Firing Tim Murray and Dan Bylsma the Right Move by the Buffalo Sabres
Less than two weeks after the season ended, the Buffalo Sabres dismissed Tim Murray and Dan Bylsma. This was an unexpected move, but it was still the right call.
The 2016-17 season was a major disappointment for the Buffalo Sabres that saw them take steps in the wrong direction. It was obvious that changes of some sort needed to be made in order for the team to make progress.
The first change was getting rid of the GM and head coach.
In their end of season press conferences, Tim Murray and Dan Bylsma both took the blame for a failed season. Murray was critical of himself, but was also critical of Bylsma’s failures to build relationships with his players. When Murray and Bylsma met with ownership, they were clearly unable to make a case for keeping their jobs.
This overhaul makes it look like the Sabres are completely starting over. However, this is not the case. It is more of a move to build a strong management team around a group of young, talented players. The Sabres already went through the main part of their rebuild in which they acquired building blocks for the future after tanking for two seasons.
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Under Murray, the Sabres went through a tank where they completely dismantled their roster. When teams tank, it is tough for them to regain a winning mentality after losing so often.
This created a culture of losing. The issue mainly traces back to Murray because he was the one who tore apart the roster.
The tank did result in Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart, but two players are not going to automatically turn a franchise around. There are other key pieces necessary that Murray failed to take into account.
After losing out on Mike Babcock in 2015, Murray quickly hired Dan Bylsma who won a Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2009. Bylsma’s first season was successful in which the Sabres improved by 27 points. His job appeared to be safe after his first season, but a disaster of a second season changed that. It became clear that Bylsma and his players were not on the same page which seemed to cause inconsistent play.
Although he should not be blamed for all of the team’s struggles, Bylsma should be blamed for some things such as failing to build solid relationships with his players. Players need to have strong relationships with their coaches if they want success. Without these relationships, it makes it difficult for players to understand their roles on the team and figure out how they fit into the system.
Still such a young team, the Buffalo Sabres need a coach who communicates regularly and can properly build relationships with each player.
With Murray’s plan not working out the way he had hoped, it was time to move on and start fresh with new faces and ideas. Whoever is part of the new management group will be tasked with developing the team into a Stanley Cup contender.
Everyone in the organization needs to be on the same page and buy into whatever new plan is set. This is something that the Sabres failed to do under Murray and Bylsma.
Next: Buffalo Sabres Fired Tim Murray too Soon
The Sabres are not going to automatically turn into Stanley Cup contenders next season, but they can certainly become a playoff team that gains valuable experience. A true winning attitude needs to develop for the organization to have success. Tim Murray and Dan Bylsma were not able to develop a winning culture within the organization, therefore it was time to move on.
Bringing in the right people with clear and thought out plans will be key for the future success of the Buffalo Sabres.