Former Falcon and current coach of the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins Dan Byslma was named the Hockey News Coach of the Year yesterday afternoon.
Byslma took over the Penguins on February 15 for Michael Therrien after spending the first half of the season as head coach of the American Hockey Leagues Wilkes Barre-Scranton Penguins. The former Falcon guided Pittsburgh from just outside the playoff picture to an 18-3-4 record over the final 25 games of the season to earn the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference.
Byslma took over the Penguins on February 15 for Michael Therrien after spending the first half of the season as head coach of the American Hockey Leagues Wilkes Barre-Scranton Penguins. The former Falcon guided Pittsburgh from just outside the playoff picture to an 18-3-4 record over the final 25 games of the season to earn the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference.
In the playoffs, Pittsburgh dispatched Philadelphia, Washington, Carolina and Detroit to claim their third Stanley Cup in the team's history. Many people attributed the playoff success to the luck of 'Bylsma's Burrito' a tradition where the coach would eat an Chile BBQ Pork Burrito from the Qdoba across the street from Mellon Arena before home games and even brought one on ice to Detroit for the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Penguins were 22-1 in games which the BGSU Alumnus downed a Burrito.
Byslma graduated from BGSU as a double-digit goal scorer in three of his four seasons with the Falcons. He is also one of the few players in CCHA history to score a shorthanded goal while his team was facing a 3-on-5 disadvantage.
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