

Can you?

Murray made moves, Murray hired the coach, Murray set the goals. It's on him. Don't believe that crap about Pegula not wanted to fire Bylsma because he would still have to pay him. They should keep a firetruck on standby after the offseason in case Pegula explodes.
- SABRES 89



He can pay Byslma now that he is off the hook on Rexs salary! What a genius move!!

Lets be clear. There are 1,000 millions in a billion.

TPegs has 4.2 Billion, so he has 4,200 millions.

If anybody - even a dope like me without an investment advisor - invested 1 Billion in a tax free municipal bond, it would generate 30 million a year TAX FREE.

So Pegula could generate income of $30Million every year TAX FREE without even committing 3/4 of his wealth to any risk whatsoever.

He will not worry about the $3Million he will have to expense if he fires Bylsma. Especially if it makes the Sabres more profitable by generating additional playoff revenue and merch sales.
- Der Kaiser

Exactly. This all comes down to what's called opportunity cost. What Pegula forgoes by making a decision. Saving the money by keeping this coach could have the opportunity cost of missing the playoffs again next year and cause even more player strife in the locker room. Pegula will more than likely make more money by having a new coach and successful team rather than staying the current course of parking the bus each night. It's just hard to pay people who have done a bad job and are now sitting at home.

if Pegula was the driving force behind Bylsma then Pegula needs to take responsibility for the hire and eat the rest of the contract
- Michael Pachla

agreed

Wait.

Pretend Kulikov is a racecar. Pretend Murray says, "Our driver is going to win all the races this year because our racecar is so fast." And then the car blows an engine, and doesn't race.

You can't really say, "I knew we weren't going to win any races because the car really wasn't that fast." You can't really say "Even though the car never really raced the guy should be fired for thinking it would win when it did."

Can you?
- Der Kaiser

What if he knew or should have known the engine was faulty/not very good from day one?

Edit: Even if kulikov didnt blow out his engine, the engine was outdated and not even remotely good enough to race in this league at that level. Thats on Tim for thinking he could get away with that