Dan Bylsma Hired by the Buffalo Sabres
Scratch Dan Bylsma off the list of unemployed NHL coaches.
Bylsma was hired today by the Buffalo Sabres. In return, the Sabres have to provide a 3rd round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Even though he was fired a year ago, he was still under contract with the Penguins.
I think this is a strong hire for Buffalo who can use all the help that they can get.
More from ESPN:
The Sabres have missed the playoffs in each of the past four seasons and haven’t won a playoff series since 2007, when Buffalo reached the Eastern Conference final.
The Sabres have spent the past three seasons adding youth and stockpiling high draft picks. Buffalo has the No. 2 choice in the draft next month for the second consecutive year and is expected to select Boston University center Jack Eichel.
Bylsma got his NHL coaching break in February 2009 during his first season with the Penguins’ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton affiliate. He was promoted to Pittsburgh to replace Michel Therrien with 25 games left in the season. The Penguins finished out 18-3-4 to make the playoffs, and then went on to clinch the franchise’s third championship by defeating Detroit in Game 7 of the Cup finals.
From Grand Haven, Michigan, Bylsma is a former NHL forward, who made his professional debut by playing two games with the Sabres’ American Hockey League affiliate in Rochester in 1992-93. After bouncing around the minors, he eventually played parts of nine seasons with the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks before retiring in 2004.
Image courtesy of Dan4th Nicholas.
