Coaching Change

[Jigawatts]

So what's the word on this guy Ruthless?

[RuthlessBurgher]

Well, our local Pens are currently on an 8 game win streak. They've been talking a lot about Bylsma on the telecast today (but I think you mentioned that you may only have access to the radio feed, so I don't know if Lange and Bourque are saying the same things as Steigerwald and Errey). He is a smart guy. Wrote several books along with his father, some of which were aimed at young athletes striving to make it in the professional ranks and others aimed at parents trying to help raise a child who wants to make it in professional sports. He had a decent career with a lot of time in the IHL, AHL, and NHL including extended stints with the Kings and Ducks. He is definitely a good teacher. They said that after the W-B/S Pens game yesterday, when the news was announced, his players down here gave him a standing ovation in the locker room when they found out their H.C. would be heading to Pittsburgh. I have a feeling he will be more well liked by the players than Therrien was. He has talked about adapting the system to his players' talents, so it should be more up-tempo to take advantage of the top 2 scorers in the league. I like that they retained Mike Yeo and Gilles Meloche too.

[Jigawatts]

Yeah, I only have access to the wxdx live radio broadcast today. But I had my wife
DVR it so I can watch later. Lange and Bourque mentioned something about the book
writing. That's about all I heard about him since I've been working and listening. I haven't
really been paying to much attention to the broadcast other than when someone scores.

The book on Therrien was that he lost his players. Hopefully Bylsma will be able to spark
something and get the best out of his talent.

Shootout now. We're down 0-1.

[buckeyehoppy]

Well, our local Pens are currently on an 8 game win streak. They've been talking a lot about Bylsma on the telecast today (but I think you mentioned that you may only have access to the radio feed, so I don't know if Lange and Bourque are saying the same things as Steigerwald and Errey). He is a smart guy. Wrote several books along with his father, some of which were aimed at young athletes striving to make it in the professional ranks and others aimed at parents trying to help raise a child who wants to make it in professional sports. He had a decent career with a lot of time in the IHL, AHL, and NHL including extended stints with the Kings and Ducks. He is definitely a good teacher. They said that after the W-B/S Pens game yesterday, when the news was announced, his players down here gave him a standing ovation in the locker room when they found out their H.C. would be heading to Pittsburgh. I have a feeling he will be more well liked by the players than Therrien was. He has talked about adapting the system to his players' talents, so it should be more up-tempo to take advantage of the top 2 scorers in the league. I like that they retained Mike Yeo and Gilles Meloche too.

MT had to go. My guess is that loss to Toronto on Sat. was the last straw. The team had flatlined under his command and it was beginning to become too obvious.

Bylsma is cut from the Babcock/McLellan mold and over the next week or so, he will be making some fundamental changes to the lines, the PP and the attack capability of the blueliners. He has already stated that the team will have a fundamentally different look for the remainder of the campaign.

I think Bylsma will get a long look by Shero and company and he may be just as good an option as any of the "experienced" guys who might be considered.

Meloche was a no-brainer keep. The work he has done with MAF has made him the cream of the young goalie crop.

Yeo will probably finish the season. But he will probably be reassigned or dumped when the permanent replacement is named. Many of the issues with the PP fall right in his lap and that's probably why he will be working with the blueline through the end of the season.