bhaw wrote:The Snapshot wrote:bhaw wrote:Godric wrote:The Snapshot wrote:The thread was started by a troll and many followed when they were sitting at #2 in the conference and NO GM in the league would have made that move. Simple.
Bruce Boudreau wins Presidents trophy, Bruce Boudreau is fired.
The regular season doesn't mean ****.
Devils also did the same thing going into the playoffs a few years ago.
But it never happens. No GM would ever do that.
No "good" GM would have fired Bylsma at that point. Those other instances were different, because there were philosphical differences in NJ that were well documented and the Boudreau firing being referenced is silly, because the GM there is grasping at straws for why his team never wins anything.
Bylsma's Cup win makes his status different. So does the horrific injuries he dealt with in the last 2+ seasons.
Thankfully, we have a GREAT GM who agreed with me. There was never any hint of that move or any indication that there was any change in the outstanding working relationship the two have.
I'm done addressing this because I know I am right that the thread was ludicrous AT THAT TIME. Had that stretch of play continued I would have considered the possibility, but the timing was laughable. I am done defending something so clearly right - especially because only one of the two of you in not on the foe list.....since I'm responding to you I think you can guess which is which.
That's fine but dismissing all opinions as uninformed is ridiculous and worthy of all vile heat you get from people who know what they are talking about. Unless you want people to throw your constant Fleury bashing back in your face on a consistent basis.
If you want to say you were clearly right, that's your own opinion. I'll try not to generalize your bad opinions as being totally devoid of merit, something you are apparently unable to do.
Fleury at times plays like an AHL goalie who is 20 years old. That is not his best. In general I am very supportive of the team and when the team goes bad it most frequently has to do with one of Fleury's "spells". The WORST I have ever done with respect to Fleury is ask whether or not he is the goalie to backstop the muliple Cup goals of the Crosby/Malkin era or cite him as a bigger reason for post-season failures than Bylsma's coaching. You CANNOT coach goals out of your net when they are weak wrist shots or juicy rebounds. Every stick cannot be controlled defensively.
If Bylsma's team remains reasonably healthy and fails in the Playoffs, it will most likely be at Fleury's feet again. Then Bylsma will be fired most-likely and there isn't much to argue about. I happen to backed by just about every knowledgable NHL analyst, ex-player, ex-coach, ex-GM who when asked about Pittsburgh's chances at this point all go to "only if Fleury falters". It is clear that Shero wanted to address a backup plan by having Vokoun at least be an option.
Nothing controversial, and nothing personal, but when someone wants to fire a coach sitting 2nd in the Conference who has already been dealing with key injuries - and then has the team go on a winning streak and shoot to the top of the conference - it makes that position goofy.
My position on Fleury was that he had to play better, and he has, and look what's happened since. No more leaky goals for some time, and he has stolen some games as well. That is his job as a former Number One overall draft pick. He is supposed to be a cornerstone goaltender for a hopeful mini-dynasty, and he is not always up to it.
Another reason that Fleury comes up so often in my posts is that folks like you force me continually clarify my position on him, yet never offer any real facts to prove it to be incorrect. I actually have done NOTHING but post positive things about Fleury since about the time he regained his form, yet still he is brought up as a way to distract from the ignorance of the Fire Bylsma thread.
