Dan Bylsma, head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, has the astute honor to lead the U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey Team at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Bylsma, a native of Grand Haven, Michigan, is without question well deserving of his first shot at a national team. Bylsma has a Stanley Cup on his resume and a clear grasp when handling a lineup filled with superstars, which should really help him in preparing for the Olympics. Byslma applies a North-South game in transition with his defensemen preferably connecting on a stretch pass to a forward who has gained the red line. Once in the zone, maintaining possession is key, and defensemen are encouraged to aggressively pinch along the walls to try to keep the puck in the offensive zone. This style of play should do well on the Olympic sized ice in Sochi.
Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette will assist Bylsma for the American team at the Sochi Olympics in Russia next year. Laviolette has plenty of Olympic experience as he was the head coach for team USA in 2006. Laviolette also played for the U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey Team in 1988 and 1994. Laviolette also employs an aggressive offensive minded strategy which should mold well with Bylsma’s mindset. That being said, Byslma and Laviolette will make an interesting pair behind the bench as these two share a bit of history.
April 1, 2012, Laviolette walked the plank that is the dasherboards between benches, worked his way around the Plexiglas dividing the Flyers and Penguins and splintered Max Talbot’s stick in the direction of Penguins coach Dan Bylsma. Standing in the way of Laviolette was longtime friend and Penguins assistant coach, Tony Granato. Granato helped lobby on Laviolette’s behalf to Bylsma as Granato’s message was simple. “Bylsma and Laviolette are coaches with a similar, burning passion.”
Laviolette was fined $10,000 by the NHL for that very explosive shouting match with Bylsma and Granato. Granato was fined $2,500. Granato and Byslma were ejected from the game, the first time a Flyers coach had been thrown out of a game in at least 15 years. After the game, Laviolette called Bylsma “gutless” for sending his checking line on the ice in the final minute of the game, that saw Danny Briere get absolutely crunched.
The Flyers and Penguins rivalry is not only the best in hockey, but perhaps currently one of the best in all of sports. The Feud between these coaches only adds to the rich history of this rivalry. However, lets not think for a second that these two professionals are going to allow their minor disagreement get in the way of a chance to win gold. Peter Laviolette and Dan Byslma may not like each other. Claude Giroux and Sidney Crosby may not like each other. Furthermore, both of these tandems will gladly put their differences aside to win gold for their respective countries.
